THE REFORMED VIEW ON OUTWARD AND INWARD CALLS EXPLAINED

Picture this: Two neighbours attend the same church service. They hear the identical sermon about Christ’s sacrifice and the call to repentance. One leaves deeply moved, eventually becoming a committed Christian. The other shrugs it off, unchanged and unmoved. Same preacher, same message, same Holy Spirit present—yet completely different responses.

This scenario plays out countless times across the globe. Why do some people respond to the gospel while others remain indifferent? Reformed theology provides a profound answer through the doctrine of calling, distinguishing between God’s outward call and His inward call.

 

THE OUTWARD CALL: GOD’S GENERAL INVITATION

What Is the Outward Call? The outward call is God’s external proclamation of the gospel to all people. It comes through preaching, Scripture reading, Christian witness, and evangelism. This call extends universally—offered to all without distinction, regardless of background, culture, or personal history.

When Jesus proclaimed, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened” (Matthew 11:28), He was extending the outward call. When Isaiah declared, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters” (Isaiah 55:1), this was God’s external invitation to humanity. The Great Commission itself is a mandate to extend this outward call to every nation.

Characteristics of the Outward Call The outward call is both sincere and sufficient. God genuinely offers salvation to all who hear, and the message contains everything necessary for salvation—the reality of sin, Christ’s atoning work, and the call to faith and repentance.

Yet this call is resistible. Human beings, in their natural state, possess the ability to reject God’s offer. They can hear the clearest gospel presentation and walk away unchanged. This isn’t because the message lacks power, but because fallen humanity is spiritually dead and unable to respond positively to spiritual truth without divine intervention.

 

THE INWARD CALL: GOD’S EFFECTUAL WORK

What Is the Inward Call? The inward call is the Holy Spirit’s internal work of regeneration that accompanies the outward call for God’s elect. While the outward call reaches the ears, the inward call reaches the heart. It creates spiritual life where there was only spiritual death, enabling a person to see the beauty of Christ and respond in genuine faith.

Paul describes this beautifully in 1 Corinthians 1:23-24: “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” The same message that appears as foolishness to some becomes the wisdom of God to others through the inward call.

Characteristics of the Inward Call: Unlike the outward call, the inward call is irresistible—not because it forces people against their will, but because it transforms their will. It creates new spiritual life, enabling faith and repentance where none existed before. Romans 8:30 captures this perfectly: “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified.”

This call doesn’t merely invite; it empowers. It doesn’t simply offer salvation; it creates the capacity to receive it. As Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44). The inward call is that divine drawing that ensures a positive response.

 

WHY SOME RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WHILE OTHERS DON’T: SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

• Matthew 22:14: “Many are called, but few are chosen”
• Romans 8:30: “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified”
• John 6:44: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them”
• 1 Corinthians 1:23-24: Called to see Christ as wisdom and power
• Isaiah 55:1: “Come, all you who are thirsty”
• Ephesians 2:1-5: From death to life through God’s grace

 

HOW BOTH CALLS WORK TOGETHER

Complementary, Not Competitive The two calls don’t compete—they complement each other perfectly. The outward call provides the content of salvation, while the inward call provides the power to receive it. God uses the external proclamation of the gospel as the means through which He works internally in the hearts of His people.

Think of it like a key and a lock. The outward call is like having the right key—it contains everything needed to open the door. But the inward call is like having the strength and ability to actually turn that key. Both are necessary for the door to open.

Addressing Common Concerns:

• “Doesn’t this make evangelism pointless?” Absolutely not. God has chosen to use human proclamation as the ordinary means of extending both calls. We preach because God commands it, and we trust Him to add the inward call to our outward proclamation according to His sovereign will.
• “This seems unfair.” Remember no one deserves salvation. If God chose to save no one, that would be perfectly just. The question isn’t why some don’t receive the inward call, but why anyone does. The answer is grace—unmerited favour that God is free to give or withhold.
• “This removes human responsibility.” Not at all. The outward call is a genuine offer that creates real moral obligation. People are responsible for their rejection of the gospel, just as they would be responsible for accepting it if they were able.

 

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING

• For Evangelism and Missions: Understanding both calls should fill us with confidence, not complacency. We proclaim the gospel boldly, knowing God will add His inward call to our outward proclamation according to His perfect timing and wisdom. We depend on the Holy Spirit’s power rather than human persuasion techniques, and we expect both acceptance and rejection without taking either personally.
• For Personal Assurance: If we’ve responded to the gospel in genuine faith, we can be confident God’s inward call has been at work in our life. Our salvation doesn’t depend on the strength of our faith but on the strength of God’s call. The Holy Spirit who began this good work in us will complete it (Philippians 1:6).
• For Prayer and Dependence: This doctrine should drive us to our knees in prayer. We intercede for the lost, asking God to add His inward call to our outward proclamation. We pray with confidence, knowing that God has the power to open blind eyes and soften hard hearts.

 

WHY SOME RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WHILE OTHERS DON’T: KEY TERMS

Effectual Calling: The inward work of the Holy Spirit that inevitably results in salvation, creating faith and repentance in the elect. Unlike the outward call, it cannot be resisted.

Common Grace: God’s unmerited favour shown to all humanity, restraining sin and enabling people to hear and understand the gospel, even if they don’t respond in saving faith.

Irresistible Grace: The doctrine that when God calls someone inwardly to salvation, they will inevitably respond in faith. This doesn’t violate human will but transforms it.

 

HISTORIC REFORMED WITNESSES

John Calvin taught the outward call is “promiscuous” (universal) while the inward call is “special” (particular). He emphasised both calls are necessary and that God’s sovereignty in salvation should increase our confidence in evangelism, not diminish it.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 10) beautifully articulates this doctrine, explaining that “all those whom God has predestined unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his word and Spirit.”

 

WHY SOME RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WHILE OTHERS DON’T: LIVING IN LIGHT OF GOD’S CALLING

The beauty of Reformed theology’s answer to our opening question lies in its God-centeredness. Salvation from beginning to end is God’s work. He provides both the message and the power to receive it. This should humble us—we contribute nothing to our salvation—and encourage us—God’s purposes cannot be thwarted.

Whether we’re sharing the gospel with a friend, struggling with assurance of our own salvation, or wondering about God’s justice in a world of varied responses, let’s remember this: God’s outward call goes forth sincerely to all, and His inward call ensures none of His chosen people will be lost.

The gospel call echoes across the centuries: “Come, all you who are thirsty.” Some will come because they’ve heard not just with their ears, but with hearts transformed by the inward call of a gracious God. That’s why some respond to God’s call and others don’t—and it’s a reason for both humility and hope.

 

WHY SOME RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WHILE OTHERS DON’T: RELATED FAQs

What about people who seem to respond to the gospel but later fall away? Reformed theology distinguishes between temporary faith and saving faith. Some people receive the outward call with emotional response or intellectual assent but never experience the inward call of regeneration. Contemporary Reformed scholar Michael Horton argues temporary faith can appear genuine but lacks the deep heart transformation that ensures perseverance. True believers may struggle and doubt, but they will ultimately persevere because God’s inward call creates unbreakable spiritual life.

• How do Reformed Christians view infant baptism in light of the doctrine of calling? Reformed paedobaptists believe covenant children receive the outward call through their baptism and Christian upbringing, but still need the inward call for salvation. RC Sproul taught baptism signifies God’s covenant promise and the child’s inclusion in the visible church, but regeneration may occur at any point in their life. The child grows up hearing the gospel (outward call) with the expectation that God will grant the inward call in His timing, often through the means of grace provided in their covenant upbringing.
• What about those who never hear the gospel at all? Reformed theology maintains the outward call comes through the proclamation of the gospel, so those who never hear cannot receive this call. However, scholars like John Piper emphasise God’s justice doesn’t depend on equal opportunity—salvation is by grace, not right. The Reformed position focuses on the church’s responsibility to take the gospel to all nations rather than speculating about alternative paths to salvation. This drives missionary urgency rather than comfortable pluralism.

How do we answer the charge that this doctrine makes God the author of sin? Contemporary Reformed scholars like DA Carson and John Frame carefully distinguish between God’s sovereignty in salvation and His relationship to sin. They argue God sovereignly chooses not to extend the inward call to some, but this is an act of justice, not injustice—everyone deserves condemnation. God doesn’t create sin or force people to sin; rather, He permits them to follow their natural inclinations. The asymmetry is crucial: God actively saves some (grace) while passively allowing others to remain in their chosen rebellion (justice).

• What’s the difference between Reformed and Lutheran views on calling? While both traditions affirm the necessity of God’s work in salvation, Lutherans generally believe the outward call contains the same power as the inward call, but people can resist it through persistent unbelief. Reformed theology maintains the inward call is irresistible—it creates the very faith that responds to it. Lutheran scholar Robert Kolb emphasises grace can be resisted, while Reformed theologian Louis Berkhof argues irresistible grace doesn’t violate human will but transforms it. This leads to different views on the perseverance of the saints and assurance of salvation.
• How do Reformed charismatics or continuationists view the relationship between calling and spiritual gifts? Reformed continuationists like Wayne Grudem distinguish between the call to salvation and the call to specific ministry through spiritual gifts. They see the inward call as creating new spiritual life that may manifest in various gifts, but the gifts themselves are not evidence of salvation. Sam Storms argues the Spirit’s work in calling someone to salvation is distinct from His work in distributing gifts for ministry. Both the outward and inward calls can be accompanied by spiritual gifts, but the gifts serve the broader purpose of building up the church rather than confirming individual salvation.

What do Reformed theologians say about the relationship between God’s calling and human psychology or mental health? Modern Reformed scholars increasingly recognise psychological factors can affect how people experience and respond to God’s calling without negating its theological reality. David Powlison, from the biblical counselling movement, argued depression, anxiety, or trauma can make it difficult to sense God’s work, but these don’t prevent the inward call from being effective. Reformed psychologist Eric Johnson emphasises God often works through natural means, including therapeutic healing, to remove obstacles to spiritual growth. The inward call transcends psychological barriers while often working through the healing of mental and emotional wounds.

 

WHY SOME RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WHILE OTHERS DON’T: OUR RELATED POSTS

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• Does God Choose Who Goes to Hell? How Is It Even Fair?
• Why Does God Choose Some and Not Others for Salvation?