The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Infant salvation

You are confusing/intermixing two separate operations of the Holy Spirit; i.e., "regeneration" and "effectual calling". It would behoove you to do some more theological study of these terms. Regeneration is the creation of the new nature which has a new disposition toward God. This renewing of the soul effects the mind, emotions and will, thus enabling a once spiritually dead sinner to comprehend God and His truth. Effectual calling is that operation of the Holy Spirit whereby He "draws" or "woes" the regenerated sinner to Christ by means of conviction of sin and displaying the loveliness of Christ and the necessity to believe upon Him for justification and reconciliation with God. Although they occur relatively concurrently; temporally regeneration occurs prior to effectually calling from the very nature of what they accomplish, the are nonetheless unique operations of the Spirit.

See here for detailed information of these respective terms:

Regeneration:
Regeneration, or the New Birth, by Arthur W. Pink
Regeneration and Conversion, by Samuel Hopkins
The Nature, Cause and Means of Regeneration, by John Owen

Effectual Calling
Irresistible Grace, by John Murray
Effectual Grace, by Lorraine Boettner

Again, you are confusing/intermixing terms. Grace is a very broad term which may be simply defined as God extending undeserved favor upon men. The term may even be sub-divided into two further categories; Salvific Grace and Common Grace. The former being extended to only those whom God has predestinated to salvation in Christ. The latter is that general benevolence of God whereby men are granted temporal favors, even physical life itself; i.e., the judgment that they deserve from the moment of conception is withheld during the time that the reprobate are allowed to live on earth. Regeneration was addressed above.

In His Grace,