The Five Points of Calvinism

The Five Points of Calvinism

An introduction to the Five Points of Calvinism

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture Quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update, Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA.

Jesus said,

"For this reason I have said to you,
that no one can come to Me,
unless it has been granted
him from the Father,"
(John 6:65)

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Why a course about Calvinism? 1

Don’t Pass Judgment 2

The Five Points of Calvinism Summarized 4

Hyper Calvinism is not true Calvinism 4

Total Depravity 5

Man Apart from God 8

God’s Work 8

Unconditional Election 11

Predestination 13

Objections to election answered 14

Romans 9:9-23 16

Limited Atonement 19

Jesus died for all 24

Have you died? 26

2 Cor. 5:14 26

Romans 5:18 27

1 Cor. 15:22 28

Double Payment 29

Introduction

Why a course about Calvinism?

1. We need a course on Calvinism because as Christians we need to be informed concerning the different aspects of theology held by different Christians. Though no man-made system of biblical theology is perfect, each offers insights into God’s word that have value to the Christian body as a whole.

2. There are many denominations that differ in significant areas, but they all hold to the essentials of the Christian faith.

3. What are the essentials of the Christian faith? They can be summarized here:

Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1, 14; 8:24; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).
Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).
Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).
The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).
There is only one God (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)
God is a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary (nature of incarnation)
Jesus is the only way to God the Father (John 14:6).

4. To deviate from the above essentials is to deny the Christian faith. But, to deviate in the non-essentials, i.e., pre-tribulation rapture or post tribulation rapture, worship on Sunday or Saturday, etc., does not affect one’s salvation nor do they deny the Christian faith.

Don’t Pass Judgment

5. We are told by the Apostle Paul to accept fellow Christians and do not pass judgment on them on debatable issues. We are told that each person must be convinced in his own mind. Therefore, we are obligated to consider our brothers in Christ with high regard. Paul also said…

6. So, as we look at the doctrines of the Christian Faith known as Calvinism, let’s do so with an open and non-judgmental attitude. It does not mean we are obligated to accept the tenets, but we are obligated to be loving when regarding those who hold to them. Let’s weigh what is taught against Scripture.

7. Calvinists hold to the essentials of the Christian faith but they also hold to more specific areas of theology that other Christians do not. These more specific areas are known as the Five Points of Calvinism.

8. Calvinism, also known as Reformed Theology, is named after the French Theologian John Calvin who lived from 1509 to 1564. John Calvin was a second generation reformer continuing the work begun by Martin Luther who ignited the Reformation in Germany.

9. Calvin was initially trained as a lawyer and used his training to systematize biblical theology into what would later become known as Calvinism. He left the Catholic Church around 1533 and eventually fled to Geneva, Switzerland to avoid persecution. After a thorough study of the Bible, Calvin then published the monumental work known as The Institutes of the Christian Religion, one of the most influential books in Western Civilization.

10. After being published, the Institutes became a bestseller virtually overnight and pushed Calvin to the forefront of the Protestant Reformation.

11. In the Institutes, Calvin examined the doctrines of Creator/creature distinctive, God and his sovereignty, man’s fallen condition, the doctrine of salvation, election, predestination, the security of the believer, government, private property, problems with the Catholic Church, and much more.

12. In Geneva, Calvin preached, lectured, and continued to write. While in Geneva he gained considerable influence.

13. John Calvin lived in Geneva, Switzerland until he died on May 27th, 1564.

The Five Points of Calvinism Summarized

14. Calvinism is most famously associated with what is called The Five Points of Calvinism and are represented by the acronym TULIP.

T = Total Depravity: A person is completely touched by sin in all that he is and cannot freely choose God.
U = Unconditional Election: God’s election to salvation is not based on what is in man, but what is in God.
L = Limited Atonement: Jesus bore the sins of the elect alone, and not every individual who ever lived.
I = Irresistible Grace: God’s gracious calling to salvation cannot be resisted.
P = Perseverance of the Saints: The elect are secure in Christ and cannot lose their salvation.

Hyper Calvinism is not true Calvinism

15. Before we examine those five points we need to clarify that Hyper Calvinism is sometimes mistaken for Calvinism. Hyper Calvinism is the teaching that rightly affirms God’s sovereignty, but erringly denies man’s responsibility. Generally, it states that God will save a person “no matter what” and that the means of that salvation (preaching, lecturing, teaching, missionary work, etc.) are inconsequential to a person becoming saved. It is like saying that a person will be saved when God wants him saved and our preaching the gospel doesn’t matter. It also denies the necessity of missionary work, evangelism, and prayer for the conversion of the lost.

16. Calvinists consider Hyper Calvinism to be heretical and a violation of scripture. Now, let’s move on to what Calvinism actually teaches.

Total Depravity

17. Total Depravity is the teaching that sin has affected the entire person. The body, heart, emotions, will, and mind are all affected by sin. As a result of this condition, the unbeliever is not capable of freely choosing to receive Christ. He must be enabled by God to do so.

18. We clearly see that sin has affected our bodies because we get sick, grow old, and die.

19. We are made in the image of God. The image is not a physical representation of God because God is spirit (John 4:24) and spirit does not have a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). Instead, the image consists of qualities in us that reflect qualities in God such as our ability to reason, love, hate, be compassionate, merciful, etc. Nevertheless, the Image of God in us is affected by our sin. We are now fallen, sinful, and lost -- even though we can still reason, love, be compassionate, and merciful.

20. But, this effect of sin upon all of what we are does not mean we are as sinful as we could be. We could be a lot worse. We don’t go around murdering, lying, stealing, etc., on a constant basis. For the most part, people are pretty decent and refrain from such grievous sins.

21. But we are affected by our sinfulness at a very deep level. To repeat, Total Depravity means that we are completely affected by sin in all that we are. This affect is important especially when we examine the issue of a person’s free will.

22. Free will is the ability to make choices without external coercion. Furthermore, free will means that we act and choose in a manner that is consistent with what we are. Therefore, a choice is free if it is consistent with the person's desires.

23. There are two main views of free will: Libertarian and Compatibilist.

24. Compatiblist free will is the position that a person's free will is restricted by his sinful nature and as a result he can choose only what his sinful nature will allow him to choose. In other words, his will must be "compatible" with the condition of his depraved and sinful nature and that he will only choose sinful options.

25. Libertarian free will is the position that a person's free will is not restricted by his sinful nature. It states that he is not enslaved by sin such that he only chooses sinful things. In other words, he is at "liberty" to freely choose what is right as well as what is wrong.

26. In light of Libertarian and Compatiblist free will, total depravity can now be more properly examined in regards to the ability of the unbeliever to come to Christ. But to do this, we need to examine what the Bible says.

27. The doctrine of Total Depravity is derived from scriptures that reveal human character: Man’s heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick (Jer. 17:9). Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20). He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12). He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). He is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15). And, is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). The Calvinist asks the question, "In light of the scriptures that declare man’s true nature as being utterly lost and incapable, how is it possible for anyone to choose or desire God?" The answer is, "He cannot. Therefore God must predestine."

28. Let’s take a look at these scriptures.

29. Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.”

30. Jer. 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick. Who can understand it?”

31. Rom. 6:20, “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”

32. Rom. 3:10-12, “as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.’”

33. 1 Cor. 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

34. Eph. 2:15, “by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,”

35. Eph. 2:3, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

Man Apart from God

36. Apart from God, man is utterly hopeless. He cannot change what he is nor can undo the offense against God for his sins. Only God can do that.

Jer. 13:23, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then can you also do good who are accustomed to doing evil."
Rom. 5:10, "For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
Rom. 8:7, "because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so."

37. The unbeliever CAN respond to God. His response will be in accordance to scripture that says he cannot do good, is a hater of God, is full of evil, etc., Therefore, we conclude that his free will response will be to reject God, according to the limits described by scripture itself.

God’s Work

38. Because of man’s fallen condition it is God who appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48), chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4), calls according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9), chooses us for salvation (2 Thess. 2:13-14), grants the act of believing (Phil. 1:29), grants repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-26), causes us to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3), draws people to Himself (John 6:44,65), predestines us to salvation (Rom. 8:29-30) and adoption (Eph. 1:5) according to His purpose (Eph. 1:11), makes us born again not by our will but by His will (John 1:12-13), and works faith in the believer (John 6:28-29).

39. Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”