Five Points of Calvinism and contrasting views


The five points of Calvinism are outlined according to the acrostic TULIP. The Arminian tenets are set out on the left and the erroneous conclusions of Calvinism on the right. Author unknown. Modified. Bob J.

Arminianism

Calvinism

Hyper-Calvinism





T = total depravity


Man has free will and this determines who will and who will not be saved

Man is fallen in all his faculties including his will. He is a sinner by nature

Man is dead in sin and therefore is not responsible for repentance and saving faith





U = unconditional election


God chose those who He knew would chose Him, that is, those who would exercise faith in Christ

Salvation is according to God’s sovereign choice – not conditioned on works or faith foreseen

Because God has chosen some it is inconsistent to offer salvation to all





L = limited atonement


Christ died equally for all, that is, all individuals WITHOUT exception

Christ died for all peoples WITHOUT distinction – the world – and the atonement effectually secured the salvation of His elect

God deals lovingly with the elect and only wrathfully with the non-elect for whom there are no benefits from the atonement and no common grace





I = irresistible grace


God gives everyone an equal opportunity. The new birth takes place after man’s decision

Though all are called, the elect only are effectually called, the Holy Spirit employing the means of grace, principally preaching

The Holy Spirit regenerates the elect without prior preparation





P = preservation of the saints


Believers can fall away and be lost

By the power of God, through faith, the elect persevere in holiness till heaven

The moral law is not the rule of life for believers

(Scriptures below)


TOTAL DEPRAVITY

1. Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned

2. Eph 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins

3. Gen 6:5 the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually

4. John 3:19 …men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil

5. John 8:44a You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father

6. 2 Tim 2:26 the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will

7. Rom 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin

8. John 6:65 …that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

1. Mat 11:27 … nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him

2. Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen

3. Acts 13:48 and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed

4. Rom 8:28 … to those who are called according to His purpose

5. Rom 8:33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect?

6. Rom 9:11 For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls

7. Rom 9:18 He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires

8. Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world

LIMITED ATONEMENT, EFFECTUAL, DEFINITE REDEMPTION

1. Mat 1:21 …it is He who will save His people from their sins

2. John 10:11 … the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep

3. Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us

4. Eph 5:25 …as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her

5. 2 Tim 1:10 …Christ Jesus, who abolished death

6. Heb 9:12 … having obtained eternal redemption

7. Heb 9:26 … he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

8. 1 Pet 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross

9. Rev 5:9 … for You were slain, and did purchase for God with Your blood men

IRRESISTABLE GRACE / EFFECTUAL CALL

1. Rom 8:30 …whom He called, these He also justified

2. Rom 9:16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy

3. Acts 16:14 … the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul

4. Gal 1:15,16 But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me

5. Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

PERSEVERANCE OF / PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS

1. Jer 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me

2. Mat 7:17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit

3. John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life

4. Rom 8:30 … whom He justified, these He also glorified

5. Phil 1:6 …He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus