The Five Points of C

The Five Points of Calvinism

The First Doctrine
"Total Depravity"

Man's depravity, as a result of the Fall, is total. That is to say, sin has corrupted him in every aspect of his being. That does not mean he is utterly evil in every way - as the Devil is - but that he is affected by evil in every way. He does not possess free will - he is free only to sin - because he is bound to Satan who takes man captive at his will. All men are born into this world spiritually dead in trespasses and sins so that their human spirits are irresistibly drawn, to and blinded by the god of this world. Man is depraved in the sense that he is spiritually dead, blind, deaf, and unteachable in the things of God. He is ruled by Satan through his perverse heart and corrupt soul. His thinking, emotions, will, and bodily desires have all been perverted and corrupted.
All are totally affected by sin: Rom 5:12 ..... just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.... Jer.17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? See Rom.3:9-12 Psalm 14:1-3 Psalm 58:1-3 Prov.20:9.
All are born spiritually dead: Eph.5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord... Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins... hath he quickened ... Eph.2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.. Eph.2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
See Psalm 58:3 Psalm 51:5 John 3:3 Gen. 8:21.
Taken Captive at Satan's Will: 2 Tim 2:25,26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
Irresistibly drawn to Satan: Eph.2:2,3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
The natural man is spiritually unteachable: 1 Cor. 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The Second Doctrine

"Unconditional Election"

Election to salvation is grounded entirely in the free will of God and in His purpose for those whom he chose "in Christ Jesus" before the foundation of the world.
God's foreknowledge is based upon His purpose, for His purpose is the manifestation of His sovereign will. Since man is incapable of giving himself life, opening his own blind eyes, or teaching himself spiritual truth, God must choose to act on man's behalf. The work of Regeneration (new birth/giving new life), therefore must precede faith and repentance. God must first "open the heart" and cause His elect "to will and to do" that which is pleasing to Him, otherwise none would believe, for none would nor indeed could choose to believe. Far from being the puppets of God - men are set free to choose God and His will by sovereign grace alone. Until men receive that grace, they remain the slaves of sin.
God Chooses, Not Man:
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.... Acts 13:48 ... as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Election Based On God's Purpose (Plan):
Eph 1:11 .... being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
2 Tim 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Man is Incapable - God Must Initiate:
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Matt.11:27 ... no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Acts 16:14 ....Lydia...heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul.
See also Heb.12:2 Luke 17:5 etc. etc.
Begotten of God :
1 Pet 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... God chose to save certain sinners, not for anything good He saw in them, but simply and freely of His own love and GRACE. Otherwise Grace is not Grace, for "Grace" by definition is the UMERITED favour of God.

The Third Doctrine

"Effective Atonement"
(Limited Atonement)

Atonement has been made for the elect only, since Christ died only for those whom the Father gave Him to be His Bride. Only the saints or elect ones are ever said to be "beloved of God", for they alone are the objects of His saving grace. (Some describe this as "Limited" atonement, because it is limited to the elect only. Hence the L in TULIP.) If Christ died for all men inclusively, then absolutely all will be saved. But God cannot be a just God and punish twice for the same sins. If Christ bore the sins of all men inclusively, then God could not send any man to hell.
The truth is, Christ bore the sins of many. He died for His sheep - and not for the goats. His Name was called Jesus because he would save HIS PEOPLE from their sins. He died for all, in the sense that he died for all his people which are drawn from all KINDS of men, in all nations and down through all the ages, not merely from among the Jews. Although it is true that the blood of Christ was of infinite worth and sufficient in value to atone for all men inclusively, it is obvious from the fact that many have gone and many may yet go to a lost eternity, that the shed blood is efficient only for the elect who are saved by His unmerited favour. If Christ died to atone for all men inclusively, then He failed! But when He cried out from the Cross, "It is finished!" - then a finished work of redemption had been completed. He accomplished an effective atonement for all those whom the Father had given Him from the whole world - from every tribe and nation.
John 10:14,15 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine...and I lay down my life for the sheep. Rom. 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward US, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for US. Gal 1:3,4
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for OUR sins, that he might deliver US from this present evil world, according to THE WILL OF GOD and OUR Father: Rom. 8:32,33 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for US all, how shall he not with him also freely give US all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's ELECT? Eph.5:25 ... as Christ also loved the CHURCH, and gave himself for it; John 17:9
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. Col 1:12 - 21 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered US from the power of darkness, and hath translated US into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
: ...21. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled . 1 Thes. 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your ELECTION of God. Col 3:12
Put on therefore, as THE ELECT of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; (The word "Church" means "Elect-assembly" - chosen/called-out-group "eccelsia").
"Free Will " or "Accountability"?
Careful study of the texts above will show that they do not support the idea of "free will", but they deal with Man's responsibility towards God and his accountability if he does not obey God. There are NO Scriptures which teach that man has a "free will" - the phrase does not occur anywhere in the Bible. Arminius reasoned (contrary to the Scripture) that "God has no right to hold a man accountable to believe, or to condemn him for unbelief, if man's will is not free to do so." This is like saying a man driven by lust should not be held responsible for rape or child-molesting, nor punished for it, because he cannot control himself. (Or that a slug is not responsible for eating my lettuces because it is a slug.) There may be different degrees of judicial or moral accountability according to knowledge etc. but as a creature created by God, all men are responsible for all their thoughts and actions. God says "Every one of us shall give account", and those who reject His Word will be punished in the Lake of Fire.
The Scriptures teach that there is sufficient light given to all men that, should they have the slightest inclination to come to the Light, they will be saved. The fact is that man is so affected by sin that he loves darkness and hates the light and will not come to it of himself.See: John 1:9 3:19 Rom. 1:18-20 Man is responsible to obey the Word of God and accountable when he refuses.

The Fourth Doctrine

"Irresistible Grace"

Since it is the decreed will of God that those whom He gave to His dear Son in eternity past should be saved, He will surely act in sovereign grace in such a way that the elect will find Christ irresistible. This does not mean that God forces the elect to trust in His Son but rather, that He gives them life and that life sets them free to repent of their sins and to put their trust wholly in Him for salvation. The dead human spirit finds the spirit of Satan irresistible and the living (born-again) human spirit finds the God of the living irresistible.
Regeneration is the work of God and must precede repentance and faith. It cannot be the result of repentance and faith.
Paul the apostle, first known as Saul, is a clear example of "invincible grace". In Acts 9 at the very moment when he was the leading figure in the persecution and killing of believers and in strong-willed rebellion against God and His Christ, he was converted.
GOD'S WILL IS IRRESISTIBLE
Dan.4:35 He (God) does according to His will in the army of heaven and among all the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?"
Isaiah 46: 9,10 "...I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure."
GOD WILLS (DECREES) THE SALVATION OF THE ELECT
John 6:37 "All that the Father gives Me, shall come to Me!"
John 6:29 "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him who He hath sent."
THE FATHER BEGETS THOSE HE HAS WILLED
James 1:18 "Of His own will He begat US....." John 1:13 "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but (who were born) of God."
ACCOMPLISHED BY GOD GIVING LIFE
John 5:21 "The Son gives life to whom He will." Ephes. 2:4,5 "God who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which he loved US, even when we were dead in sins, made US alive with Christ (by grace are ye saved)."
Acts 11:18 "Then hath God also granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles."
EFFECTUALLY APPLIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Titus 3:5 "He saved us (not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy), by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."

SO WHY WITNESS? WHY BE HOLY?
The Arminian often accuses those who hold to the Bible Doctrines of Grace of a kind of 'fatalism' - because they believe in the sovereignty of God in saving sinners and in keeping them unto eternal life.
Why bother to witness? they ask. If God is going to save men anyway, why bother to strive to live a holy life, if there is no possibility of believers being lost in the end? (To quote a phrase "Once saved - always saved").
The Scriptural answers are clear and simple. We witness because He has declared "Ye shall be my witnesses..." We witness to the Person and Work of Christ because it is by the "foolishness of preaching" that God is pleased to saved those who believe.
We witness because we are "labourers together with God." (1 Cor:3.9) The truth is that God is Sovereign in the MEANS of Salvation as well as in the ENDS. He makes His people willing in the day of His power. ( see Psalm 110:3)
As to the keeping power of God - "those who are born of God do not continue in sin." (See 1 John 3:8,9) - Believers can and do fall into sin, but because of the seed (of new life) within them, they will not continue in sin and be lost. This is the clear teaching of John. Hebrews 6:4 -8 refers to those who have "tasted" - not those who have been fed, and continue to be fed. See 2 Peter 1:4,5 and Jude verse 24.
"Who Acts First?"
Arminians believe that the human will is one of the causes of regeneration (This is an expression of the old heresy of synergism). They believe that election is based on the foreknowledge of God who foresaw "those who would believe" back in eternity past. Foreknowing those who would freely will to repent of their sins and make a decision to place their faith in Christ, God elected them to salvation. This means that repentance and faith are man's "good works" whereby he establishes the condition for his being elected to be saved. Arminianism therefore is a "works religion" to the extent that man must accomplish the good works of repentance and faith, with only the general aid of the Holy Spirit, who according to Arminians is given to all men alike.
The great Reformers taught that God alone is the CAUSE of regeneration. Knowing that no man can or will establish any condition which can serve as a basis for his election, they follow the Scriptural position which declares that "foreknowledge" is grounded in the "purpose" of God to elect some to salvation without good works on their part. (By sovereign grace - unmerited favour -alone!)Every work that is related to salvation is God's work, for He alone can regenerate, give life to the dead, open blind eyes, unstop deaf ears, evoke faith in Jesus Christ, illumine the dark recesses of man's evil heart of unbelief, and grant true repentance of sins by establishing a desire for purity in doctrine and life. The "Reformed Faith" is strictly a "not of works, lest any man should boast" religion. (Ephes.2:8,9) because it insists on giving God all the glory for all that is good.
Who is "Irresistible" and Why
One of the ideas so prevalent among Arminian "evangelicals" is that the lost are longing to hear the Gospel and hungry for the things of God! Our Lord is very clear in His teaching that the world hates Him, hates His Word, and hates His messengers. (See John 15:15 and following.) "Irresistibility" is the reason for the world hating God and His elect. Satan is the god of all dead spirits, angelic and human. The spirits of men who are born into this world 'dead in trespasses and sin' are irresistibly drawn to the leader of the spiritually dead. This is why no unregenerate person ever freely 'wills' to turn to God. How can a dead man do anything of his own will? By nature all men are not only 'dead' to God, but paradoxically the Scripture also declares that they are at enmity with God - they are not drawn to Him, but repelled by Him. Gen. 3:15 Rom. 8:7

However, for the same reason all living spirits find the God of the living "irresistible". They cannot help being drawn to Him, trusting Him, loving Him, just as before they were born-again by the Spirit of God, they were drawn to Satan, trusting the Lie,
John 1:13 "Who were born (1) not of blood, (2) nor of the will of the flesh, (3) nor of the will of man , but of God.
John 1:12 must be linked with John 1:13 to be understood. Those who have the right to be God's children are the ones to who have received the free unmerited gift of Christ as their Saviour and Lord..
So whose "will" determines the conception and birth of the one who is born again? It is the will of the Father in heaven!Salvation is of the Lord! Jonah 2:9

The Fifth Doctrine

"Perseverance of the Saints"
(The Perseverance of God with the Saints)

The logical conclusion of those who believe the Bible teaching that "Salvation is of the LORD" and absolutely no part of it is dependent upon any condition found in the elect sinner, but is wholly dependent upon the God who has willed to save those whom He gave to His dear Son - then it follows that salvation can never be lost. The saints of God will surely persevere unto the end because He has promised that no one and nothing in this universe or beyond it can take them away from Him. Though we may temporarily fall into sin - we shall be granted the grace of repentance and shall persevere because He wills us to, and grants us the will to do so.
PERSEVERANCE DEPENDS ON GOD
Jude 24 "Now unto Him Who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory..."
Jude 1 "To those who are.... preserved in Christ Jesus and called.."
Ezek.36:27 "I WILL PUT my Spirit within you, and I WILL CAUSE you to walk in My statutes..."
See Ezek.11:19 Deut 30:6
NOT DEPENDENT UPON THE ELECT
1 Pet.1:5 "You (elect) are kept by the power of God."
2 Tim 1:12 "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed unto Him until that Day." ( NKJV)
2 Tim 4:18 "The Lord...will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom."
GOD WILLS THE SAINTS TO PERSEVERE UNTO THE END
Ps.37:28 "For the LORD...does not forsake His saints, they are preserved forever." (NKJV) I Thess.5:23,24 "....be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, who will also do it."
Phil.1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ."
THEREFORE SALVATION CANNOT BE LOST
John 6:37-39 "All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out...This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day." (NKJV)
John 6:39 "This is the will of the Father Who sent me, that I shall lose none of all whom He has given me."
John 10:27-29 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch then out of my hand. My Father who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." (NKJV) Read the second half of John Chapter 6. Also John 17:12, 18:9.
"God Wants To Save Everybody!" ??
One of the most popular misrepresentations of God in modern evangelism is that "God loves everyone equally, and wants to save everybody." This springs from a failure to understand the distinction between: (a) The will [Note * ]of Decree. (God's sovereign efficacious will - which nothing can resist) (b) The will of Demand. (God's preceptive will - His commandments - which may be disobeyed) and (c) The will of Desire. (This refers to God's disposition .) God's disposition is to love all men, but in His Holiness there are many that He also hates. A working knowledge of the Bible will reveal that there are many whom God, in His Holiness, justly and righteously hates. Indeed all unregenerate men aredeservingof His hatred and wrath - for all have sinned. Rom.9:13 "It is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Ask yourself such questions as "Who is it that will never perish, in John 3:16 ?Ans. "Whosoever believeth.Q.Who are these believers? Ans. Elect believers.If God decreed that none should perish, then none would perish! - all would come to repentance.2 Pet.3:9 and other texts like it, must refer to God's loving disposition, not to what He has purposed from before the foundation of the world - He purposed to set his particular love on some undeserving sinners from among mankind, and provide for their salvation by His decree before the foundation of the world.