Appendix E

 

The Five Points of Calvinism

 

"The Five Points" represent the response of reformed theologians to a five errors set forth by Jacobus Arminius in the early seventeenth century.  These theologians met at the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619).  The document which came from their deliberations is called The Canons of Dordt.  They form part of the confessional documents of the Continental Reformed churches known as The Three Forms of Unity (the other two are The Belgic Confession and The Heidelberg Catechism).  They are the Five Points of "Calvinism" because the theologians of Dordt were followers of Calvin, who died almost 70 years prior, and taught the sovereignty of God's grace as he learned it from Scripture.  The acrostic TULIP is used as a mnemonic device.  This is especially appropriate since Dordt is in Holland, the land of tulips.

 

TOTAL DEPRAVITY  (TULIP)

Man in sin is completely unable to please God.  He is "dead in sin" and a rebel against the ways of righteousness and love.  There is nothing about him that recommends him to a holy God.

Sin is the breaking of God's law, which is best summarized in the Ten Commandments.  "Sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4).  Sin is failing to do what God has commanded and doing what He has forbidden.  When the Bible says that man is a sinner it means that he is not only breaking God's law as a matter of course; but also that he a natural disposition to do so.  In what sense is mankind totally depraved or sinful?

First, every person is a sinner. This is so because of the covenant that God made with Adam in the beginning.  As the representative of all mankind, he brought all into sin by his fall (Rom. 5: 12-21).  Thus everyone born of Adam's race inherits a sinful nature.  No one is exempt from Original Sin.  "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).

Second, every aspect of each person is sinful.  The intellect, the will and the emotions as well as the body are corrupted by sin.  Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5).

Third, every thought, word and deed is corrupted by sin.  "Actual transgressions" proceed from our sinful selves.  "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" (Matt. 15:19).

 

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION  (TULIP)

God's choice of who He will call to Himself is not based on anything in them.  It is due entirely to His sovereign election.  God's eternal plan (His decrees) includes His election of a portion of mankind to be saved (Rom. 8:28,29; Eph. 1:4-6).  This aspect of God's sovereignty over all things is known as Predestination, which is His specific sovereignty in the salvation of His people (for more on God's sovereignty see Chapter 2, pp. 10ff). 

The point here is to emphasize that God's choice of us is unconditional.  That is it is not based on any qualities in the sinner.  No one is any more "redeemable" than anyone else.  This truth is meant to humble us and give all the glory to the Author of our salvation.  God told Moses: "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy" (Exod. 33:19).  Jacob and Esau were chosen before they were born, before they had done any good or evil "that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls" (Rom. 9:11).  "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" (Rom. 9:15,16).  In fact God often chooses the least likely candidates in order to display the wonders of His grace.  "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption - that, as it is written, 'He who glories, let him glory in the LORD'" (1 Cor. 1:26-31).

 

LIMITED ATONEMENT  (TULIP)

There is one very important question concerning the nature of Christ's accomplishment which needs to be answered.  For whom did Christ Die?  Christ died for His elect, all of them and only for them.  If in fact, as some (Arminians) maintain, He died in the place of every single person in the whole world, then according to justice everyone must be saved.  If the penalty is paid then God will not exact that penalty again.  To say otherwise is to impugn God's absolute justice.  Of course the Bible clearly teaches that many will not be saved (2 Thess. 1:6-10; Matt. 25:46).  Thus the Arminian makes the effect of Christ's work on the cross depend on man's choice.  Such an atonement then provides only a potential salvation.  No actual payment is made.  This is not the teaching of Scripture because this is not the nature of the finished work of Christ on the cross.

The Bible teaches that Christ died for His elect people.  His work on the cross had a definite object: to procure the salvation of His elect.  The very nature of Christ's work as a Substitute involves His actually taking our place under God's judgment for our sin.  Redemption requires that the price of the penalty actually be paid.  God's design in sending Christ was "to save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).  Anything less than this undermines the effectiveness, power and purpose of Christ's death.  Furthermore, the nature of God's love in Christ is such that He rescues people who are dead in sin and unable and unwilling to come to Him.  If the effectiveness of Christ's death depended on human choice nobody would be saved.  "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). 

As to the definiteness of the atonement the nature of love itself teaches us that love must have a definite object.  No woman would be impressed with a lover who claimed to love all woman in general.  She is only impressed when he makes her the actual object of his love.  True love always has a definite object.  Such is the love of Christ, the husband, for His bride the church (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:4; 5:25).  The word "foreknew" in Romans 8:29 does not mean that God foresaw who would choose Him.  It means that God in eternity set his love upon us.  "Know" in Hebrew referred to a relation of intimacy and delight: "Adam knew his wife Eve" (Gen. 4:1).  "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2; cf. Gen. 18:19; Jer. 1:5; John 10:14; 2 Tim. 2:19).  Christ's giving of Himself for His church was to make her holy, nothing less.  If His death only potentially saves everyone then it is a failure.  No Christian would wish to impugn His work in this way.  The problem is that few think through the logic of their beliefs.  Paul says Christ "loved me and gave Himself for me."  

C. H. Spurgeon used an excellent illustration to distinguish this Biblical truth from the error of an unlimited or indefinite atonement.  The Arminian bridge of salvation is wide enough for all of humanity, but only goes half way to the other side, thus giving hope to all but actual salvation to none.  The Biblical or Calvinistic bridge is narrower, only designed for God's elect, but though it is limited it goes all the way to the other side, actually saving all for whom it was designed.

 

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE  (TULIP)

This is what is known as the Effectual Call of God’s Spirit.  This call occurs when God's Spirit causes the Gospel Call to take effect (an effective call) as it did in Lydia's heart when she heard the gospel message: "The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul" (Acts 16:14).  When Paul writes to various churches he often refers to them as "the called of Jesus Christ" (Rom. 1:6; 1 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:6; Eph. 4:1).  This refers to those who are effectually called.  Jesus tells us that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:3, 16).  "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  ...but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:18, 24). 

Some object to this as if God works against the will of the sinner.  In fact He changes the will of the sinner by giving him a new heart.  When someone is effectually called they desire what they once opposed or resisted.  When God sets His love and affections on someone from eternity His wins them by changing them.  Thus His Grace is irresistible.  If our wills initiated our salvation then several impossible and undesirable ideas would result.  First, God would not be in control of history.  History would be under the control of sinful people.  Second, we would attribute salvation to our wise choice and steal part of the glory due to God alone.  The logic of Scripture as you can see begins with man as a helpless, spiritually dead, sinner.  Once this clear Biblical truth is affirmed the rest of what we call Calvinism follows necessarily.  Only sovereign, irresistible grace can save such a sinner.

 

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS  (TULIP)

This doctrine has been a source of much confusion in the church.  As with God's sovereignty in salvation in general, if we let all of Scripture be our guide we will be on sure footing and get a full account of the matter.  We may sum it up this way: God's elect will persevere and God's elect must persevere.  We must not try to reconcile God's sovereignty with man's responsibility but accept them because they are both clearly revealed in God's Word for our benefit.  Furthermore this is the nature of our covenant relationship with God.  He has sovereignly called us into a living relationship with Himself. 

Some Christians err on this doctrine because they only accept one side of the Scripture's teaching.  Arminians take the threats and warnings of Scripture seriously, but wrongly conclude that we can lose our salvation.  Others who hold to the doctrine of "Eternal Security" take the promises of Scripture seriously but wrongly believe that once you are saved you are always saved no matter how you live.

The Biblical doctrine teaches that we are guaranteed by God's grace that we will continue in the way of salvation to the end.  Stated this way we take into account both the security of God's gracious promises and importance of our continuing in faith and faithfulness to the end.

God's elect will continue in faith and faithfulness to the end, by God's grace, and based on His promises of preservation.  "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).  "Our Lord Jesus Christ ...will confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:8,9; cf. Rom. 8:28-30). The nature of God's sovereign grace dictates that He will finish what He has begun.  To say with the Arminian that we can be saved one day and lost the next impugns the perfection and power of Christ's work.  Furthermore God does not want us to live insecurely, not knowing from one day to the next if He loves us.  As our heavenly Parent He never stops loving us.  This is the foundation of His nurture and our growth in grace.

On the other hand, God's elect must persevere to the end, based on His commands to persevere.  Along with God's promises of preservation Scripture gives us commands to persevere, along with warnings of the consequences of not persevering.  These function as the goads of the Good Shepherd which keep us on the right path and direct us back when we stray (Ps. 23).  Jesus said, "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Matt. 10:22).  Paul exhorts the Philippians to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12).  The book of Hebrews is filled with exhortations to persevere.  "Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end" (Heb. 3:6).  After speaking of the degree to which one may participate in the life and blessings of the church and yet turn one's back on the gospel under the pressure of persecution, the writer of Hebrews says, "But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner...We desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end" (Heb. 6:9,11).  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23).

On the surface such warnings look as we can lose our salvation.  However John tells us that certain professing Christians left the church and turned their backs on salvation because they were never truly Christians: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us" (1 John 2:19).  We make our calling and election sure by continuing in God's grace (2 Pet. 1:10).  To say, as those who teach "Eternal Security" do, that "we are saved no matter what we do" is to foster a dangerous "easy believism" that undermines the purpose of God's grace and gives "false assurance" to those who have never truly repented and believed the gospel.  The Biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is both a comfort and a command designed to lead us to heaven.