- Mar 16, 2004
- 22,024
- 7,364
- 60
- Faith
- Calvinist
- Marital Status
- Single
- Politics
- US-Democrat
What follows is not an invitation to a debate, I understand there are points of controversy here and there. I've just spent a great deal of time exploring systematic theology, trying to find one that is compatible with my belief system. This is a brief outline of the five points of Calvinism, certainly not intended to be a complete or perfect representation of the great body of work that has gone into this long Reformation tradition. Of course there are other things that might enter the conversation, double imputation and eternal security come to mind. What I'm seeing here is a lot like the old Romans road to salvation from conviction to sanctification. I've offered a few proof texts, just to give us a starting point.
Total Depravity:
There are none who understand, they’ve all turned away, they have become worthless because all have sinned (Romans 3:9-12; Psalm 5:9; 14:1-3; 53:1-3). In their heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19), mind (Romans 1:28-31; Ephesians 4:17-18), and conscience (Titus 1:15-16). Enslaved to the elementary principles of the world, and by nature idolatrous (Galatians 4:8-9; Colossians 3:5)
Unconditional election:
The Most High is Sovereign and rules in the affairs of men (Daniel 4:17). God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion upon whom he will have compassion (Romans 9:15; Exodus 33:19). Righteousness comes only from God, The justified (those made righteous) acknowledge Christ to be not only "Jehovah Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6) – but also their only righteousness (Psalm 71:16). And they pray to be "found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Philippians 3:9).
Not by righteous deed we have done (Titus 3:5), not by works of the Law lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:9), but by grace we are freed from the tyrany of sin (Romans 6:13-14). A righteousness that is by faith (Romans 3:21-22).
Limited atonement:
Christ gave himself for the sanctification of the church (Ephesians 5:25-27), his name was Jesus because he would save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) and justifies us (makes us righteous) in the courts of heaven safe from any charge of sin (Rom. 8:32-35). It is believers that have eternal life, and are raised at the last day (John 6:40). Manifest in the love God has shown by making Christ the propitiation for us (1 John 2:2; 4:10), and the love of God is made perfect in them (1 John 4:12). That propitiation being the New Testament fulfillment of the mercy seat, where atonement was made for sin (Romans 3:25; Lev. 9:7; 25:9; Numbers 5:8)
Irresistible grace:
Predestination (that should be Preservation of the Saints):
God has predestined certain things regarding salvation according to the council of his own will (Acts :28). That the elect be conformed to the image of his Son according to his foreknowledge (Rom. 8:29), which is the basis for the elect to be called, justified and glorified (Rom. 8:30). This includes the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself (Eph. 1:5). All of this done according to the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11)
Recently I was doing a little cross comparison of the first five Beatitudes and the five points of Calvinism, I thought they lined up pretty well. We can get into that sort of thing later assuming this doesn't just drift off harmlessly into the stacks. It's just meant to be a starting point for how the Calvinist believes salvation works, summed up in the five points of Calvinism: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Predestination.
Grace and peace,
Mark
Total Depravity:
“As for you, you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” (Ephesians 2:1-5)
There are none who understand, they’ve all turned away, they have become worthless because all have sinned (Romans 3:9-12; Psalm 5:9; 14:1-3; 53:1-3). In their heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19), mind (Romans 1:28-31; Ephesians 4:17-18), and conscience (Titus 1:15-16). Enslaved to the elementary principles of the world, and by nature idolatrous (Galatians 4:8-9; Colossians 3:5)
Unconditional election:
So then, it does not depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. (Romans 9:16)
The Most High is Sovereign and rules in the affairs of men (Daniel 4:17). God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion upon whom he will have compassion (Romans 9:15; Exodus 33:19). Righteousness comes only from God, The justified (those made righteous) acknowledge Christ to be not only "Jehovah Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6) – but also their only righteousness (Psalm 71:16). And they pray to be "found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Philippians 3:9).
Not by righteous deed we have done (Titus 3:5), not by works of the Law lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:9), but by grace we are freed from the tyrany of sin (Romans 6:13-14). A righteousness that is by faith (Romans 3:21-22).
Limited atonement:
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28)
Christ gave himself for the sanctification of the church (Ephesians 5:25-27), his name was Jesus because he would save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) and justifies us (makes us righteous) in the courts of heaven safe from any charge of sin (Rom. 8:32-35). It is believers that have eternal life, and are raised at the last day (John 6:40). Manifest in the love God has shown by making Christ the propitiation for us (1 John 2:2; 4:10), and the love of God is made perfect in them (1 John 4:12). That propitiation being the New Testament fulfillment of the mercy seat, where atonement was made for sin (Romans 3:25; Lev. 9:7; 25:9; Numbers 5:8)
Irresistible grace:
Salvation by grace through faith is an act of God’s will (Rom. 9:19), none can stay his hand (Dan. 4:35). It is not of ourselves it is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8), all who would serve God do so by grace (Acts 20:24). That remnant exists only according to the election (divine choice) of grace (Romans 11:5-6), which is the washing renewing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit of promise, not works of righteousness (Titus 3:5; Ezekiel. 36:25-26). We respond to the grace of God working by laying hold of what first laid hold of us (Phil. 3:11-12). All works that follow are works energized by grace (1 Cor. 15:10)
Predestination (that should be Preservation of the Saints):
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (1 Peter 1:2)
God has predestined certain things regarding salvation according to the council of his own will (Acts :28). That the elect be conformed to the image of his Son according to his foreknowledge (Rom. 8:29), which is the basis for the elect to be called, justified and glorified (Rom. 8:30). This includes the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself (Eph. 1:5). All of this done according to the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11)
Recently I was doing a little cross comparison of the first five Beatitudes and the five points of Calvinism, I thought they lined up pretty well. We can get into that sort of thing later assuming this doesn't just drift off harmlessly into the stacks. It's just meant to be a starting point for how the Calvinist believes salvation works, summed up in the five points of Calvinism: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Predestination.
Grace and peace,
Mark
Last edited: