karenmarie said:
Could someone please give all 5 points and a detailed explanation for each?? thanks
karen
Absolutely, but let me preface it with an explanation.
The "five points of Calvinism" do not contain the whole of the Gospel message. They were formulated by the Synod of Dordt in the early 17th century. The Synod of Dordt was held in order to settle a serious controversy in the Dutch churches initiated by the rise of Arminianism. Jacob Arminius, a theological professor at Leiden University, questioned the teaching of Calvin and his followers on a number of important points. After Arminius's death, his own followers presented their views on five of these points in the Remonstrance of 1610. In this document or in later more explicit writings, the Arminians taught election based on foreseen faith, universal atonement, partial depravity, resistible grace, and the possibility of a lapse from grace. In the Canons the Synod of Dordt rejected these views and set forth the Reformed doctrine on these points, namely, unconditional election, limited atonement, total depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of saints.
These points refer to
soteriology, or the study of salvation. They address the means and circumstance of the salvation of men. They are not meant to be a systematic theology addressing in depthy such things as the Incarnation, substitutionary atonement, etc. So when, as your first post touched on, someone says that Calvinism is the Gospel, I suspect they have in mind more of the overall system of Calvin's theology and not just the five points from Dordt.
Now then, the five points of Calvinism are often presented with the acrostic TUPIP (
Total Depravity,
Unconditional Election,
Limited Atonement,
Irresistible Grace,
Perseverance of the Saints).
Total Depravity (or Total Inability) - This point states that all men are from birth depraved, and that this depravity is total...it affects every aspect of the human condition. This should never be confused with
utter depravity, which means that man is as depraved as he possibly can be. Simply put, fallen man has the natural ability to choose good (the volitional capability to choose freely according to his strongest desire) but lacks the
moral ability to do good. His will is enslaved to sin because his heart is corrupt. He is a spiritual corpse, unable to incline himself to good or to God. Even his most righteous works...defense of life, giving to the poor, etc...are tainted because they are not done in true faith, and that which is not of faith is sin in the eyes of God.
Unconditional Election - This point states that God's election of men unto eternal life is not made according to or in response to any prior condition or action in man. The Arminian position is that God foresees that in time individuals will choose to believe in Him, and subsequently elects them unto salvation. The Reformed view is that God views all men from before time as equally depraved and deserving of condemnation, but chooses according to His own good purpose and pleasure to elect a number of men from among the lost to be the recipients of His unmerited mercy and divine grace and love. It is proceeding from this eternal decree that God subsequently effectually calls, justifies, adopts, sanctifies, saves and glorifies the elect.
Limited Atonement (or Definite/Particular Atonement) - This point states that, although the blood and sacrifice of Christ on the cross was of infinite worth and value, His death on the cross was intended to secure the salvation of the elect. Before time a covenant was made among the members of the Trinity, whereby the Father chose a number from among fallen man to give to the Son as a bride, the Son agreed to become flesh, fulfill all righteousness, and die to purify and save His bride, and the Holy Spirit agreed to apply this work. Note that of all the points of Calvinism, this is usually the most controversial. It must be also noted, however, that all true Christians hold to a limited atonement of some sort, for all acknowledge that not all men will be saved. It is merely a difference in
how one limits that atonement. The Reformed view is that, though the atonement is sufficient in value so that all men might be saved by it, it was designed and carried out with the specific intent of purchasing and securing the salvation of the elect.
Irresistible Grace (or Efficacious/Effectual Grace) - This point states that the Holy Spirit effectually calls men to faith in Christ. The Westminster Confession of Faith states it thus:
All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ: enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good; and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.
The Holy Spirit fulfills the role of bringing the elect out of their depravity and into faith in Christ. It is a monergistic work, meaning that it is of God alone. There is no prior condition or action which prompts the Spirit to regenerate the heart of the unbeliever. At the time of God's choosing, the Spirit regenerates the heart, breathing new spiritual life into man and quickening him to faith.
Perseverance of the Saints - This point states that God will in His sovereignty and providence preserve the elect in their faith unto the day of their final salvation and glorification. Again, the Westminster Confession:
They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved. This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free-will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
This should never be confused with the antinomianism of many schools of thought which states that the Law, since it is no longer the basis of our justification, is therefore of no effect and no longer binding on the believer. Though man is not justified by his own keeping of the Law, he is nevertheless morally obligated to keep it as he is called to be holy. The doctrine of perseverance flows logically from the preceeding points, in that the immutable decree of election by which depraved men are called out of unbelief, justified and adopted must meet its fulfillment in the ultimate salvation of the believer, without which the preceding points are ultimately a failure of God in His eternal purpose.
karen, I would encourage you to continue asking questions about Reformed theology. Obviously, I did not spend a great deal of time showing the Scriptural support for the five points of Calvinism, choosing instead simply to give you a brief explanation of each point. I'm sure many of us here would be more than happy to answer any questions you might have regarding Calvinist doctrines. There are certain finer points of Calvinist theology that some of us disagree on, but on the whole the fundamentals of the system are shared by all here.
Feel free to ask any questions that might occur to you!
So, do Calvinists believe Calvinism is the gospel? If so, do y'all then believe that those of us who reject Calvinism, e.g. TULIP in whole or in part, then are rejecting the gospel? I supposed this might not be answerable within the rules of this board. 
If you do answer, please do so with discretion. It is not my desire to get anyone in trouble here.
