T-U-L-I-P

1
T-U-L-I-P

• A Review of the Five Points of Calvinism

2
Calvinism Revival

• John Calvin was born in France, July 10, 1509
  died 1564
• Many today are celebrating John Calvins 500th
  birthday (see the article below in The Tennessean
  7/12/09 1B,3B)

3
Calvinism Revival

• The first thing that Joel Littlepage did when he
  got to Nashville was ditch God.
• Littlepage, an Alabama native, came to Belmont
  University two years ago to study music. Raised
  United Methodist, Littlepage lost interest in
  religion by the time he'd got to college. He said
  that years of fun and games in church youth
  groups gave him little theology to believe in.
• "I never gave up belief in God," he said. "But I
  had my doubts about him. Then Littlepage
  discovered John Calvin. Before long he was up to
  his ears in double predestination and total
  depravity terms made famous by Calvin, a leader
  of the Protestant Reformation. He began
  downloading sermons from Calvinist preachers like
  John Piper on his iPod, joined a Calvinist group
  on campus, and became a true believer.
• He's not alone.
• As Calvin turned 500 on Friday, his theology has
  seen a revival. Calvinist groups like the
  Reformed University Fellowship are thriving on
  campuses nationwide, including at Belmont and
  Vanderbilt University. Calvinist preachers like
  Piper and Tim Keller are penning bestsellers. And
  Calvin's newfound followers say that his intense
  theology is a remedy for the doctrine-free,
  Christiantity-lite they grew up with. But some
  older believers, especially among Southern
  Baptists, say Calvinism is filled with dangerous
  errors.

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Calvinism Revival

• God's sovereignty
• Born July 10, 1509, in Noyon, France, Calvin was
  only 7 years old when Martin Luther nailed his 95
  Theses to a church door in Wittenburg, Germany,
  sparking the Protestant Reformation. He first
  trained as a lawyer, as his father wanted Calvin
  to stay out of church politics. Calvin eventually
  embraced the Protestant faith, and became a
  minister in Geneva. He became famous or
  infamous for taking Luther's ideas to the
  extreme.
• His beliefs were condensed into five points,
  known by the acronym TULIP total depravity,
  unconditional election, limited atonement,
  irresistible grace, and perseverance of the
  saints.
• Behind all of these tenets is an intense belief
  in God's sovereignty the notion that God
  controls everything. That led Calvin to advocate
  what's known as double predestination. He
  believed that God has chosen to save some people,
  and condemn others, and that there's nothing
  human beings can do to change their destiny. That
  contradicted the idea of earning your way into
  heaven with good works.
• "Calvin is coming from the medieval Roman
  Catholic church when it was all about works, it
  was all about earning your way to heaven," says
  Rev. Ken Locke, pastor of Downtown Presbyterian
  Church. "Calvin and the reformers said that we
  are saved by grace, so I don't have to work hard
  to make God love me.

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Calvinism Revival

• Calvin's ideas would eventually spread to the New
  World. The most famous American Calvinist is
  Jonathan Edwards, best know for his sermon on
  "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."
• Many new Calvinists are young people dissatisfied
  by the modern church growth strategies, says
  Collin Hansen, author of Young, Restless,
  Reformed A Journalist's Journey with the New
  Calvinists.
• Inspired by pastors like Rick Warren of
  Saddleback Community Church in California, many
  churches dumped their denominational ties to
  focus on bringing in new people. That approach
  led to a boom in megachurches. But it also
  downplayed core Christian doctrines, leaving some
  with what felt like a generic experience.
• "In the 1980s and 1990s, the pragmatic approach
  was dominant and it reaped a lot of
  evangelistic fruit," Hansen said. "A lot of kids
  grew up in these churches, and in those kids,
  there's a need for something more than they've
  experienced in their youth groups. Church might
  be fun, but you need more than that."
• By contrast, a preacher like Piper, pastor of
  Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis or Tim
  Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New
  York City, focus on hard-core doctrine. They
  often draw on theologians like Calvin in their
  sermons, which can last more than an hour.
• "For kids growing up in megachurches, to learn
  that their faith predates the 1980s, is really
  encouraging," Hansen said.

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Calvinism Revival

• Permission to fail
• Calvin's pessimistic attitude toward human nature
  is also an appeal. He stressed total depravity
  the idea that human beings are completely sinful,
  and can't do anything to earn God's favor. That's
  a relief to many students who've grown up in
  church, said Kevin Twit, who oversees the
  Reformed University Fellowship at Belmont.
  Calvinism gives them permission to fail.
• "They've been trying to live by their own will
  power to be fired up for Jesus. By the time
  they got to college, they are worn out," Twit
  said.
• Calvin's dark view of humanity and religion
  offers a stark contrast to the optimistic outlook
  of ministers like Joel Osteen, the so-called
  smiling preacher.Log on to Osteen's website, for
  example, and you'll find this greeting "We
  believe that your best days are ahead. God has
  great plans for you and we want to be there to
  help encourage you along the way."
• Calvin described human sin a bit differently
  "For our nature is not only utterly devoid of
  goodness, but so prolific in all kinds of evil,
  that it can never be idle."
• "Calvin is the anti-Osteen," said Paul Lim, a
  Calvin scholar, who teaches Christian history at
  Vanderbilt Divinity School.
• Lim says that Calvin understood human nature
  that even people who attend church or try to live
  good lives have a dark side.

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Calvinism Revival

• "We all have feet of clay," he said.
• One of the hotbeds of Calvinism is Southern
  Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, the
  largest Baptist Seminary in the world. Russ
  Moore, dean of Southern Seminary, calls himself a
  four point Calvinist. He doesn't accept limited
  atonement, believing instead that Jesus died for
  all sinners.
• Still, he thinks it is important to discuss the
  question of predestination.
• "All Christians believe in predestination and
  election, because those words are in the Bible,"
  he said. "One has to ask, if we've got these
  words in the Bible, what do they mean?"
• Some critics fear that Calvinism makes believers
  lazy, especially when it comes to evangelism.
  Morris Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist
  Convention's executive committee, took aim at
  Calvinism at the Southern Baptist recent annual
  meeting.
• "If there is any doctrine of grace that drives
  men to argue and debate more than it drives them
  to pursue lost souls and persuade all men to be
  reconciled to God," he said, "then it is no
  doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Other Southern Baptists blame Calvinism for the
  recent declines in Southern Baptist baptisms and
  membership.

8
Calvinism Revival

• "Southern Baptists no longer agree on what is the
  Gospel. Does God love everyone? Did Jesus die for
  everyone to have an opportunity to be saved?"
  said Jerry Nash, a member of Cornerstone Baptist
  Church in Fort White, Fla. "Calvinism splits
  families, churches, and associations. And it will
  either kill or split the Southern Baptist
  Convention."
• Even fans of Calvin admit that his newfound
  followers sometimes go overboard. Most like to
  ferociously debate ideas. And new converts often
  have little patience for anyone who disagrees
  with them.
• "They speak as if they are seeing the Bible for
  the first time and for some of them, that's the
  case," Hansen said. "They assume that every one
  has to see things the way they do. I call it the
  cage phase It would be better for their first
  year or two, if you just locked them in a cage,
  and didn't let them talk to anyone."
• Locke, the son of Southern Baptist missionaries,
  says he disagrees with Calvin on some points. On
  predestination, for example, he doesn't believe
  that God will intentionally condemn people.
• But he does think that Calvin reminds people not
  to trifle with God. He says that many people
  believe Jesus is their buddy, and have lost
  reverence for holy things.
• "That's part of the problem with the megachurch
  movement, where they have taken the cross out of
  the building. It has downsized God. Calvin
  reminds us how big God is.

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Historical Background

• Augustine, a bishop of Hippo in Northern Africa
  (A.D. 354-430), believed that mankind after the
  Fall was totally depraved and could not exercise
  his free will. He also believed that Adams
  descendants are all born with a sinful, depraved
  nature (original sin or total depravity). Man
  cannot use his free will and choose to be saved.
  Only Gods elect can be saved and by Gods grace
  alone. Augustine was influenced by the Gnostic
  doctrine of the inherent evil of all flesh and
  matter.

10
Historical Background

• Pelagius, a British monk (c. A.D. 400), came to
  Rome to meet Augustine and debate this issue.
  Pelagius believed that mans sins were not
  inherited from Adam and that each man could
  exercise his free will to choose right and wrong.

11
Historical Background

• Augustine opposed Pelagius and the views of
  Pelagius were condemned as heresy by the Council
  of Ephesus (A.D. 431). Augustines belief in
  total depravity and the bondage of the will
  prevailed in the Roman Catholic Church from that
  time to the present day (as witnessed in the
  practice of sprinkling babies for inherited sin).

12
Historical Background

• The modern denominational concept of
  predestination (God choosing each person to be
  saved or lost without free will) was developed
  first by Augustine and then made popular by John
  Calvin.

13
Historical Background

• John Calvin (1509-1564), a French reformer, wrote
  The Institutes of Christian Religion in Geneva,
  Switzerland, A.D. 1536. In this work, he set
  forth his beliefs which later became known as the
  Five Points of Calvinism T-U-L-I-P. Calvin
  followed the teaching of Augustine that man is
  totally incapable of doing any good and is not
  able to receive the gospel without direct divine
  intervention. Martin Luther, A.D. 1483-1546, was
  another major figure at this time who believed
  mankind has no free will. He wrote, The Bondage
  of Will.

14
Historical Background

• Jacobus Armenius opposed Calvin in 1603 in
  Holland. Armenius died in 1610 but his followers
  continued to oppose Calvinism. Calvin and
  Armenius debated the issue of the predestination
  of God and the free will of man. Calvin taught
  that the choice of man to be saved or lost was
  determined by Gods sovereign will alone, by
  Gods free grace and greatness not conditioned
  on mans free will. Calvins understanding of
  Gods sovereignty and greatness led him to
  believe that Gods sovereignty (might, power,
  control) completely eliminated mans free will to
  choose. Therefore, salvation and damnation are
  unconditional.

15
Historical Background

• At the Synod of Dort in Holland (1618-1619),
  Calvinism was exonerated and Armenianism was
  opposed with the Five Articles Against the
  Remonstrants Calvins TULIP was systematized
  and formally taught from this time forward.
• The five points of Calvinism are T-U-L-I-P T
  (total depravity), U (unconditional election and
  reprobation), L (limited atonement), I
  (irresistible grace), and P (perseverance of the
  saints).

16
Historical Background

• John Calvin taught that the choice of man to be
  saved or lost was determined by Gods sovereign
  will alone, by Gods free grace and greatness
  not conditioned in any way on mans free will.
  Calvins understanding of Gods sovereignty led
  him to believe that Gods sovereignty (might,
  power, control) completely eliminates mans free
  will to choose. Salvation and damnation are
  thereby unconditional.

17
Historical Background

• John Calvin wrote For all are not created in
  equal condition rather eternal life is
  foreordained for some, eternal damnation for
  others (Institutes of the Christian Religion,
  Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 5) ... As Scripture,
  then, clearly shows, we say that God once
  established by his eternal and unchangeable plan
  those whom he long before determined once for all
  to receive into salvation, and those whom, on the
  other hand, he would devote to destruction
  (Section 7).

18
Historical Background

• John Calvin was opposed to the works-based
  theology of the Catholic Church of his day which
  focused on man. Calvin set for a theology that
  focused on the sovereignty of God and argued that
  man had no part in his salvation.

19
Historical Background

• The Westminster Confession of Faith, adopted by
  the Presbyterian Church in 1647, reads By the
  decree of God some men and angels are
  predestinated unto everlasting life, and others
  foreordained to everlasting death (Chapter 3,
  Section 3).
• The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, adopted by
  the Baptist Church reads similarly (Section 3,
  Number 4).

20
Historical Background

• The major denominations that came out of the
  Protestant Reformation followed some form of
  Calvinism (Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist,
  Methodist, etc.). Today, many of the mainline
  denominations are Calvinistic in their theology.
  Many commentaries are written by
  denominationalists who are influenced by
  Calvinism.
• Some members of churches of Christ have accepted
  portions of Calvinism (see Neo-Calvinism in the
  Church of Christ, Tom Roberts, Editor, Cogdill
  Foundation, 1980).

21
Five Points of Calvinism

• T Total Depravity
• U Unconditional Election and Reprobation
• L Limited Atonement
• I Irresistible Grace
• P Perseverance of the Saints

22
Total Hereditary Depravity(Stated)

• Calvinism the sin of Adam corrupted the whole
  human race Adams guilt was transmitted to all
  humans (Original Sin) man is so corrupted and
  depraved (dead) that he cannot do any good man
  cannot exercise his free-will to do good, but is
  wholly inclined to do evil sin is inherited, a
  child is in sin at birth, and a child is totally
  depraved at birth
• Common proof-texts Gen. 65 821 Ex. 205
  Job 144 1514-16 Psa. 515 583 Rom.
  512 Eph. 21,3

23
Total Depravity(Answered)

• All are born upright and innocent (Deut. 139
  Eccl. 729 Mt. 183)
• Sin is committed, not transmitted (Rom. 79
  Jas. 113-14 1 Jn. 34 517)
• Each one is accountable for his own sin (Ezek.
  1820)
• Sin in ones life does not eliminate all good
  (Lk. 815)
• Sin can grow worse (2 Tim. 313)

24
Unconditional Election(Stated)

• Calvinism since mankind is totally depraved and
  cannot choose to do good, God, by sovereign
  decree saves mankind unconditionally God
  predestines some to be saved and others to be
  lost without regard to any conditions, character,
  or conduct
• Common Proof-texts Acts 1348 Rom. 828-30
  911-13,15-18,22-23 115-6 Eph. 13-14

25
Unconditional Election(Answered)

• One must work the works of God to be saved
  (Jn. 629 Acts 1034)
• One must obey conditions to be saved (Heb. 58-9
  2 Thess. 18)
• One is not saved by grace or faith alone (Eph.
  28-9 Jas. 226)
• Election is conditional if (Jer. 187-10)
• Election is in a body in Christ (Eph.
  13ff 39-10)

26
Limited Atonement(Stated)

• Calvinism since some have been predestined by
  God to be lost, Jesus did not die for them
  Jesus death was limited in scope to the elect
  only Jesus did not die for the non-elect the
  blessings of Jesus atonement (reconciliation,
  redemption) are for the elect only and no one
  else
• Common Proof-texts Isa. 5312 Mt. 121 2028
  2628 Jn. 111 635-40 1011,15,27-29
  1150-53 171-11,20,24-26 Acts 2028 Rom.
  832-34 Eph. 525-27 Heb. 217 31
  915,28 Rev. 59

27
Limited Atonement(Answered)

• The blood of Jesus is for provided for all (Jn.
  129 316 651 1232-33 Rom. 58-9 2 Cor.
  514-15 Heb. 29 1 Tim. 26 410 1 Jn.
  21-2 414) however, it is appropriated only by
  a few (Mt. 714)
• The gospel is for all (Mt. 2819-20 Mk.
  1615-16)
• The gospel invitation is for all (Mt. 1128 Rev.
  2217)
• God does not want anyone to be lost (Mt. 1814
  2337 Acts 1730-31 1 Tim. 24 Tit. 211,14 2
  Pet. 38-9)

28
Irresistible Grace(Stated)

• Calvinism since the elect for whom Christ died
  are unconditionally saved, God irresistibly calls
  them to salvation by the Holy Spirit the
  non-elect cannot hear or heed this call the
  elect cannot resist or oppose this call an
  experience of grace
• Common Proof-texts Jn. 112-14 33-8 Acts
  1614 1 Cor. 214 Eph. 117-18
  28 Phil. 212-13 Tit. 35 1 Jn. 520

29
Irresistible Grace(Answered)

• The gospel is Gods power to save (Rom. 116
  1017 2 Thess. 214) the gospel can be rejected
  (Acts 1346)
• Jesus (Jn. 1247-48), the Holy Spirit (Neh. 930
  Acts 751 Eph. 430 1 Thess. 519), and
  the Devil (Jas. 47) can indeed be rejected and
  resisted
• Gods grace is not irresistibly given, but freely
  offered (Eph. 28 Tit. 211)
• Man, not God, does the believing and the
  confessing (Rom. 109-10) man is urged to repent
  (Acts 238,40)

30
Perseverance of the Saints(Stated)

• Calvinism since some are predestined to be saved
  and irresistibly called, they will be eternally
  secure no matter they do or not do they can
  neither totally nor finally fall away once
  saved always saved
• Common Proof-texts Jn. 316,36 524 637
  1027-29 Rom. 81,31-39 1 Cor. 19 1013 Eph.
  113-14 Phil. 16 2 Tim. 212 1 Pet. 15 1
  Jn. 51-3

31
Perseverance of the Saints(Answered)

• There are plain statements of apostasy (Lk.
  812-13 Gal. 54 Jas. 519-20 Jude 24 Rev.
  35)
• There are severe warnings of apostasy (Jn.
  151-6 1 Cor. 927 1012 Rom. 1122 Heb.
  21 312-14 1026-29 1215 2 Pet. 110 317
  2 Jn. 8)
• There are certain promises of apostasy (1 Tim.
  41)
• There are clear examples of apostasy (Acts
  820-24 1 Tim. 119-20 512 2 Tim.
  218 Heb. 64-6 2 Pet.
  21-3,20-22 Jude 5)

32
Calvinisms Consequences

• Consequences for God
• God does not want all to be saved (Ezek. 1823
  3311 1 Tim. 24 Tit. 211 2 Pet. 38)
• God is a respecter of persons (Acts 1034 Rom.
  211 Eph. 619 Col. 325 1 Pet. 117)
• God forces man to be saved or lost (Rev. 320
  2217)
• God is responsible for the damnation of the
  wicked (Ezek. 1821-32 3310-20)

33
Calvinisms Consequences

• Consequences for Man
• Man blames heredity for sin and excuses sin
  (Total Depravity)
• Man is not motivated to act a fatalistic view of
  life is adopted (Unconditional Election)
• Man is a robot without a free-will, or choice
  (Irresistible Grace) Gen. 46-7 Deut. 3019
  Josh. 2415 Heb. 1125
• Man lives any way he wants (Perseverance of the
  S.)

34
Calvinisms Consequences

• Consequences for Man
• Man is not truly accountable to God, but only
  doing what God predestined him to do (Eccl.
  1214 Mt. 2519 Rom. 1412 2 Cor.
  510 Rev. 2212-13)

35
Calvinisms Consequences

• Consequences for Gospel Preaching
• Why preach to the whole world, if the whole world
  cannot be saved (Mt. 2819-20 Mk. 1615-16
  Acts 84)?
• The all-sufficiency of the gospel call is denied
  (Jn. 644-45 Rom. 116 1014-15,17 2
  Thess. 314)
• The gospel invitation (Rev. 2217) and call to
  repentance (Acts 1730) is foolish

36
Calvinisms Consequences

• Consequences for the Devil
• There is no work for the Devil. Why should the
  Devil try to get people to be lost, if the lost
  are predestined to be lost anyway and can never
  be saved, and the saved elect can never be lost
  (Lk. 812 1 Pet. 58)?

37
Calvins TULIP Picked and Plucked

• Calvinism when tested under the light of Gods
  truth is found to be false (Acts 1711 1 Thess.
  512 1 Jn. 41)
• Calvinism is not after Christ (Col. 28)
• We listen to Jesus Christ, not to John Calvin
  (Mt. 175)