| TheFive Points ofCalvinism |
|---|
 |
| (TULIP) |
| Total depravity |
| Unconditional election |
| Limited atonement |
| Irresistible grace |
| Perseverance of the saints |
TheFive Points of Calvinism constitute a summary ofsoteriology inReformed Christianity. Named afterJohn Calvin, they largely reflect the teaching of theCanons of Dort. The five points assert that God saves every person upon whom he has mercy, and that his efforts are not frustrated by the unrighteousness or inability of humans. They are occasionally known by theacrosticTULIP:total depravity,unconditional election,limited atonement,irresistible grace, andperseverance of the saints.[1]
The five points are popularly said to summarize the Canons of Dort; however, there is no historical relationship between them, and some scholars argue that their language distorts the meaning of the Canons, Calvin's theology, and the theology of 17th-century Calvinistic orthodoxy, particularly in the language of total depravity and limited atonement.[2] The five points were more recently popularized in the 1963 bookletThe Five Points of Calvinism Defined, Defended, Documented by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas. The origins of the five points and the acrostic are uncertain, but they appear to be outlined in theCounter Remonstrance of 1611, a lesser-known Reformed reply to theArminianFive Articles of Remonstrance, which was written prior to the Canons of Dort.[3] The acrostic TULIP was used byCleland Boyd McAfee as early as circa 1905.[4] An early printed appearance of the acrostic can be found inLoraine Boettner's 1932 book,The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination.[5]
| Protestant beliefs about salvation | |||
| This table summarizes the classical views of threeProtestant beliefs about salvation.[17] | |||
| Topic | Calvinism | Lutheranism | Arminianism |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human will | Total depravity:[18] Humanity possesses "free will",[19] but it is in bondage to sin,[20] until it is "transformed".[21] | Total depravity:[18][22][23] Humanity possesses free will in regard to "goods and possessions", but is sinful by nature and unable to contribute to its own salvation.[24][25][26] | Total depravity: Humanity possesses freedom fromnecessity, but not "freedom from sin" unless enabled by "prevenient grace".[27] |
| Election | Unconditional election. | Unconditional election.[18][28] | Conditional election in view of foreseen faith or unbelief.[29] |
| Justification and atonement | Justification by faith alone. Various views regarding the extent of the atonement.[30] | Justification for all men,[31] completed at Christ's death and effective throughfaith alone.[32][33][34][35] | Justification madepossible for all through Christ's death, but only completed uponchoosing faith in Jesus.[36] |
| Conversion | Monergistic,[37] through the means of grace,irresistible. | Monergistic,[38][39] through themeans of grace,resistible.[40] | Synergistic, resistible due to the common grace of free will.[41][42] |
| Perseverance and apostasy | Perseverance of the saints: the eternally elect in Christ will certainly persevere in faith.[43] | Holy Spirit strengthens the faith of the believer through the proclamation of the Word and participation in thesacraments;[44][45]falling away is possible through loss of faith ormortal sin.[46][47][48][49] | Preservation is conditional upon continued faith in Christ; with the possibility of a finalapostasy.[50] |
EnglishReformed Baptist theologianJohn Gill (1697–1771) staunchly defended the five points in his workThe Cause of God and Truth.[51] The work was a lengthy counter to contemporary AnglicanArminian priestDaniel Whitby, who had been attacking Calvinist doctrine. Gill goes to great lengths in quoting numerousChurch Fathers in an attempt to show that the five points and other Calvinistic ideas were held in early Christianity.[52]
The Five Points may be more easily remembered if they are associated with the word T-U-L-I-P; T, Total Inability; U, Unconditional Election; L, Limited Atonement; I, Irresistible (Efficacious) Grace; and P, Perseverance of the Saints.
I like to replace the termtotal depravity with my favorite designation, which isradical corruption. Ironically, the wordradical has its roots in the Latin word for "root," which isradix, and it can be translatedroot orcore.
The adjective 'total' does not mean that each sinner is as totally or completely corrupt in his actions and thoughts as it is possible for him to be. Instead, the word 'total' is used to indicate that the "whole" of man's being has been affected by sin.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Unconditional election is another term that I think can be a bit misleading, so I prefer to use the termsovereign election.
I prefer not to use the termlimited atonement because it is misleading. I rather speak ofdefinite redemption ordefinite atonement, which communicates that God the Father designed the work of redemption specifically with a view to providing salvation for the elect, and that Christ died for His sheep and laid down His life for those the Father had given to Him.
I have a little bit of a problem using the termirresistible grace, not because I don't believe this classical doctrine, but because it is misleading to many people. Therefore, I prefer the termeffectual grace, because the irresistible grace of God effects what God intends it to effect.
I think this little catchphrase,perseverance of the saints, is dangerously misleading. It suggests that the perseverance is something that we do, perhaps in and of ourselves. ... So I prefer the termthe preservation of the saints, because the process by which we are kept in a state of grace is something that is accomplished by God.
"Total Depravity – Lutherans and Calvinists agree." Yes this is correct. Both agree on the devastating nature of the fall and that man by nature has no power to aid in his conversions...and that election to salvation is by grace. In Lutheranism the German term for election isGnadenwahl, election by grace--there is no other kind.
[P]eople by nature are dead in their transgressions and sin and therefore have no ability to decide of Christ (Ephesians 2:1, 5). We do not choose Christ, rather he chose us (John 15:16) We believe that human beings are purely passive in conversion.
Arminians accepts divine election, [but] they believe it is conditional.
Romans 3:23-24, 5:9, 18 are other passages that lead us to say that it is most appropriate and accurate to say that universal justification is a finished fact. God has forgiven the sins of the whole world whether people believe it or not. He has done more than "made forgiveness possible." All this is for the sake of the perfect substitutionary work of Jesus Christ.
We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social levels, for "the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men" (Romans 5:18]). All need forgiveness of sins before God, and Scripture proclaims that all have been justified, for "the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men" (Romans 5:18). We believe that individuals receive this free gift of forgiveness not on the basis of their own works, but only through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). ... On the other hand, although Jesus died for all, Scripture says that "whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). Unbelievers forfeit the forgiveness won for them by Christ (John 8:24).
Christ paid for all our sins. God the Father has therefore forgiven them. But to benefit from this verdict we need to hear about it and trust in it. If I deposit money in the bank for you, to benefit from it you need to hear about it and use it. Christ has paid for your sins, but to benefit from it you need to hear about it and believe in it. We need to have faith but we should not think of faith as our contribution. It is a gift of God which the Holy Spirit works in us.
Faith is a condition of justification
In full accord with Scripture the Lutheran Confessions teach monergism. "In this manner, too, the Holy Scriptures ascribe conversion, faith in Christ, regeneration, renewal and all the belongs to their efficacious beginning and completion, not to the human powers of the natural free will, neither entirely, nor half, nor in any, even the least or most inconsiderable part, but in solidum, that is, entirely, solely, to the divine working and the Holy Ghost" (Trigl. 891, F.C., Sol. Decl., II, 25).
Arminian synergism" refers to "evangelical synergism, which affirms the prevenience of grace.
[Arminius]' evangelical synergism reserves all the power, ability and efficacy in salvation to grace, but allows humans the God-granted ability to resist or not resist it. The only "contribution" humans make is nonresistance to grace.
We cannot contribute one speck to our salvation, but by our own arrogance or carelessness we can throw it away. Therefore, Scripture urges us repeatedly to fight the good fight of faith (Ephesians 6 and 2 Timothy 4 for example). My sins threaten and weaken my faith, but the Spirit through the gospel in word and sacraments strengthens and preserves my faith. That's why Lutherans typically speak of God's preservation of faith and not the perseverance of the saints. The key isnot our perseverance but the Spirit's preservation.
As to their effect, sins are divided into mortal sins and venial sins. Mortal sins are those which result in the death of the sinner. This term takes in all the sins of the unbelievers. In the case of the believers those sins are called mortal which force the Holy Spirit to depart from one's heart, which destroy faith. Venial sins are sins which, though they in themselves merit eternal death, are daily forgiven to the believer. They are also called sins of weakness. They do not drive the Holy Spirit from the heart, do not extinguish faith.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)"After a person has been justified by faith, a true living faith becomes 'active through love' (Gal. 5:6). Thus good works always follow justifying faith and are certainly to be found with it, since such faith is never alone but is always accompanied by love and hope." (FC, Epitome, Article III. Righteousness. Tappert p. 474) ... Our confessions therefore condemn the idea that malicious and persistent sins do not affect faith and the Spirit living with us: "We also reject and condemn the teaching that faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are not lost through malicious sin, but that the holy ones and the elect retain the Holy Spirit even though they fall into adultery and other sins and persist in them. (FC, Article IV, Good Works)"
It is, accordingly, necessary to know and to teach that when holy men, still having and feeling original sin, also daily repenting of and striving with it, happen to fall into manifest sins, as David into adultery, murder, and blasphemy, that then faith and the Holy Ghost has departed from them [they cast out faith and the Holy Ghost]. For the Holy Ghost does not permit sin to have dominion, to gain the upper hand so as to be accomplished, but represses and restrains it so that it must not do what it wishes. But if it does what it wishes, the Holy Ghost and faith are [certainly] not present. For St. John says, 1 John 3:9: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, … and he cannot sin. And yet it is also the truth when the same St. John says, 1:8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)People can fall from faith. The Bible warns, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12). Some among the Galatians had believed for a while, but had fallen into soul-destroying error. Paul warned them, "You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace" (Galatians 5:4). In his explanation of the parable of the sower, Jesus says, "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in time of testing they fall away" (Luke 8:13). According to Jesus a person can believe for a while and then fall away. While they believed they possessed eternal salvation, but when they fell from faith they lost God's gracious gift.
Many Arminians deny the doctrine of theperseverance of the saints.