What are the Five Points of Calvinism?
Perhaps one of the most profound and beautiful statements of all times, other than in the words of Scripture itself, can be found in the first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism:
Question: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Answer: That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto Him.”
Our comfort – our only comfort – in life and in death, is that we have been redeemed through the work of Christ. If this truly is the foundation of all our hope, then what greater joy is there than to diligently search and seek and desire the God of our salvation? How then must we live?
The second question and answer states:
How many things are necessary for you to know, that in this comfort you may live and die happily?
Answer: Three things: First, the greatness of my sin and misery. Second, how I am to be redeemed from all my sins and misery. Third, how I am to be thankful to God for such a redemption.
That is the Gospel. We must understand our destitution before we can understand our deliverance. We must know our sinfulness before we can know our Savior. We must acknowledge our utter rebellion before we can trust in our utmost redemption.
For years, this Gospel has saved the lost. And for years, this Gospel has been attacked by the lost. The Five Points of Calvinism were written in response to the heretical doctrine of the Arminians, that attacked the clear teaching of Christ in regards to our Salvation.
These truths do not belong to Calvin, but to Scripture. They are not the foundation from which we view God’s Word, but rather, are a result of the lens which Scripture gives us to view our salvation.
On November 13, 1618, the Synod of Dort officially rejected the Five Articles of the Arminian Remonstrants and wrote a response which has been summarized, in later Church history, by the acronym TULIP.
T – Total depravity
U – Unconditional election
L – Limited atonement
I – Irresistible grace
P – Perseverance of the saints
(Please note that this acronym by no means exhausts the depth of Reformed theology, Calvinism, or the Doctrines of Grace neither does it claim to be the best way to summarize these Christian truths, but it is the most widely used in reformed circles and for that reason, we’ll use it in our summary here.)
T – Total Depravity
Total Depravity describes our natural condition (Psalm 51:5, 58:3) as fallen mankind before God (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:3). There is “none righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:10-11). For “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We have turned against God, and rejected His truth and His righteousness (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 1:18-27).
We are naturally slaves of sin and corruption (2 Peter 2:19; Titus 3:3; Galatians 4:8-9; Romans 6:6,16,17,19,20; Romans 7:14), and spiritually dead in our transgressions (Ephesians 2:3). We have loved the darkness rather than the light (John 3:19), nothing good dwells in us (Romans 7:18) and even our “righteous” acts are permeated by corruption and cannot stand or save us before the throne of our Holy God (Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 13:23; Matthew 7:18; Romans 8:7).
Because of this rebellion, we are subject to the justice of God in His wrath against sin (Romans 1:18, 2:5; Matthew 10:28; Psalm 7:11), and are sentenced to His righteous condemnation (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36; Revelation 20:15; Romans 6:23; John 15:6)
In summary, the doctrine of Total Depravity refers to our natural, fallen condition, and our utter inability to please God in and of ourselves.
U – Unconditional Election
Those for whom Christ has died – the elect – were chosen based solely on the grace of God, and not out of any merit of their own (Ephesians 1:3-6, 2:1-10). Election refers to the fact that God has chosen those whom He has saved, and He has done so unconditionally – solely, wholly, and completely by His grace (Romans 9:1-23).
This election was not based on a “foreknowledge” that we would eventually repent and turn to Christ, for no man seeks God of His own accord (Romans 3:10-1; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 1:18-27). This election is not based on any righteousness in and of ourselves, for we are fallen and totally corrupted by sin (Romans 9:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28; 2 Peter 2:19; Titus 3:3; Galatians 4:8-9; Romans 6:6,16,17,19,20; Romans 7:14;).
This election was not based on our repentance or faith (Romans 9:11), for both repentance and faith are gifts from God, and not contrived from our own depraved selves, but given us freely by God’s grace (Romans 10:20).
This election was based solely on God’s sovereign will and divine mercy, through the work of Jesus Christ (Romans 9:15-16; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 8:28-33; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29; 2 Timothy 1:9; Philippians 3:9).
In summary, the doctrine of Unconditional Election refers to how God has sovereignly chosen and called His people to Himself, based solely on His grace and merit of Christ, and not out of any righteousness of our own.
L – Limited Atonement
Christ’s atonement is not limited in that it only satisfies a limited portion of God’s wrath. Christ has satisfied all of God’s wrath towards sin for the sake of His elect (Colossians 2:13-14; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Corinthians 15:22). However, Christ’s atonement was for the sake of a limited (elect) group of people (Matthew 1:21; John 10:15; Isaiah 53:8, 12; Romans 11:7; Mark 13:20) whom God chose before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8) and whom He has called to Himself (Romans 8:29).
Limited atonement affirms Scripture’s teaching that Christ’s sacrifice has redeemed from every tribe, tongue and nation (Revelation 5:9-10,7:9; Daniel 7:14; John 1:29; Acts 13:47; Romans 1:16).
However, Jesus did not die for every human being in the same way, in that His sacrifice atoned for the sins of every person in the world. If this was so, then those who do not come to faith in Christ have their sins twice paid for – first on the Cross, and then in Hell (John 6:37-40; Colossians 2:13-14; John 19:30; Romans 5:10, 8:1-4; Romans 5:1,19; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Also, this undermines God’s sovereignty in our salvation, as it would require man to either not be fully depraved and seek God of his own will, or it would require that God be not wholly powerful to overcome our rebellion and draw us to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:25; Ephesians 2:8; John 1:13).
In summary, the doctrine of Limited Atonement refers to the substitutionary atonement of Christ, in which He fully satisfied God’s wrath toward sin in the place of God’s elect.
I – Irresistible Grace
Because man will not (Romans 3:11), and indeed, cannot (Romans 8:7; John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 2:14; ) seek God, God must first seek us and call us to Himself (James 1:18; John 6:37; 2 Timothy 1:19; Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 2:8).
We did not first choose God, but He first chose us (John 15:16). We did not first call out to God, but He first called us (John 10:27-29). We did not first love God, but He first loved us (1 John 4:19; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:1-5).
In summary, the doctrine of Irresistible Grace refers to God’s sovereign power in His work to overcome our sinful and deadened hearts, and bring us to faith and salvation.
P – Perseverance of the Saints
Because our salvation is not dependent on ourselves, but on the sovereign power and grace of God, this means that we can be assured that God will keep those whom He has saved (John 10:27-30).
Those whom He has chosen, and whom He has called, and whom He has justified, He will also glorify (Romans 8:30). This means that if we are truly saved then our faith with endure to the end (2 Timothy 2:11-12; Mark 13:3).
God’s elect cannot be lost, but have eternal security and assurance of their salvation through the grace we have in Christ (John 10:27-30; Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 5:1; Philippians 3:12; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Philippians 1:6; 1 Corinthians 1:8-9; Hebrews 13:20-21).
In summary, the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints gives us assurance of the salvation we have in Christ, for it is not through our own strength that we cling to God, but through God’s sovereign power and grace that He is grasping us, and will persevere our faith through the end of eternity.
The Doctrines of Grace help enable us to remember and rejoice in God’s work of individual redemption.
Soli Deo Gloria,
