The Origin of Calvinism (According to KJV-Onlyists)

Make Calvinism More Appealing with BACON

Seriously. Who can resist BACON?

(via Choosing Hats)

Let's Rap About Limited Atonement

(HT: Calvinistic Cartoons)

Paul Washer on Man's Depravity

A Harsh Lesson in Human Nature and Divine Grace

As I left work and neared my home at about 2:45 Thursday afternoon, I noticed yellow police tape strung between the trees and townhomes across the street from our house. I pulled into the driveway, stepped out of my car, and walked to the edge of the yard to see if I could determine what was happening. With my view partially obscured by an embankment, all I could see were the tops of police cars and a few heads bobbing back and forth.

I walked inside and flipped on the TV to see if there was any news. It was about that time helicopters began to circle overhead. Not good.

I noticed a few people gathered in the parking lot across the street, so I hurried over to see what I could find out. I learned what everyone else learned a short time later:

A single mother who apparently stabbed her two young daughters and herself Thursday afternoon in their well-kept Roseville townhouse may have been overwhelmed by stress and financial problems, a close friend said.

Sylvia Sieferman, 60, and Hannah and Linnea Sieferman, both 11, were rushed to Regions Hospital in St. Paul after Sieferman repeatedly stabbed the girls and herself, police said.

Roseville police and investigators from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were summoned to the Westwood Village III townhouse in the 400 block of County Road C around 2 p.m. after one of the girls, bleeding from stab wounds, ran to a neighbor's house for help.

Sieferman and one of the girls are in critical condition, while the girl who ran for help is in stable condition, Roseville police Capt. Rick Mathwig said.

How could a seemingly loving mother, who adopted two beautiful girls from China, suddenly snap and try to stab her daughters to death and then turn the knife on herself? Not only will these girls once again be orphaned (there's no way they will be reunited with their mother), they will be scarred for life, both physically and emotionally. Needless to say that as an adopting parent myself I was both horrified and infuriated.

And humbled. Yes, humbled, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Incidents like this may seem perplexing until we begin to grasp the concept of total depravity. Doctors could come up with any number of psychological or neurological explanations, but what happened two days ago was the result of sin. And if it wasn't for the restraint of God's grace, any one of us would be capable of anything. Grace is what keeps each person from exhibiting the full extent of our fallen, sinful nature.

My hope and prayer is that God's sovereign grace will shine through for this family during this dark time. It is grace that can bring peace, comfort, and healing. More importantly, it is grace that brings us to faith in Christ, even in the midst of unimaginable pain and sorrow.

Total Depravity and God's Judgment

How can God judge those who are unable to choose him? As Mark Driscoll reminds us, everyone gets exactly what they want...except the Christian:

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

Perseverance of the Saints
This is the promise and the assurance we have as Christians that we are eternally secure in Christ. It follows logically that if God is the one doing all the work to save us, then he is also the one who is able to hold us. That is why many Calvinists prefer the term "preservation of the saints." It is not so much that we persevere to the end, but that God preserves us throughout all eternity.

Jesus Christ taught that all who are given to him by the Father will never be lost, but will be raised up on the last day (John 6:37-39). Paul writes in Philippians 1:6 "that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." We have no choice but to conclude that one who is given eternal life will have exactly that.

Yet many Christians continue to think it is possible for a believer to lose his salvation. They point to passages like 2nd Peter 1:10, which implores us to "make our calling and election sure." They also like to refer to Hebrews 6:4-6:

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Once again, we see verses that at first glance seem to refute the Calvinist position. But, as usual, we are reminded of the importance of keeping verses in context and interpreting them in light of other passages.

For example, scripture teaches that the future of God's elect has already been sealed. Paul tells us that "those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified" (Romans 8:30). Note that the glorification of those who receive the gift of salvation is presented as a present reality. While it hasn't happened yet, it's spoken of as if it already has. It is assured.

Christ himself said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28). That hardly leaves any room for debate.

But what about those who "fall away" from the faith? 1st John 2:19-20 has the answer: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge." It is possible for people to be touched by the gospel, even changed in some way. However, as the parable of the sower shows us, only real faith bears fruit (Matthew 13:1-23).

The belief that Christians can lose their salvation just doesn't make sense in light of scripture. We read in 2nd Thessalonians 2:13 that we were chosen "as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth." Why would we be chosen for salvation only to be cast aside later? In 1st Peter 1:5 we learn that believers "by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Why would anyone want to think that God is incapable of guarding our salvation?

Perhaps the biggest criticism leveled at this particular doctrine is that it hands the believer a license to sin. "If there is no way for a Christian to lose his salvation, then we can sin all we want without fear of judgment." Nothing could be further from the truth.

Yes, Christians sin. That's taught in scripture. In fact, if we claim to be without sin, "we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1st John 1:8). But scripture also teaches that we are "predestined to be conformed" to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29), and Hebrews 10:14 says that Christ "has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

Sanctification is the process by which we continue to grow as Christians. To be sanctified means to be set apart, to be made holy. This is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within each believer (2nd Timothy 1:14). If left to our own devices, we would surely fall away into sin and be lost forever.

Without the doctrines of grace, one could only conclude that salvation depends ultimately on us. We convict ourselves of sin. We choose God. We decide whether or not Christ's gift of salvation applies to us. We are drawn to God only if we allow it. Therefore, we abide forever in Christ only if we decide that's what we want.

I won't speak for anyone else, but I know for a fact that I wouldn't make it through one day apart from God's saving and sustaining grace. My hope lies in the fact that my ultimate salvation doesn't depend on my own feeble efforts. As Paul reminds me in 1st Corinthians 1:8, it is Christ alone who sustains me to the end.

Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 4: Irresistible Grace

Irresistible Grace
As with just about every other teaching in Calvinist theology, the idea of a grace that cannot be resisted conflicts with our natural, fallen concept of freedom. "God wouldn't force us to love him," some argue. "He didn't create us to be robots. Wouldn't it make more sense to give us the freedom to choose?"

Jesus says in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." This reinforces the fact that there is no one doing good or seeking after God (Psalm 14:1-3). But our depravity goes beyond a mere inability to do anything that is pleasing to our Creator. Not only do we fail to seek God, we are hostile to him (Romans 8:7).

In one sense, we are robots in that sin has programmed us to hate God. Yes, we do what we want, but our unregenerate hearts only want that which is evil. As Martin Luther wrote, "'Free-will' is a mere empty term, and that every thing which we do, is done from necessity under the bondage of sin." The only thing that can set us free is divine grace. As we see in scripture, it is not the sheep who seek the shepherd, but the shepherd who seeks the sheep (Ezekiel 34:11-12, Luke 15:3-7).

Irresistible grace may initially seem at odds with certain passages of scripture. For example, in Acts 7:51, Stephen accuses his listeners of always resisting the Holy Spirit. In Zechariah 7:11-12, we learn that the people "refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets." The list of examples goes on.

As I pointed out earlier, scripture teaches that the unrepentant, unbelieving heart is hostile toward God. We resist him all the time. We are born resisting him. So, what do we mean by "irresistible grace"?

It may help to think of it in terms of an "outward call" and an "inward call." The outward call is the general gospel call for all people, both elect and non-elect, to repent and believe. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). This call is rejected all the time, sometimes violently. Stephen was stoned to death for presenting the truth, and Christians throughout history have been martyred for the sake of the gospel.

The inward call, however, is the irresistible pull of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of those whom God has elected for salvation. Paul tells us that "those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified" (Romans 8:30). Note his use of the past tense, as if these have already been accomplished for every believer. Those who receive the Spirit's call are justified. There is no question about it.

The truth to be learned here is that while it is natural for fallen man to resist God, the power of the Holy Spirit can and does overcome that resistance. The creature is not more powerful than the Creator, therefore we are incapable of disrupting God's plan of salvation.

Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 3: Limited Atonement

Limited Atonement
This seems to be the biggest stumbling block to those who resist the teachings of Calvinism. Many people think that in order for God to be "fair" -- naturally, they are looking at fairness from a human perspective -- Christ must have died for every single person. After all, John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." And, of course, there's 1st John 2:2: "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

When it comes to limited (or, more accurately, particular or definite) atonement, God's word is quite clear on the subject. In Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 we read that Christ gave his life as a "ransom for many." In John 10:11-15 Jesus talks about laying down his life "for the sheep." Contrast that with Matthew 25:32-33, where we see the shepherd separating "the sheep from the goats."

Jesus continues with this analogy in John 10:24-27:

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

Still, we cannot get around the fact that the Bible does teach that Jesus did, in a sense, lay down his life for the world. The answer, as usual, lies in the context.

Paul writes in 1st Timothy 4:10 that Christ is "the savior of all people, especially of those who believe." Now, we know that he isn't the "savior of all people" in the same sense that he is the savior of the elect. If that were the case, then all people would be saved, and given the context of what scripture has to say about the eternal judgment of the wicked, we know that can't be what Paul meant. Rather, Christ is the savior of all people in that by saving some, humanity itself has been saved from complete destruction.

Another way to look at limited atonement is to consider what the term "propitiation" means in 1st John 2:2. It means to satisfy God's demands. God demands perfection, something sinful man can never hope to achieve. Jesus Christ, however, lived a perfect life and suffered our punishment on the cross, thereby satisfying God's holy justice. Our debt has been paid. To assume that Christ also paid the debt of those who ultimately end up in hell is to make God out to be unjust as one who punishes the same sins twice.

If we are to be honest, we will agree that both Calvinists and Arminians limit Christ's atonement in some way. Did Jesus die for Satan and his demons? Certainly not. The atonement is at least limited to human beings. Do all people eventually end up in heaven? Again, no. There is no disputing the fact that the effects of the atonement do not extend to all people in the same way.

Here is where we differ: Arminians limit the effectiveness of the atonement in that they believe it merely made salvation possible for sinners. Since they deny the Calvinist view of total depravity, unconditional election, and irresistible grace, they are forced to admit that there is the theoretical possibility that not one person would ever "accept Christ as savior." After all, if they wish to remain consistent in holding to the concept of "free will," then they must deny that God would give certain people the extra grace needed that would enable us to do what scripture says we cannot do on our own (Romans 7:18).

Calvinists, on the other hand, limit the scope of Christ's atonement rather than its effectiveness. We would agree with Arminians that his death on the cross was sufficient to cover the sins of all. There certainly would not have been a need to have his suffering increased accordingly in order to cover the sins of each and every person. But that isn't how the atonement was designed. We believe that the atonement accomplished exactly what it was supposed to do by actually securing the salvation of all those for whom it was intended (i.e., the elect). "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).

To say that God intended to save everyone, but, despite his best intentions, was unable to accomplish that goal, is to make God into something less than the sovereign, all-powerful Creator that he is. How much more God-glorifying it is to say, without hesitation or qualification, that he did exactly what he set out to do!

Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 2: Unconditional Election

Unconditional Election
God is holy and just, and all who fall short of his standard for perfection are under condemnation (Romans 1:18, Romans 6:23). It would be contrary to God's nature for him to allow any sin to go unpunished.

So, if all are born into sin, what hope do we have? Our hope lies in the very one who is condemning us. Because we are completely powerless to overcome sin on our own, he, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, effectively draws certain people unto himself. In other words, he chooses who will be saved and who will not be saved.

Most Christians will agree -- to a point. They cannot deny the doctrine of election entirely because scripture uses the terms "elect" and "election" explicitly (Matthew 24:41, Luke 18:7, Romans 11:28, 2nd Timothy 2:10, 2nd Peter 1:10, etc.). However, many believe the election referred to is conditional.

Here is how conditional election works: God, at some point in eternity past, looked ahead down the corridors of time and, according to his foreknowledge, saw who would receive Christ as savior. Those are the ones he then predestined for salvation. This may seem like a simple explanation, but it's wrong.

Here is what Paul writes in Romans 9:9-13:

For this is what the promise said: "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son." And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad -- in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls -- she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

It couldn't be any clearer. God's election is unconditional in that it is not based on anything we have done, are doing, or will do.

Naturally, this doesn't seem "fair" according to human standards. Paul anticipates that and continues in verses 14-18:

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

God's will is the key to understanding this important doctrine. We learn in Ephesians 1:11 that our predestination is "according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will." Doesn't it make much more sense that God's election is based on his own sovereign will rather than the fallen will of man?

The more I contemplate the doctrine of unconditional election, the more I am humbled. God had every right to condemn me to hell for all eternity, but he didn't. And while I don't know why he chose me in Christ for salvation, scripture reminds me constantly that it had nothing to do with my works: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The truth is that we believers, even in eternity, may never know why God predestined us for salvation. We do know that what was done was done in such a way "so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1st Corinthians 1:27). In short, election is unconditional so that all glory is reserved for God and God alone.

Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 1: Total Depravity

Just mentioning the term "Calvinism" is enough to stir up controversy. It is seen by many as a cruel and unforgiving philosophy, and trying to have a reasoned discussion about it usually means having to navigate a theological minefield. It is, however, an important discussion, and we should not shy away from it.

What makes it so important? Charles Spurgeon once said, "I have my own opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else."

This is not to say that one must be converted to Calvinism and have an in-depth understanding of the doctrines of grace in order to be saved. No true Calvinist would ever say that. But I do believe that studying these doctrines as they are taught in scripture is an important part of spiritual growth.

These doctrines are so interconnected that I think it's impossible to deny one without undermining all the rest. I believe these doctrines are biblically sound and can greatly affect all aspects of our lives: how we view God, how we see ourselves, how we treat others, how we worship, how we evangelize, and so on. What's more, they serve to glorify God -- and that is our ultimate goal.

Countless theologians over the years have explained, illustrated, discussed, and debated the five main pillars of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints, otherwise known as "TULIP." Needless to say, what I am about to present here is nothing new. What I do hope to accomplish in this series of posts is to present you with my own personal understanding of these concepts as well as how they affect our lives as believers.

Total Depravity
Human beings were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). But what had been declared good became marred by sin with the fall of Adam and Eve. Because Adam was the representative of all mankind, every person since then has been born into sin (Romans 5:12, 1st Corinthians 15:22).

While this does not mean that all people are as evil as they could possibly be, it does mean that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The Apostle Paul reminds us that we, in our rebellious state, are completely incapable of pleasing God: "As it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'" (Romans 3:10-12). He expands on that in Ephesians 2:1-4, saying that even we believers were once "dead" in trespasses and sin, and that we "were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

I believe the concept of total depravity correctly and biblically conveys the state in which we all find ourselves. No matter what we do, we cannot help but sin, "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). We are fallen creatures in rebellion against our Creator, and our depravity is the constant reminder that we are in need of a savior. In fact, that was the purpose of the law.

Paul writes in Romans 5:20 that "the law came in to increase the trespass." In other words, God's law exposes our sinfulness. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Romans, says, "The moral law showed that many thoughts, tempers, words, and actions, were sinful, thus transgressions were multiplied. Not making sin to abound the more, but discovering the sinfulness of it, even as the letting in a clearer light into a room, discovers the dust and filth which were there before, but were not seen."

We cannot understand the need for salvation until we first understand that we are lost. Once God bestows upon us salvation by his grace through faith in his son, we can reflect on our depraved human nature as we strive to grow in that faith.

One effect of this can be seen in our relationships with other people. If we recognize our own depravity, it is easier to show grace to those who hurt us. Likewise, when we hurt others, we will see the need to repent and ask for forgiveness. Speaking from experience, I can say that this is extremely helpful in marriage.

Most importantly, our walk with Christ will be more meaningful and intimate because we will know that we are nothing without him. Total depravity lays everything on the line and puts us in our proper place before a holy and just God. It also magnifies the incredible significance of his mercy "in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). What better reason could we have for rejoicing in worship and telling others about the gospel?


Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

For Whom Did Jesus Taste Death?

Did Jesus die for everyone? If you are like me, the most difficult element of the so-called "Five-Points of Calvinism" is the notion of limited atonement. In this sermon, John Piper takes the matter head on.