John Calvin ( ) was a sixteenth century Swiss theologian who became a leader in the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin ( ) was a sixteenth century Swiss theologian who became a leader in the Protestant Reformation. Calvin was strongly influenced by the writings of Augustine, who lived in the fifth century. Calvin was strongly influenced by the writings of Augustine, who lived in the fifth century.

The five major tenets of Calvinism are summed up by the acronym TULIP. The five major tenets of Calvinism are summed up by the acronym TULIP. The five tenets are mutually dependent and logically connected. The five tenets are mutually dependent and logically connected. They are based on a false assumption concerning the sovereignty of God. They are based on a false assumption concerning the sovereignty of God.

T- Total Hereditary Depravity T- Total Hereditary Depravity U- Unconditional Election U- Unconditional Election L- Limited Atonement L- Limited Atonement I- Irresistible Grace I- Irresistible Grace P-Perseverance of the Saints P-Perseverance of the Saints

Man is born in sin with a corrupt nature and is unable to do any good on his own; he is born totally depraved.

Total Hereditary Depravity expressed: Although we assert that natural man- one who has not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit- can do relative good, it is necessary to reemphasize that even this relative good is not fundamentally “truly good” in God’s sight.

Total Hereditary Depravity expressed: The reason for this is, as the Belgic Confession puts it, that the motive of love and faith is missing. In fact, that relative good is basically, in the deepest sense, nothing else than sin and evil. (The Five Points of Calvinism, Palmer, Pg 13)

Total Hereditary Depravity expressed: "We are condemned before we have done good or evil, under the curse before we know what it is.“ (John Wesley, Sermons on Original Sin, p. 340)

Total Hereditary Depravity exposed: God made man upright: Eccl 7:29, Deut 1:39 God made man upright: Eccl 7:29, Deut 1:39 The very nature of sin: 1 John 3:4, Ezek 18:20 The very nature of sin: 1 John 3:4, Ezek 18:20 Be as the child : 1 Cor. 14:20; Rom 16:19 Be as the child : 1 Cor. 14:20; Rom 16:19

God arbitrarily chose certain fixed individuals to be saved before the foundation of the world; He predestined some to be saved and others to be lost.

Unconditional Election expressed: "God has predestined and foreordained some men and angels to everlasting life out of His free grace and love without any foresight of faith or works in man or perseverance in either of them…

Unconditional Election expressed: …and others are foreordained to everlasting death and the number of either is so certain and definite that it cannot be increased or diminished.“ (Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch. 3)

Unconditional Election expressed: Predestination Defined: "The doctrine that the salvation or damnation of individuals has been foreordained by God; the determination beforehand of future events." (Webster's Dictionary, 1977 edition, p.289)

Unconditional Election exposed: We have freedom of choice: John 24:15; Ps. 119:30 We have freedom of choice: John 24:15; Ps. 119:30 God is impartial: Rom 2:11; Acts 10:34 God is impartial: Rom 2:11; Acts 10:34 Salvation is our choice: Phil 2:12;Heb 5:9 Salvation is our choice: Phil 2:12;Heb 5:9 God predestined the plan, not the man!

Christ died only for the elect; He did not die for those predestined to eternal death.

Limited Atonement expressed: "Christ's redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people…

Limited Atonement expressed: …Christ's redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith, which united them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation." (The Five Points of Calvinism, Defined, Defended, Documented)

Martin Luther “And all the prophets saw this, that Christ was to become the greatest thief, murderer, adulterer, robber, desecrator, blasphemer, etc., there has ever been anywhere in the world. He is not acting in His own Person now. Now He is not the Son of God, born of the Virgin.

…But He is a sinner, who has and bears the sin of Paul, the former blasphemer persecutor, and assaulter; of Peter, who denied Christ; of David, who was an adulterer and a murderer, and who caused the Gentiles to blaspheme the name of the Lord…” -- Galatians 3:13, p. 277

Paul Billheimer “Because He was ‘made sin,’ impregnated with sin, and became the very essence of sin, on the cross He was banished from God’s presence as a loathsome thing. He and sin were made synonymous…” -- Destined For The Throne, p. 83

Limited Atonement exposed: God is impartial: Rom 2:11 God is impartial: Rom 2:11 Christ died for all: 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb 2:9; 1 Tim 4:10 Christ died for all: 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb 2:9; 1 Tim 4:10 Jesus’ blood can cleanse anyone’s sins: 1 John 2:1-2 Jesus’ blood can cleanse anyone’s sins: 1 John 2:1-2

The Holy Spirit miraculously draws the elect to Christ apart from the word and regardless of their desire; it is an irresistible force of grace.

Irresistible Grace expressed: "The gospel invitation extends a call to salvation to every one who hears its message. It invites all men without distinction to drink freely of the water of life and live. It promises salvation to all who repent and believe…

Irresistible Grace expressed: …But this outward general call, extended to the elect and non-elect alike, will not bring sinners to Christ. Why? Because men are by nature dead in sin and are under its power...

Irresistible Grace expressed: …They are of themselves unable and unwilling to forsake their evil ways and to turn to Christ for mercy. Consequently, the unregenerate will not respond to the gospel call to repentance and faith…

Irresistible Grace expressed: …No amount of external threatenings or promises will cause blind, deaf, dead, rebellious sinners to bow before Christ as Lord and to look to Him alone for salvation…

Irresistible Grace expressed: …Such an act of faith and submission is contrary to the lost man's nature. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, in order to bring God's elect to salvation, extends to them a special inward call in addition to the outward call contained in the gospel message…

Irresistible Grace expressed: …Through this special call the Holy Spirit performs a work of grace within the sinner which inevitably brings him to faith in Christ … The Five Points of Calvinism, Defined, Defended, Documented (pgs 48-49)

Irresistible Grace exposed: Contradicts free will: John 12:47-48; 8:24 Contradicts free will: John 12:47-48; 8:24 How do we obtain faith: Rom 10:17; John 6:44-45; 2 Thess. 2:14 How do we obtain faith: Rom 10:17; John 6:44-45; 2 Thess. 2:14 Belief comes before salvation: John 3:16; Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31 Belief comes before salvation: John 3:16; Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31

It is impossible for the elect to fall away and be lost; they are “once saved, always saved.”

Perseverance of the saints expressed: "The doctrine of perseverance of the saints does not maintain that all who profess the Christian faith are certain of heaven. It is saints -- those who are set apart by the Spirit -- who persevere to the end…

Perseverance of the saints expressed: …It is believers -- those who are given true, living faith in Christ -- who are secure and safe in Him. Many who profess to believe fall away, but they do not fall from grace for they were never in grace…

Perseverance of the saints expressed: …True believers do fall into temptations, and they do commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or separate them from Christ.“ The Five Points of Calvinism, Defined, Defended, Documented

Perseverance of the saints expressed: “We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatsoever to do with the salvation of his soul…

Perseverance of the saints expressed: … That is settled in Christ and Christ alone.. All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep…

Perseverance of the saints expressed: … all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger.” Sam Morris, Baptist Preacher

Perseverance of the saints expressed: "If I killed my wife and mother and debauched a thousand women, I couldn't go to hell -- in fact, I couldn't go to hell if I wanted to....”

Perseverance of the saints expressed: “…If on the judgment day, I should find that my loved ones are lost and should lose all desire to be saved, and should beg God to send me to hell with them, He couldn't do it“ Bill Foster, Baptist Preacher, 1959

Perseverance of the saints exposed: We can fall from grace: Gal 5:4; 2 Pet 2:20-22; Acts 8:13, We can fall from grace: Gal 5:4; 2 Pet 2:20-22; Acts 8:13, We Can fall away: Heb 6:4-6; 10: 26-29; 1 Tim 4:1 We Can fall away: Heb 6:4-6; 10: 26-29; 1 Tim 4:1

Let us stand ready to defend God’s word against this treacherous doctrine