Summary of TULIP After Reading This Site for Over Eight Years

[InTheLight]

Here is my understanding of Calvinism, Reformed Theology, Monergism, the Doctrines of Grace, or whatever the adherents are calling it this week.

Total Depravity
Human beings are so helplessly affected by the consequences of original sin that they are incapable of righteousness. In fact, they hate God (and God hates them) and humans are always and unchangeably sinful; the human will is not free, rather it is totally enslaved by sin; we can only choose evil, and do so without compunction. No unregenerate, unelected person can do good deeds. God must “zap” the sinner with a new heart so that he can receive God’s grace and gain the ability to repent. This is called regeneration. At some point in the future, could be seconds, could be weeks, could be years, God then gifts the sinner with the gift of faith so that the sinner can believe everything that God just did to him against his filthy, sinful will.


Unconditional Election
Because we can only choose evil, God, from before the world was created, chose or elected a minority of people to be made righteous and be saved from Hell. These elect people were chosen completely at random, according to God’s good pleasure. What that good pleasure might be is a mystery. As a consequence of electing some, God chose to condemn all other unelected people and they will be sent to Hell. God makes his power known by creating people meant solely for destruction. This is done for God’s glory.


Limited Atonement
The effects of the atonement, whereby God forgives sinners of their sin, is limited only to those particular people that he chose from before the foundation of the world. The gift of faith is given only to these particular, elected people and secures their salvation. Jesus did not die for the sins of the whole world, but only for the elect. BTW, when the word “world” is used in the Bible in reference to salvation, it means “the elect” and not “everyone”.


Irresistible Grace
While anyone may hear the gospel the Holy Spirit only extends an inward call to the elect. This call cannot and will not be rejected. There is no cooperation by man in this process whatsoever. It will happen no matter what. After God irresistibly calls the sinner, after he creates a new heart in them, after he gifts them with faith, after he causes them to repent, THEN they have free will.


Perseverance of the Saints
All those particular people who are chosen by God from before the creation of the world, irresistibly called by the Spirit, given a new heart, gifted with faith, caused to repent against their natural will, and peculiarly atoned by Christ, are saved from Hell, and will be eternally kept in the faith by the gift of faith that God has given them. A good way to know if someone is truly saved is if they perform good works. If someone does not perform good works and strive with their best effort not to sin, they probably weren’t elect to begin with, in fact they were chosen for damnation, and when they go to Hell it will be for God’s glory.

 

[Reformed1689]

No unregenerate, unelected person can do good deeds.

Because we can only choose evil,

This is not what Calvinists believe. People are capable of doing good without Christ. We see that every day. The question is the intent of that good. And it's not a matter of choosing evil. We are unrighteous if we are not saved. Ergo, we are evil without salvation. Of course it all depends on what you mean by evil.

I don't know of any Calvinist that would argue that people who are not elect are evil to the core and as bad as they can be and that seems to be what you are saying we believe.

 

[InTheLight]

This is not what Calvinists believe. People are capable of doing good without Christ. We see that every day. The question is the intent of that good. And it's not a matter of choosing evil. We are unrighteous if we are not saved. Ergo, we are evil without salvation. Of course it all depends on what you mean by evil.

According to Calvinists on this board people only do good deeds for selfish reasons. They only do them for the personal accolades and the praise they might receive. That is selfishness. They will say that selfishness is evil. They will quote James 3:16:

16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Or they will say anything without faith is sin and quote Romans 14:23

...for whatever is not from faith is sin

So, yes, good deeds done by the unsaved are evil, according to the Calvinist. Of course there are an abundance of Calvinist flavors so it might not hold true for all Calvinists, but yes, I have heard it all before.

I don't know of any Calvinist that would argue that people who are not elect are evil to the core and as bad as they can be and that seems to be what you are saying we believe.

Well, that is what some Calvinists believe. Not saying you do, but some do and they've posted here.

 

[Reformed1689]

According to Calvinists on this board people only do good deeds for selfish reasons. They only do them for the personal accolades and the praise they might receive. That is selfishness. They will say that selfishness is evil. They will quote James 3:16:

16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Or they will say anything without faith is sin and quote Romans 14:23

...for whatever is not from faith is sin

So, yes, good deeds done by the unsaved are evil, according to the Calvinist. Of course there are an abundance of Calvinist flavors so it might not hold true for all Calvinists, but yes, I have heard it all before.

That's why I said it depends on what you mean when you say evil.

Well, that is what some Calvinists believe. Not saying you do, but some do and they've posted here.

If someone believes that they are just ignorant of reality.

 

[Samuels]

Unconditional Election
Because we can only choose evil, God, from before the world was created, chose or elected a minority of people to be made righteous and be saved from Hell. These elect people were chosen completely at random, according to God’s good pleasure.

I've noticed in the OT several verses where God says that ...
He desires to dwell with those who have humble and contrite hearts.
So, I've been wondering if this might be how He chooses people for election.

 

[Reynolds]

According to Calvinists on this board people only do good deeds for selfish reasons. They only do them for the personal accolades and the praise they might receive. That is selfishness. They will say that selfishness is evil. They will quote James 3:16:

16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Or they will say anything without faith is sin and quote Romans 14:23

...for whatever is not from faith is sin

So, yes, good deeds done by the unsaved are evil, according to the Calvinist. Of course there are an abundance of Calvinist flavors so it might not hold true for all Calvinists, but yes, I have heard it all before.



Well, that is what some Calvinists believe. Not saying you do, but some do and they've posted here.

You can not do anything good in the sight of God prior to regeneration. The best work of the unregenerate man is seen by Him as a used menstural rag.
Unregenerated man is pure evil. Anyone who has broken the law is guilty of the entire law. In God's eyes, the serial killer and the best by worldly standards unsaved person are equal. There is no true goodness outside God.
(And I am not a Calvinist.)

 

[MB]

Here is my understanding of Calvinism, Reformed Theology, Monergism, the Doctrines of Grace, or whatever the adherents are calling it this week.

Total Depravity
Human beings are so helplessly affected by the consequences of original sin that they are incapable of righteousness. In fact, they hate God (and God hates them) and humans are always and unchangeably sinful; the human will is not free, rather it is totally enslaved by sin; we can only choose evil, and do so without compunction. No unregenerate, unelected person can do good deeds. God must “zap” the sinner with a new heart so that he can receive God’s grace and gain the ability to repent. This is called regeneration. At some point in the future, could be seconds, could be weeks, could be years, God then gifts the sinner with the gift of faith so that the sinner can believe everything that God just did to him against his filthy, sinful will.


Unconditional Election
Because we can only choose evil, God, from before the world was created, chose or elected a minority of people to be made righteous and be saved from Hell. These elect people were chosen completely at random, according to God’s good pleasure. What that good pleasure might be is a mystery. As a consequence of electing some, God chose to condemn all other unelected people and they will be sent to Hell. God makes his power known by creating people meant solely for destruction. This is done for God’s glory.


Limited Atonement
The effects of the atonement, whereby God forgives sinners of their sin, is limited only to those particular people that he chose from before the foundation of the world. The gift of faith is given only to these particular, elected people and secures their salvation. Jesus did not die for the sins of the whole world, but only for the elect. BTW, when the word “world” is used in the Bible in reference to salvation, it means “the elect” and not “everyone”.


Irresistible Grace
While anyone may hear the gospel the Holy Spirit only extends an inward call to the elect. This call cannot and will not be rejected. There is no cooperation by man in this process whatsoever. It will happen no matter what. After God irresistibly calls the sinner, after he creates a new heart in them, after he gifts them with faith, after he causes them to repent, THEN they have free will.


Perseverance of the Saints
All those particular people who are chosen by God from before the creation of the world, irresistibly called by the Spirit, given a new heart, gifted with faith, caused to repent against their natural will, and peculiarly atoned by Christ, are saved from Hell, and will be eternally kept in the faith by the gift of faith that God has given them. A good way to know if someone is truly saved is if they perform good works. If someone does not perform good works and strive with their best effort not to sin, they probably weren’t elect to begin with, in fact they were chosen for damnation, and when they go to Hell it will be for God’s glory.

Excellent appraisal of Calvinism.
MB

 

[InTheLight]

I've noticed in the OT several verses where God says that ...
He desires to dwell with those who have humble and contrite hearts.
So, I've been wondering if this might be how He chooses people for election.

Well, if God chose people for salvation based on humble and contrite hearts that would be violating a couple of Calvinist tenets. Number one, it would be conditional election--they were chosen based on the condition of their heart being contrite and humble. Calvinists believe in unconditional election.
Number two, it would be God "looking down through the corridors of time" and seeing who has a contrite heart and then choosing them for salvation. According to Calvinists, God doesn't look down through the corridors of time except for when he took a peek and saw that Adam was going to fall.

 

[MB]

You can not do anything good in the sight of God prior to regeneration. The best work of the unregenerate man is seen by Him as a used menstural rag.
Unregenerated man is pure evil. Anyone who has broken the law is guilty of the entire law. In God's eyes, the serial killer and the best by worldly standards unsaved person are equal.
(And I am not a Calvinist.)

Did some one say man is innocent? Of course man is a sinful creature but not one of them is unsavable. Even a Calvinist can be saved. Although lately it seems they are not so kind as to admit this
MB

 

[Reynolds]

Did some one say man is innocent? Of course man is a sinful creature but not one of them is unsavable. Even a Calvinist can be saved. Although lately it seems they are not so kind as to admit this
MB

That post is so far out in the weeds I have no idea where to begin.

 

[Yeshua1]

This is not what Calvinists believe. People are capable of doing good without Christ. We see that every day. The question is the intent of that good. And it's not a matter of choosing evil. We are unrighteous if we are not saved. Ergo, we are evil without salvation. Of course it all depends on what you mean by evil.

I don't know of any Calvinist that would argue that people who are not elect are evil to the core and as bad as they can be and that seems to be what you are saying we believe.

Many misunderstand what we mean by total depravity, as it is NOT sayingl that lost sinners are not able to do any good works or even be religious, but that they cannot ever by themselves do works from a selfess motive, and are trying to get right with God based upon works and not His grace! Refers to spiritual death and inability to come to God////

 

[Reynolds]

Many misunderstand what we mean by total depravity, as it is NOT sayingl that lost sinners are not able to do any good works or even be religious, but that they cannot ever by themselves do works from a selfess motive, and are trying to get right with God based upon works and not His grace! Refers to spiritual death and inability to come to God////

What total depravity is depends on what type Calvinist you are. Hypers and most ultra High, believe exactly what you say Calvinist don't believe. I agree with the hypers.

 

[Dave G]

Total Depravity
Human beings are so helplessly affected by the consequences of original sin that they are incapable of righteousness. In fact, they hate God (and God hates them) and humans are always and unchangeably sinful; the human will is not free, rather it is totally enslaved by sin; we can only choose evil, and do so without compunction. No unregenerate, unelected person can do good deeds. God must “zap” the sinner with a new heart so that he can receive God’s grace and gain the ability to repent. This is called regeneration. At some point in the future, could be seconds, could be weeks, could be years, God then gifts the sinner with the gift of faith so that the sinner can believe everything that God just did to him against his filthy, sinful will.

I've bolded the portions of your summary that I believe need clarification.
In addition, I've made some observations based on what you've written.

1) Man's efforts at reconciling to God in and of himself are fruitless, as all our works are as filthy rags ( Isaiah 64:6 ).
There is no acceptable way for men to approach God without a change of heart, as the Lord cannot and will not accept anything other than a blood sacrifice to atone for sins.

2) You appear to object quite strongly to the biblical teaching that man's will is not only tied to his nature, but incapable of truly making a decision apart from the influence of our corrupt sin nature.
At this point, I encourage you to trust God's perspective on the human heart, and not what some "teacher" tells you from a pulpit.

3) You also seem to be under the impression that your own will was somehow "violated" by God saving you, as if it were a bad thing.

 

[InTheLight]

I've bolded the portions of your summary that I believe need clarification.
In addition, I've made some observations based on what you've written.

1) Man's efforts at reconciling to God in and of himself are fruitless, as all our works are as filthy rags ( Isaiah 64:6 ).
There is no acceptable way for men to approach God without a change of heart, as the Lord cannot and will not accept anything other than a blood sacrifice to atone for sins.

2) You appear to object quite strongly to the biblical teaching that man's will is not only tied to his nature, but incapable of truly making a decision apart from the influence of our corrupt sin nature.
At this point, I encourage you to trust God's perspective on the human heart, and not what some "teacher" tells you from a pulpit.

3) You also seem to be under the impression that your own will was somehow "violated" by God saving you, as if it were a bad thing.

I'm not objecting or needing clarification on any of this. I am listing a compilation of what Calvinists have written about TULIP on BB over the years.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Dave G]

Unconditional Election
Because we can only choose evil, God, from before the world was created, chose or elected a minority of people to be made righteous and be saved from Hell. These elect people were chosen completely at random, according to God’s good pleasure. What that good pleasure might be is a mystery. As a consequence of electing some, God chose to condemn all other unelected people and they will be sent to Hell. God makes his power known by creating people meant solely for destruction. This is done for God’s glory.

Essentially I think you have most of this correct, although I also think the wording could be better.
One thing I would change is this...

God makes His power known by making of the same, tainted clay both vessels of mercy, and vessels of wrath.
All are meant for His eternal glory.
Some for an eternal relationship with Him for the praise of the glory of His grace, and some for eternal punishment due to their willfully committed sins that they could never, in a million years, be completely trusted to repent of.

Those that are fitted to destruction fit themselves, by piling up sins to Heaven.
Those that he afore prepared unto glory, He sent His Son to atone for, and they are precious in His sight.

 

[Dave G]

Limited Atonement
The effects of the atonement, whereby God forgives sinners of their sin, is limited only to those particular people that he chose from before the foundation of the world. The gift of faith is given only to these particular, elected people and secures their salvation. Jesus did not die for the sins of the whole world, but only for the elect. BTW, when the word “world” is used in the Bible in reference to salvation, it means “the elect” and not “everyone”.

I would clarify that the word "world" in many places, means those that He has saved out of every tongue, tribe and nation ( Revelation 5:9, Revelation 7:9 ), both Jews and Gentiles ( Romans 9:24 ).
Otherwise, I believe you have represented this closely enough.

"World", at least in John 3:16 and 1 John 2:2, means saved Jews and Gentiles.

 

[Dave G]

Irresistible Grace
While anyone may hear the gospel the Holy Spirit only extends an inward call to the elect. This call cannot and will not be rejected. There is no cooperation by man in this process whatsoever. It will happen no matter what. After God irresistibly calls the sinner, after he creates a new heart in them, after he gifts them with faith, after he causes them to repent, THEN they have free will.

I believe you may have a misunderstanding in this last statement.
Free will ( freedom of choice ) exists in both unregenerate and regenerate individuals.

The difference is, the person who is not born again decides things based on a love of sin and a hatred of God for commanding repentance.
The person who is born again, decides things based on a love of God and a hatred of sin.

The "heart" has been changed ( Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 8:5-17, 2 Corinthians 5:17 ).

I agree that it is "irresistible", in that God simply overpowers the recipient of His mercy and grace and effects the heart change against their rebellious will.

 

[MB]

Many misunderstand what we mean by total depravity, as it is NOT sayingl that lost sinners are not able to do any good works or even be religious, but that they cannot ever by themselves do works from a selfess motive, and are trying to get right with God based upon works and not His grace! Refers to spiritual death and inability to come to God////

There is no such thing as an inability to come to God. Inability to come to God isn't even discussed in scripture.
MB

 

[Dave G]

Perseverance of the Saints
All those particular people who are chosen by God from before the creation of the world, irresistibly called by the Spirit, given a new heart, gifted with faith, caused to repent against their natural will, and peculiarly atoned by Christ, are saved from Hell, and will be eternally kept in the faith by the gift of faith that God has given them. A good way to know if someone is truly saved is if they perform good works. If someone does not perform good works and strive with their best effort not to sin, they probably weren’t elect to begin with, in fact they were chosen for damnation, and when they go to Hell it will be for God’s glory.

In this final point, I also think there is need for clarification.

1) Believers in Jesus Christ are not caused to repent against their natural wills.
God changes the heart, and when they hear the Gospel of their salvation and realize what they have done in offending God by their sins, naturally repent as a consequence of that realization.
God does not cause repentance, he grants it by changing the hearts and minds...lifting the believer out of the "rut" of his or her own rebellion and sinfulness.

2) A good way to know if someone is truly saved is to see the fruits of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:22-23 ) in them.
Even spiritually dead religious people can exhibit "good works" ( from man's point of view ), yet not demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit.

For example, the same person who gives to the poor can be a rampant adulterer or love the world and its ways.
Famous people do good works everyday, yet in their hearts and minds, they don't genuinely love God.

 

[Dave G]

So, I've been wondering if this might be how He chooses people for election.

Then He chooses them based on what they do, making Him a respecter of persons.

Sinful men making their own destiny?
Again, an attractive idea to anyone, in my opinion.