5 Point Calvinism

The first point that is argued for Calvinism is total depravity. Total depravity is a major foundation for soteriology. Its definition is being capable of nothing but sin and is completely dead spiritually. This started when Adam ate of the tree in the Garden and brought spiritual death upon all humanity. Everyone born into the world is sinful. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5. And throughout the entire scriptures the idea of total depravity is taught. Passages like Gen. 2:16-17; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 2:13; Ps. 51:5; Ps. 58:3; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 8:21; Rom. 8:7-8; John 8:34,44; Rom. 6:20; 2 Chron. 6:36; Ps. 143:2; Prov. 20:9; Jer. 13:23; John 6:65. But total depravity is clearly seen in Romans 5:6-21. After reading that passage you cannot tell me that a person is not totally depraved. With words like helpless, condemnation to all, transgression, and sinful there is no other interpretation other than that man is utterly depraved and helpless apart from God. “I am bound to the doctrine of the depravity of the human heart, because I find myself depraved in heart, and have daily proofs that in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing.” Spurgeon
Next in the argument for Calvinism is limited atonement (not unconditional election as is taught in the acrostic TULIP because this is the order in soteriology). Limited atonement is not that Christ died only for the elect, but that Christ died more for the elect to purchase them and bring them into a new covenant. If you say that Christ’ death did the same thing for all of humanity, than I am no better off spiritually speaking than any other person who is going to hell. There needs to be something extra that his death did for the elect. John 3:16 explains this. “For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loves the world, but only those in the elect (those who have believed) receive eternal life. Once again, if Christ’ death covers everyone’s sin, than everyone is either condemned to hell or heaven.
Thirdly, the Calvinist argument states that there is unconditional election. Unconditional election is God choosing the elect before the foundations of the earth. “Just as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Ephesians 1:4-5. As utterly depraved people, we, as the creation, have no say in what happens to us. Only God can determine that. God could have chosen to send us all to hell or heaven but he did not. He chose to elect a body of believers to fellowship with him in eternity. We, as humans, have no say in our eternal destiny.
This brings us to Irresistible Grace. Irresistible Grace is a work of the Holy Spirit which draws the elect of God to salvation, guaranteeing their response to the gospel. And we, as the creation of God, cannot accept or refuse God’s love or hate. Because of man’s total depravity and God’s unconditional election, it is impossible for us to reject or accept God’s grace. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” John 6:37. To say that we can accept or reject God’s grace is to say that we have power over the Holy Spirit. And by no means are we, as man, able to over-rule the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moves wherever it desires and nothing can stand in its way. All the way through history, God has had (and still does) complete control over everything in the universe. To say anything less, especially that a sinful human can over-power God, is to take away from God’s holy character and his complete power over all and give God’s glory to mankind. Total depravity God is all-powerful and there is no way that man could ever resist God’s grace.
The last point of Calvinism is Perseverance of the saints. Perseverance of the saints is simply that a true believer will persevere in faith, no matter what, to the end. Eternal Security Rom. 8:1 – “There is therefore NOW NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom.8:35 – NOTHING can separate the believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. John 10:27-28 – ” And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall NEVER perish.” Eternal life is eternal. This is a gift, unconditional, not to be taken back. Eph. 1:13-14 – “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.” If one is saved, God’s peace will be with him always (John 14:27) and he will be growing in his relationship with Christ. If a person is thought to fall away from the faith, although we cannot judge his heart, one has to wonder if he was really saved. A person who is saved will not love his salvation no matter what.