Doctrines of Grace : IV Part Irresistible Grace

. IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

A. Arminian Position:

 

• The Holy Spirit cannot regenerate fallen man until he believes. The Holy Spirit does all He can to bring every fallen man to salvation, but until fallen man responds in faith, of his own free will, the Spirit cannot give life. Faith preceded and makes possible the New Birth. Faith gives Life.

B. Reformed Position: or Doctrine of Grace, or  Calvinist.

 

• The Holy Spirit regenerates every one of God's chosen people, enabling them to believe. The Holy Spirit graciously regenerates every one of God's chosen people, creating within them a new heart and enabling them to freely and willingly believe in Christ as Savior and Lord. The New Birth precedes and makes possible Saving Faith. Life gives Faith.

C. Scriptural Support for the Reformed Position:

1. Every one whom the Father has chosen and for whom Christ died, will certainly experience the application of that salvation by the Holy Spirit.

 

1. John.6:37All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
2. John 6:44 -"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
3. \John 10:16 - "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
4. Rom.8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
5. \Rom.8:32 - He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
6. 1Cor.6:11 - And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 
   
   
7. 1Cor.12:3 -Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
   
   
8. 
   2Cor.3:6- who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
   
9. 
   \2Cor.3:17 -Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
   
10. Eph.1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
    





11. Eph.1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
    
    • Eph.1:13 -In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
    
    1Pet.1:2 - elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
    
    
    =====================================

    Spiritual Regeneration is an inward change in man performed solely by the Holy Spirit and is not dependent upon man's help or cooperation.

    =======================================
    
    A New Birth
    
    
    John 1:12 - as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
     
    Rom.9:16 - then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
     
    John 3:3 -8 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
     
    1Pet.1:3 -Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
     
    1Pet.1:23 - having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
     
    1John 5:4 -For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith.
     
    Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
    
    
    

A New Heart

 
Deut.30:6 - "And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Ezek.36:26 - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

 

A New Creation

 

2Cor.5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

 

Gal.6:15 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Eph.2:10 -For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforeh

A Resurrection

Jn.5:21 -"For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to14,  them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

Jn.11:15, 25, 38-44 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.15 "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

 

 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live

 

 38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

 

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

 

Eph.2:1 - And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

 

Eph.2:5 - when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with

Christ (by grace you have been saved),

 

Col.2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

 
A Gift

Jn.17:2 "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

1Cor.4:7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

 

Eph.2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

3. Repentance and Faith are divine gifts which are the result, not the cause, of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

Acts.5:31 - Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

 

Acts.11:18 - When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."

 

Acts.13:48 - Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

 

Acts.16:14 - a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

 

Acts.18:27 -And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

 

Eph.2:8 - by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

Phil.1:29 - For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

 

2Tim.2:25 - in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

 

Here is what thiw Calvinist believes about salvation Part 2

II. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

A. Arminian Position: God's election is based on man's foreseen faith. Before the foundation of the world, God chose certain individuals for salvation based on His foreseeing that they would, of their own free will, choose Christ.

B. Reformed, Calvinism, or My Position: God's election is unconditional. God's choice of certain individuals for salvation was not based on any foreseen response of obedience on their part, but was based solely in His good and sovereign will.

C. Scriptural Support for the Position I Believe

 

1. God has an elect people whom He has chosen to grant salvation.

 

Deut.10:14 -1514 "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it.15"The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.

 

Matt.24:22 - 2422 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

 

Matt.24:31 31 "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

John.6:37 - 39 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

 

John.6:65 - John.6:65 (NKJ)

65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

 

John.17:9 9"I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

 

Rom.8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren

.30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

 

Rom.11:5 -5 Even so then, at this you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

 

1Pet.1:1 - 1Pet.1:2 an apostle of Jesus Cpresent time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

 

Eph.1:4 - Eph.1:5 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

 

Eph.1:1111 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

 

1Thes.1:4 - 1Thes.1:5 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

 

1Thes.5:99 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

 

2Thes.2:1313 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose hrist, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

• 1Pet.2:8 - 1Pet.2:9 8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

 

2.God's choice was not based upon any foreseen faith or good works.

 

1. Deut.7:6 - Deut.7:86 "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.7 "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;8 "but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

 

Rom.9:11 - 13 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger."13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

 
Rom.9:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
 
1Cor.1:27 -29 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
 
2Tim.1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

 

3. Faith and good works are the result, not the ground of predestination.

 

Acts.13:48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

 

Acts.18:27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

 

Eph.1:12 -that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

 

Eph.2:10 - For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

Phil.1:29 - For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

 

Phil.2:12 - Phil.2:13 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

 

1Thes.1:4-5 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

 

2Thes.2:13 - 14 13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2Pet.1:5 - 11 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

4. The Biblical term foreknew (Rom. 8:29) means to forelove to set regard upon, to know with a particular interest, delight, affection or action, to foreordain.

 

Amos 3:2 - 2 "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities."

 

Jer.1:5 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

 

Mat.7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

 

1Cor.8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

 

2Tim.2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

 

1Pet.1:20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

To continue

Here is what this Calvinist believes about salvation Pasrt one

Here is what this Calvinist believes about salvation

charles e whisnant

Yes God does the saving of a lost sinner. A sinner could not be saved without the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the sinner. And the sinner could not be saved without hearing the Gospel presented to him by someone. The sinner needs to know what it means to be lost, what it means to be a sinner, and why he is a sinner and needs to be forgiven.

I believe the person needs to know that he can not saved himself from the wrath of God, there is nothing he can do that would justify God saving him.

I believe the sinner needs to here the preaching or teaching of the Gospel maybe a number of times to know what it is that he is to believe. Yet he is not able to believe it because at this point he is unable to respond in his spirit to this idea of been lost and need to be saved from the wrath of God.

I believe the scripture teaches that only when God opens his spirit to believe will he believe what he has heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since God does not just zap a person saved without some knowledge of what he is to believe, the gospel must first be preached. But the sinner could not believe the gospel until God opens his heart to believe.

I believe the scripture teaches that when God reveals Himself to a sinner, and opens his mind to the truth, he will believe.

Therefore a sinner believes because God open his mind to believe. And whom ever God open their mind will be saved. Because a man could not believe without the work of the Holy Spirit in him.

I believe the scripture teaches that all those whom God calls will be saved. I do not believe Scripture teaches that a person can reject the inner call of God to be saved. Because God brings about salvation first and then that person is able to believe.

Yes a sinner can reject the presentation of the Gospel, and does. He is unable to receive the truth about himself because he is blinded to the truth. He is unable to believe because he is a sinner.

I believe that the Scripture teaches a person does not have to believe first and then God saved him. He believes because God saves him.

Belief is a inner process. If he has previous rejected in his spirit the gospel of salvation, how could he now believe what he has heard many times? He can not have faith, or trust, or even confidence in someone when he is spiritually dead to the gospel. As hard as he might desire to believe and take faith in, he is unable until the Holy Spirit brings in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the Lord brings about His saving grace in many ways. God leads others to show what been saved is like, God leads a person to a place where they will hear the Gospel. God uses divine Providence to interven into the life of a sinner to bring him to salvation.

But what I do not believe Scripture teaches is that a man must first come to a belief of the gospel before God will save him. And I do not think Scripture teaches that man can reject the inner call of God. But that is not to say that he comes to a full understand of that is happening in his life.

It is possible that God will bring about salvation in one's life and then it may be over a period of time before that person is able to grasp the inpact of this new found salvaltion. Salvation is a process that does take a while to grasp and understand and to obey. And it takes others in their life to bring to reality what God as done for them.

　

T -Thus we believe that scripture teaches that man can not on his own bring himself to believe with truth and faith and confidence in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

U - And that God before the foundation of the world has chosen those whom He will bring to salvation. Man does not one his own choose to be saved without the work of the Holy Spirit in him to believe.

L - When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He actually provided the means whereby those whom God elected would be saved. Christ's death on the cross was not in vain, Jesus did not die for the whole world, if He had all would be saved.

I - When the Holy Spirt comes into the mind of a sinner, and awaken him from this unbelief his receives it, he does not reject the inner call of God.

P - And God will preserve those whom He has choosen aqnd those whom Jesus died on the cross for.

T.U.L.I.P

　

. TOTAL DEPRAVITY

A. Arminian Position: Man is spiritually sick. Fallen man was seriously affected by the fall but he still has the ability to choose spiritual good. He determines his eternal destiny by either accepting or rejecting God's mercies.

 

B. Reformed or Biblical  Position: Man is spiritually dead. Because of the fall, man has become spiritually dead, blind and deaf to the things of God and is therefore unable of himself to choose spiritual good and determine his own destiny.

　

　

Scriptural Support for the Reformed Position

1. The fall has resulted in spiritual death to all men.

 

Gen.2:16 - And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

 

Romans.5:12 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned

 

Eph.2:1 - Eph.2:3 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 

Col.2:13 - Col.2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

 

 

2. Fallen man is now blind and deaf to spiritual truth.

 

Gen.6:5 - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

Gen.8:21 - And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

 

Ecc.9:3 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their

 hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

 

Jer.17:9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

 

Mark.7:21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.23 "

 

All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

 

3.Fallen man is now under the control of Satan and in bondage to sin

 

John.8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

 

Eph.2:1-2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience

 

2Tim.2:25-26 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

 

1John.3:10 -10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

 

1John.5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

 

Rom.6:20 - For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

 

Titus.3:3 - For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

4. Fallen man, left in his dead state, is totally unable to repent, to believe the gospel, or to come to Christ.

John.6:44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. [Note: The word here translated draws is translated as drags in other passages, such as John 21:11, Acts 21:30, and Acts 16:19.]

 

John.6:65 - And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

 

Rom.3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."

 

Rom.8:7 -8 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

1Cor.2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

To be continuted
D

Why we have the Five Points of TULIP Part One

five main points of doctrine

　

 

The year of our Lord 2018–19 marks the four-hundredth anniversary of the meeting of the Synod of Dort in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. The synod was convened in order to settle the ongoing controversy in the Dutch churches regarding the teaching of Jacobus Arminius and his followers on the topic of election. The document produced by the synod, the Canons of Dort, affirmed five main points of doctrine in response to the errors of the Arminians. These five points are often described today as the "doctrines of grace." They are also frequently associated with the acronym TULIP (total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, perseverance of the saints), even though this acronym alters the sequence of the points adopted and in some cases may offer a misleading impression of the canons’ teaching.

 

This article will follow the sequence of the canons. Though it is often forgotten, this sequence was already established by the time the Synod of Dort convened in 1618. Before the meeting of the synod, the Arminians had presented their teaching in the form of five opinions. The five points of the Canons of Dort were written, therefore, as a direct reply to the errors of Arminius and his followers. They were written not to offer a complete statement of the Reformed faith but to settle the controversy regarding Calvinist soteriology provoked by the teaching of Arminius.

 

In the course of its deliberations, the Synod of Dort judged the five Arminian articles to be contrary to the Word of God. Against the Arminian teachings of divine election based on foreseen faith, universal atonement, resistible or ineffectual grace, and the possibility of a fall from grace, the canons set forth the biblical doctrines of unconditional election, definite atonement or particular redemption, radical depravity, effectual grace, and the perseverance of the saints. On each of these points, the canons first present a positive statement of the Scriptural teaching and then conclude with a rejection of the corresponding Arminian errors.

 

First Point: Unconditional Election

 

In the opening articles of the first main point of doctrine, the canons summarize the most important aspects of the biblical gospel. These include the fact that "all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death" (article 1), that God has manifested His love in the sending of His only begotten Son (article 2), and that God’s anger continues to rest upon those who do not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ (article 3). Within the framework of these truths, the canons address the fundamental question to which the biblical doctrine of election is addressed: Why do some believe and repent at the preaching of the gospel but others remain in their sins and under the just condemnation of God? The answer to this question at its deepest level is God’s unconditional election in Christ of some persons to salvation:

The fact that some receive from God the gift of faith within time, and that others do not, stems from [God’s] eternal decision. For all His works are known to God from eternity

 

(Acts 15:18; "Known to God from eternity, are all His works"

 

Eph. 1:11). In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ^{12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.}

In accordance with this decision He graciously softens the hearts, however hard, of His chosen ones and inclines them to believe, but by His just judgment He leaves in their wickedness and hardness of heart those who have not been chosen. And in this especially is disclosed to us His act—unfathomable, and as merciful as it is just—of distinguishing between people equally lost. (article 6)

 

Because God’s sovereign and gracious purpose of election is the source of faith, the canons go on to assert that it cannot therefore be based on faith. God does not elect to save anyone "on the basis of foreseen faith, of the obedience of faith, of holiness, or of any other good quality and disposition, as though it were based on a prerequisite cause or condition in the person to be chosen" (article 8). Faith is not a meritorious work but is itself a gracious gift that God grants to those whom He calls according to His purpose

 

(^{Acts 13:48; And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to conium. 52 And the disciples were filled}

^{with joy and with the Holy Spirit.}

^{Eph. 2:8–9; . For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.}

^{Phil. 1:29). For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.}

 

The conversion of those who are called through the ministry of the gospel must not be credited to them, "as though one distinguishes himself by free choice from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains)."

 

After articulating the scriptural teaching of unconditional election, the canons further affirm that this sovereign and gracious election of a particular number of people to salvation means that some sinners have been "passed by" and "left" in their sins (article 15). Those whom God does not elect to save in Christ belong to the company of all fallen sinners who "by their own fault" have willfully plunged themselves into a "common misery." In the case of the elect, God mercifully and graciously elects to grant them salvation in and through the work of Christ

 

(^{Eph. 1:3–7). Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing gin the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.}

In the case of the reprobate, God demonstrates His justice by choosing to withhold His grace and to finally condemn them for their sins and unbelief

 

(^{Rom. 9:22–24).\\}

22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?