Is Calvinism Biblical?
Absolutely. Calvinism is biblical. The tenets of Calvinism, whether you want to use that word or not, are from Scripture. John Calvin was a theologian who dug into Scripture, and like many faithful teachers, he pulled out clear truths for the church to understand. When asked about his views on Calvinism, Charles Spurgeon once said,
“It is no novelty, then, that I am preaching; no new doctrine. I love to proclaim these strong old doctrines, that are called by nickname Calvinism, but which are surely and verily the revealed truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus.”
So where do we begin? With a simple acronym called TULIP.
T: Total Depravity
Total Depravity means that everyone is sinful and no one is born good. We are totally dead in our sins, as Ephesians 2:1 says. This is why some prefer to call this one "Total Inability." We cannot save ourselves.
U: Unconditional Election
Unconditional Election means that based on God's unconditional love and based on nothing we've done to deserve His grace, He saves us and He calls us His elect. We are the chosen of God, as 1 Peter 1 declares. He meant to save us, He called us His own and did all this before the foundations of the earth. Read Romans chapters 8 and 9 on this one, and it will be clear as day.
L: Limited Atonement
Limited Atonement means that God isn't up in heaven with His fingers crossed saying, "Oh, I hope they pick me." Jesus' blood was shed, and it accomplishes exactly what it was shed for in His death. It is applied to the believer and it washes them clean. Jesus died for His people. He didn't just endure the cross in the hopes that it might work.
I: Irresistible Grace
Irresistible Grace means that you can't outrun or escape the grace of God. Like leaving the 99 to go after the one, His grace is irresistible. When He comes for you, calls you, and saves you, you are saved, sealed, and set free from the power of sin and death.
P: Perseverance of the Saints
Perseverance of the Saints means that the truly saved will stay saved. You cannot lose your salvation. If someone walks away from the faith, it means they were like those in 1 John 2:19 who "went out from among us because they were never truly of us." When you are saved, you will not be perfect, but you will be progressing. Philippians 1:6 is one of our favorite verses For the Gospel because it says,
“He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
In other words, God always finishes what He starts.
That's what Calvinism teaches. And despite some of the different views out there, it has incredibly strong roots in the teaching of the New Testament.
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