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Table of Contents: Statement of The DoctrineThe Foreknowledge of God Outline of Systems The Scriptures are The Final Authority By Which Systems are to be Judged A Warning Against Undue Speculation The Five Points of Calvinism Chart: "Calvinism v Arminianism" Total Inability Unconditional Election Limited Atonement Efficacious Grace The Perseverance Of The Saints That It Is Fatalism That It Is Inconsistent With the Free Agency And Moral Responsibility of Man That It Makes God the Author of Sin That It Discourages All Motives To Exertion That It Represents God As A Respecter of Persons, Or As Unjustly Partial That It Is Unfavorable To Good Morality That It Precludes A Sincere Offer of The Gospel To The Non-Elect That It Contradicts The Universalistic Scripture Passages Salvation By Grace Personal Assurance That One Is Among The Elect Predestination In The Physical World A Comparison With The Mohammedan Doctrine of Predestination The Practical Importance of The Doctrine Calvinism in History |
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Reformed Doctrine of Predestination
The Five Points of Calvinism Next Chapter
The Calvinistic system especially emphasizes five distinct doctrines. These
are technically known as "The Five Points of Calvinism," and they are the main
pillars upon which the superstructure rests. In this section we shall examine
each of these, giving the Scripture basis and the arguments from reason which
support them. We shall then consider the objections which are commonly brought
against them. As will be shown, the Bible contains
an abundance of material for the development of each of these doctrines.
Furthermore, these are not isolated and independent doctrines but are so
inter-related that they form a simple, harmonious, self-consistent system; and
the way in which they fit together as component parts of a well-ordered whole
has won the admiration of thinking men of all creeds. Prove any one of them true
and all the others will follow as logical and necessary parts of the system.
Prove any one of them false and the whole system must be abandoned. They are
found to dovetail perfectly one into the other. They are so many links in the
great chain of causes, and not one of them can be taken away without marring and
subverting the whole Gospel plan of salvation through Christ. We cannot conceive
of this agreement arising merely by accident, nor even being possible, unless
these doctrines are true. Let it be borne in mind that in this
book we do not propose to discuss in detail those other doctrines of the
Scriptures which are accepted by evangelical Christendom, but to set forth and
defend those which are peculiar to the Calvinistic system. Unless this be kept
in mind much of the real strength and beauty of generic Calvinism will be lost
and the so-called "Five Points of Calvinism," - which historically and in
reality are the obverse of what might be called the "Five Points of
Arminianism," - will assume undue prominence in the system. Let the
reader, then, guard against a too close identification of the Five Points and
the Calvinistic system. While these are essential elements, the system really
includes much more. As stated in the Introduction, the Westminster Confession is
a balanced statement of the Reformed Faith or Calvinism, and it gives due
prominence to the other Christian doctrines. The Five Points may be more easily
remembered if they are associated with the word T-U-L-I-P; T, Total Inability ;
U, Unconditional Election; L, Limited Atonement; I, Irresistible (Efficacious)
Grace; and P, Perseverance of the Saints. |
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