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Calvinism is the term applied to a belief in a high view of the sovereignty of God, especially as it relates to salvation. Calvinists are convinced the Bible teaches that man is sinfully corrupt throughout his entire being and cannot make himself acceptable to God through any amount of effort of his own. Calvinists hold that in eternity past God chose out some among mankind for His own. In the course of time, God grants repentance and faith to His elect so that they might be awakened to their sinful state and need for grace. Those He saves will be preserved for eternity by the Lord and will persevere in following Him; i.e., if they truly belong to Him, they cannot and will not ever fall away because He keeps them secure.

The point which causes some to believe that evangelism isn’t important is that of “limited atonement.” This point of Calvinism teaches that Christ died only for the elect. The theological argument offered is, if Christ in fact died for every single human in world history, then no one would go to hell since their sins are already paid for. Since we know Scripture teaches many spend an eternity separated from God, it must be that their sins were not covered in the atonement. Either that or there are people in hell for whom Christ died, a scripturally insupportable conclusion.

Some may say, “Christ paid for the sins of everyone, but it’s up to each person to decide for and accept Him.” That’s the whole issue between Calvinism (monergism) and Arminianism (synergism). For if man casts the deciding vote, then how is God sovereign? Furthermore, if Christ’s sacrifice needs man’s acceptance of it to validate it, then it can’t be the all-sufficient sacrifice the Bible says it is. (See Romans 5, Ephesians 1:3-14). The Bible tells us that we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), not the other way around.

But Calvinism, and most anything else if out of balance, could hinder evangelism. The hypothetical argument raised against Calvinism is this: “Since God chose His own in eternity past; and, since He grants repentance and faith needed in order to come to Him; and, since all He has chosen will, in fact, come to Him (John 6:37); and all who come to Him are eternally secure; then, it follows that man isn’t involved in salvation.” But this is a wrong conclusion. Man is very much involved. God ordains the end—the salvation of lost man. But God also ordains the MEANS to the end— evangelism. God could have ordained any number of ways to communicate salvation. He has given a revelation of Himself in creation and conscience (Romans 1 – 2). But He has specifically chosen to communicate the Gospel message through believers sharing the message of salvation (Romans 10:9-17). So, whether one is a Calvinist or not, evangelism is the responsibility of all believers. Historically, Calvinism not only didn’t diminish the Calvinists’ burden for souls, it purified it! The Calvinists were among the greatest evangelists in the history of the church, motivated by love for their Lord and Savior who chose them and saved them “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

Before we truly understand the sovereignty of God in salvation, we often think the burden is on us to “produce” decisions for Christ. We act as if a person’s salvation is dependent on us. So when we share the Gospel and it is rejected, we somehow think we failed to talk that person into believing and that we need a more clever or polished presentation of the plan of salvation. We may be tempted to water down the Gospel next time in order to get the desired response. But once we understand the Doctrines of Grace, the pressure to force a “decision” is removed. Now, we witness because we want to be faithful to our dear Lord. Evangelism among Calvinists is driven by the familiar phrase “By His grace, and for His glory!” No, Calvinism shouldn’t hinder evangelism. If anything, it should give our witnessing great boldness with pure motives.

Traditionally, one was called a Calvinist for following the teachings of John Calvin, a 16th-century magisterial Reformer and theologian. Calvin emphasized the sovereignty of God, the unconditional election of the saved, and the irresistible grace that saves a sinner.

The “Five Points of Calvinism” are often referred to in discussions of Calvinism and whether or not one is a Calvinist. The five points of Calvinism are summarized in the acrostic TULIP: T = Total Depravity, U = Unconditional Election, L = Limited Atonement, I = Irresistible Grace, and P = Perseverance or Preservation of the Saints. Some people identify themselves as full, or five-point, Calvinists; others see themselves as four-point Calvinists, etc., based on the degree to which they accept the various doctrines in TULIP. However, all Calvinists agree with the teaching of unconditional election. The doctrine of election is the teaching that God chooses whom He is going to save according to His own desire and for His own reasons without taking into account the actions, attitudes, or decisions of the sinner being saved.

The most common variant from a five-point Calvinist is what is often referred to as a four-point Calvinist. This is someone who rejects the L (Limited Atonement) in TULIP. The doctrine of limited atonement teaches that Jesus’ death on the cross only atoned for the elect—He did not die for the whole world but only for those who would be saved. Four-point Calvinists, who reject this teaching, believe in what is called universal or unlimited atonement. In their view, Jesus’ death was sufficient to atone for the sins of everyone who ever lived or will live, but it only applies to those who come to saving faith in Jesus.

Some see Calvinism as a term synonymous with Reformed Theology. While there are definite associations, Reformed theology is a broader set of theological ideas that go beyond the doctrine of salvation. Reformed theology is also often associated with covenant theology. Not everyone who identifies as a Calvinist would claim the “Reformed” label, and many Calvinists reject covenant theology.

Calvinists take the Bible to be the literal Word of God, and they emphasize the sovereignty of God in the world’s affairs, especially the salvation of sinners. Salvation is all of God, says the Calvinist, and those who are saved are the grateful recipients of divine grace.

The five points of Calvinism can be summarized by the acronym TULIP. T stands for total depravity, U for unconditional election, L for limited atonement, I for irresistible grace, and P for perseverance of the saints. Here are the definitions and Scripture references Calvinists use to defend their beliefs:

Total Depravity – As a result of Adam’s fall, the entire human race is affected; all humanity is dead in trespasses and sins. Man is unable to save himself (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18).

Unconditional Election – Because man is dead in sin, he is unable to initiate a response to God; therefore, in eternity past God elected certain people to salvation. Election and predestination are unconditional; they are not based on man’s response (Romans 8:29-30;9:11; Ephesians 1:4-6, 11-12) because man is unable to respond, nor does he want to.

Limited Atonement – Because God determined that certain ones should be saved as a result of God’s unconditional election, He determined that Christ should die for the elect alone. All whom God has elected and for whom Christ died will be saved (Matthew 1:21; John 10:11; 17:9; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:32; Ephesians 5:25).

Irresistible Grace – Those whom God elected He draws to Himself through irresistible grace. God makes man willing to come to Him. When God calls, man responds (John 6:37, 44; 10:16).

Perseverance of the Saints – The precise ones God has elected and drawn to Himself through the Holy Spirit will persevere in faith. None whom God has elected will be lost; they are eternally secure (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:3-14).

While all these doctrines have a biblical basis, many people reject all or some of them. So-called “four-point Calvinists” accept Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints as biblical doctrines. Man is definitely sinful and incapable of believing in God on his own. God elects people based on His will alone – election is not based on any merit in the person chosen. All those whom God has chosen will come to faith. All those who are truly born-again will persevere in their faith. As for Limited Atonement, however, four-point Calvinists believe that atonement is unlimited, arguing that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, not just for the sins of the elect. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Other verses in opposition to limited atonement are John 1:29; 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:6; and 2 Peter 2:1.

The five-point Calvinists, however, see problems with four-point Calvinism. First, they argue, if Total Depravity is true, then Unlimited Atonement cannot possibly be true because, if Jesus died for the sins of every person, then whether or not His death is applicable to an individual depends on whether or not that person “accepts” Christ. But as we have seen from the above description of Total Depravity, man in his natural state has no capacity whatsoever to choose God, nor does he want to. In addition, if Unlimited Atonement is true, then hell is full of people for whom Christ died. He shed His blood in vain for them. To the five-point Calvinist, this is unthinkable. Please note: this article is only a brief summary of the five points of Calvinism. For a more in-depth look, please visit the following pages: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.

Arminianism is a system of belief that attempts to explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will, especially in relation to salvation. Arminianism is named after Jacobus Arminius (1560—1609), a Dutch theologian. While Calvinism emphasizes the sovereignty of God, Arminianism emphasizes the responsibility of man. If Arminianism is broken down into five points, similar to the five points of Calvinism, these would be the five points:

(1) Partial Depravity – humanity is depraved but still able to seek God. We are fallen and tainted by sin but not to the extent that we cannot chose to come to God and accept salvation, with the help of prevenient grace from God. Given such grace, human will is free and has the power to yield to the influence of the Spirit. Note: many Arminians reject partial depravity and hold a view very close to Calvinistic total depravity. (2) Conditional Election – God only “chooses” those whom He knows will choose to believe. No one is predetermined for either heaven or hell. (3) Unlimited Atonement – Jesus died for everyone, even those who are not chosen and will not believe. Jesus’ death was for all of humanity, and anyone can be saved by belief in Him. (4) Resistible Grace – God’s call to be saved can be resisted and/or rejected. We can resist God’s pull toward salvation if we choose to. (5) Conditional Salvation – Christians can lose their salvation if they actively reject the Holy Spirit’s influence in their lives. The maintenance of salvation is required for a Christian to retain it. Note: many Arminians deny “conditional salvation” and instead hold to “eternal security.”

The only point of Arminianism that four-point Calvinists believe to be biblical is point #3—Unlimited Atonement. First John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” Second Peter 2:1 tells us that Jesus even bought the false prophets who are doomed: “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.” Jesus’ salvation is available to anyone and everyone who will believe in Him. Jesus did not just die for those who will be saved.

Four-point Calvinism (the official position of Got Questions Ministries) finds the other four points of Arminianism to be unbiblical, to varying degrees. Romans 3:10–18 strongly argues for total depravity. Conditional election, or election based on God’s foreknowledge of human action, underemphasizes God’s sovereignty (Romans 8:28–30). Resistible grace underestimates the power and determination of God. Conditional salvation makes salvation a reward for work rather than a gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8–10). There are problems with both systems, but we see Calvinism as more biblically based than Arminianism. However, both systems fail to adequately explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will—due to the fact that it is impossible for a finite human mind to discern a concept only God can fully understand.

Calvinism and Arminianism are two systems of theology that attempt to explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility in the matter of salvation. Calvinism is named for John Calvin, a French theologian who lived from 1509-1564. Arminianism is named for Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch theologian who lived from 1560-1609.

Both systems can be summarized with five points. Calvinism holds to the total depravity of man while Arminianism holds to partial depravity. Calvinism’s doctrine of total depravity states that every aspect of humanity is corrupted by sin; therefore, human beings are unable to come to God on their own accord. Partial depravity states that every aspect of humanity is tainted by sin, but not to the extent that human beings are unable to place faith in God of their own accord. Note: classical Arminianism rejects “partial depravity” and holds a view very close to Calvinistic “total depravity” (although the extent and meaning of that depravity are debated in Arminian circles). In general, Arminians believe there is an “intermediate” state between total depravity and salvation. In this state, made possible by prevenient grace, the sinner is being drawn to Christ and has the God-given ability to choose salvation.

Calvinism includes the belief that election is unconditional, while Arminianism believes in conditional election. Unconditional election is the view that God elects individuals to salvation based entirely on His will, not on anything inherently worthy in the individual. Conditional election states that God elects individuals to salvation based on His foreknowledge of who will believe in Christ unto salvation, thereby on the condition that the individual chooses God.

Calvinism sees the atonement as limited, while Arminianism sees it as unlimited. This is the most controversial of the five points. Limited atonement is the belief that Jesus only died for the elect. Unlimited atonement is the belief that Jesus died for all, but that His death is not effectual until a person receives Him by faith.

Calvinism includes the belief that God’s grace is irresistible, while Arminianism says that an individual can resist the grace of God. Irresistible grace argues that when God calls a person to salvation, that person will inevitably come to salvation. Resistible grace states that God calls all to salvation, but that many people resist and reject this call.

Calvinism holds to perseverance of the saints while Arminianism holds to conditional salvation. Perseverance of the saints refers to the concept that a person who is elected by God will persevere in faith and will not permanently deny Christ or turn away from Him. Conditional salvation is the view that a believer in Christ can, of his/her own free will, turn away from Christ and thereby lose salvation. Note – many Arminians deny “conditional salvation” and instead hold to “eternal security.”

So, in the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate, who is correct? It is interesting to note that in the diversity of the body of Christ, there are all sorts of mixtures of Calvinism and Arminianism. There are five-point Calvinists and five-point Arminians, and at the same time three-point Calvinists and two-point Arminians. Many believers arrive at some sort of mixture of the two views. Ultimately, it is our view that both systems fail in that they attempt to explain the unexplainable. Human beings are incapable of fully grasping a concept such as this. Yes, God is absolutely sovereign and knows all. Yes, human beings are called to make a genuine decision to place faith in Christ unto salvation. These two facts seem contradictory to us, but in the mind of God they make perfect sense.