What is Calvinism ?

Let us start with ,who was Calvin?

Born as Jehan Cauvin in 1509 ce in northern France and he was one of the important people in reformed theology which took a more radical view of the Protestant reformation.Although Cauvin himself did not know anything of Calvinism it was his theology that inspired his followers to coin the term.

What is Calvinism then? It is a view of God and Christ that emphasizes the absolute sovereignty of God and man wickedness and a perspective of predestination.Modern Calvinism has 5 principles that more or less define it’s theology known by the acronym “TULIP”.So let us take a look at this.

The T in tulip is for “Total depravity” or that is the wickedness of the human race.First, what does wicked mean? It is an English term that came from Old English from the word wicce.Which in pre Christian England wicce meant cunning or shrewed or having special knowledge.The word wicce is also where the term witch also came from.As England became Christianized the original compliment of wicce started to mean evil as witchcraft which is from satan was more equated with evil.So total depravity means completely evil.So what does scripture say on this matter?

Jeremiah 17.9 says

“The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it”

עָקֹ֥ב הַלֵּ֛ב מִכֹּ֖ל וְאָנֻ֣שׁ ה֑וּא מִ֖י יֵדָעֶֽנּוּ:

The original text says here that: “The heart from all things is deceitful and wounded fatally,who can know it”

How ever Jer. 17.10 follows with this.

“I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”

A different perspective but does not rule out total depravity.

Here is Genesis 6.5

וַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֨צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם

“And the Lord saw that great was the evil of humankind upon the earth and every inclination and thoughts of his heart was only evil all of his days”

Here is Romans 3.9-12

No One Is Righteous

⁹ What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. ¹⁰ As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
¹¹     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
¹² All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.

There does seem to be scriptural basis for total depravity.

Next is U for “Unconditional election” This means predestination of souls called to be saved before the universes creation. Let us start with Deuteronomy 32.8-9

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
    when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
    according to the number of the sons of Israel.
⁹ For the Lord’s portion is his people,
    Jacob his allotted inheritance.

This here is where the nations were disinhereted because of the rebellion at Babel.But the Lord saved his people Jacob (The Jews) as his people and also those through Jesus Christ,those who are grafted into the Abrahamic family of God.

Ephesians 1 4-5 NIV

” ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will”

‘

Here is Romans 8.28-30

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.29  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Here is Ephesians 2 showing we are saved by grace and faith and not by the works of our hands.

⁴ “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” 

I think there is scriptural basis for unconditional election.

Now for the L ,which is for “limited atonement” ,or the idea that Jesus only suffered on the stake for those pre chosen.I’m not saying that this sinks Calvinism.Although if one believes in predestination then this concept is intuitive of course.However nothing in scripture says nor in the Tanakh about Messiah and nor in the New Testament on Jesus the messiah does it say he only died for the pre chosen.It never says ,intuitively implied maybe by other scripture but absolutely never said explicitly.Again this does not negate a Calvinist world view but I am simply saying that a notion of Jesus only suffering for a the chosen is not said definitively said at any point.So let us say this aspect is suspect or up in the air.

Now for the I ,”Irresistible grace” .The notion that the chosen elect for heaven are seduced by the Gospel ,we are drawn to the Gospel by an irrational force of the Holy spirit.

Now John 6.44 says “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”

On this I would say maybe or maybe not.Again I say that Calvinism is not negated but I do not think this one is fully supported.

Now for the last P of TULIP ,Perseverance of the Saints ,or meaning once saved always saved.This I agree with and you can read my article on this subject available on this website.There are a few questions on the truth of once saved always saved.

Does it mean salvation cannot ever be lost even if faith is lost?

Does it mean salvation is lost if faith is lost but never by merit or works?

Perseverance of the Saints(POS) may mean not so much that all those who were once saved will always be saved.But more that those who persevere in faith will be saved.However both really mean the same thing.Hebrews 6 makes it clear that if faith is lost then salvation can be lost so I don’t know if I look at POS from the Calvinist viewpoint because It is clear in scripture that some people do lose faith.The Calvinist would say they never really were saved in the first place then! However again Hebrews 6 makes it obvious that some apostates have experienced the spirit of God but turned away.

Hebrew 6.4-8

⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. ⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

It is obvious that some (not all though) apostates did taste the Holy spirit and so it does seem true faith can be obtained but then die if faith is lost( but never by bad deeds or failure of works) It is truth that salvation is never lost by a persons merit for it was never obtained by merit in the first place.But it is clear if faith is lost then grace is lost.I do agree though with the Calvinist world view that faith is a gift given by God and that faith never starts with us.

Do some people embrace faith in Christ for the wrong reasons and hence it dies,maybe.I would interpret POS as being that the Saints will persevere but not that anyone who said a prayer for salvation is forever saved even if they denounce their faith.I am not 100% sure what a true Calvinist would say on this nuance ,likely that if one denounces faith then they never truly had it in the first place.However Hebrews 6 addresses this issue.

My final thoughts would be that I believe almost all Calvinists are saved and I also think many aspects of Calvinism are true and proven but I do not personally do not think it is proven that Calvinism is a sole universal truth.Aspects are absolutely true but I would not say God is a Calvinist but truly certain aspects of Calvinism are part of God’s truth.

A last issue I think is worth addessing is the Hebrews 6 view on apostasy and this does not pertain to Calvinism but we will close with this issue.The question is can an apostate come back which some people are concerned on.

For one I would say the obvious that Peter denied Jesus three times.The Israeli king Manasheh was wicked but did return to the Lord and likely Solomon the same thing assuming he wrote Ecclesiates.I think Hebrew 6 sort of says if you did not like God the first time why would you want him a second time.For people who lost faith in extreme duress there could be a real desire to come back.It is a compelling question but as far as I know if you are alive and still breathing you can always be saved.I have never heard any minister say they believe that a apostate cannot come back if their wish is real and true.

Thank you all and God Bless and put questions in the comments.