Is Calvinism Biblical?

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’s 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 shrewd 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.

So the Bible is clear that man has a sinful nature and a yetzer hara (evil inclination) and that none are righteous and all men are sinners. But is this total depravity? Next I would ask what is depravity? “Depravity means moral corruption, wickedness, or a very evil act. It describes a total lack of good values and normal standards of right and wrong.”

This is a nuanced grey area as far as when does sin a wrong behavior cross into actual depravity. There is no question that all humans are sinful and cannot save themselves and only Christs blood can heal the fatally wounded heart of Jeremiah 17:9 but are all humans totally depraved all the time. I would say no only because people do do right sometimes even if often for selfish reasons often loving to get love in return. I do not think that all humans are totally depraved all the time even if our nature is sin. Mystery writer Agatha Christie once said that any person can be pushed to murder if the circumstances were right. That being said also if the circumstances are right people can be capable of doing right, and I don’t mean that salvation is ever earned or that good is always done for the right reasons but good is done non the less. Good deeds do not earn salvation but a good deed is still a good deed. So I say no to the total depravity in TULIP.

Next is U for “Unconditional election” This means predestination of souls called to be saved before the universes creation.

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, so I agree here.

Now for the L, which is for “limited atonement”, or the idea that Jesus only suffered on the execution stake for those pre chosen or the elect as they say. To be honest no real scripture supports this notion, so here I disagree.

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”

Here I agree on Irresistible grace!

Now for the last P of TULIP, Perseverance of the Saints, or meaning once saved always saved.

Hebrew 6.4-6

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. 

I think Hebrews 6 sinks Perseverance of the Saints conclusively because it is obvious that some people truly tasted salvation and absconded it. I do not think you can lose salvation by a bad deed or failure to do good but many people truly lose faith who truly once had it.

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. From a pro Pentecostal perspective I believe that most Calvinists are saved but I fear may lose out on blessings that the Bible and God offers. While it is true that we are saved by faith much of what we make of our lives after our salvation is up to us. We must use the name of Jesus to fight off satan and his schemes. I feel most Calvinists give up believing that God is soveriegn (which he is) and that satan is no threat. God is sovereign but that does not mean that satan does not bring trouble to us and we must put on the whole armour of God to fight satan. Nothing bad is ever God’s will and it is our responsibility to call on Jesus to fight off satan. Although I don’t question Calvanism and salvation I worry if they get the most of their relationship with God in over acceptance of circumstance thinking that to fight satan is to deny God’s sovereignty. In reality to give up is to deny God’s sovereignty because if we through Christ fight satan, Jesus always wins.

God Bless !