2 Timothy 2:15 - "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
For the many hundreds of years this debate has been going on, the Church has historically split and decided the side regularly called the Calvinist side is the correct one. The reason why we are not getting anywhere today is because both sides continually rely on emotion and human reason to argue their case, namely the Arminians who cry "not fair! not fair!"
Let us not reason by emotion, but, as the Scripture says, "Study [Scriptures] to shew thyself approved unto God."
It is God who appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48), chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4), calls according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9), chooses us for salvation (2 Thess. 2:13-14), grants the act of believing (Phil. 1:29), grants repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-26), causes us to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3), draws people to Himself (John 6:44,65), predestines us to salvation (Rom. 8:29-30) and adoption (Eph. 1:5) according to His purpose (Eph. 1:11), makes us born again not by our will but by His will (John 1:12-13), and works faith in the believer (John 6:28-29). I will provide all five points of TULIP, (otherwise known as Calvinism) and give ample Biblical support of each.
Total Depravity:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Jeremiah 17:9
“As it is written, There is none
righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none
that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are
together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not
one.”
Romans 3:10-12
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead
in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom
also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved;)”
Ephesians 2:1-5
“For what man knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know
the things that are freely given to us of God.
But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
1 Corinthians 2:11-12, 14
“And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father"
John 6:65
Unconditional election (Predestination):
“According as he hath chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of
his will,
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all
wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
Ephesians 1:4-5, 8-9, 11
“(For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according
to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh,
Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my
power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the
earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he
will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find
fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that
repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it,
Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of
the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto
dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,”
Romans 9:11, 17-23
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began,”
2 Timothy 1:9
“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
Isaiah 43:7
“According to the eternal purpose which
he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and
access with confidence by the faith of him.”
Ephesians 3:11-12
“And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate,
them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and
whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Romans 8:28-30
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of
God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be
multiplied.”
1 Peter 1:2
Limited Atonement:
“Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works.”
Titus 2:14
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21
“I am the good shepherd, and know my
sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I
the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
John 10:14-15, 27-28
“Therefore will I divide him a portion
with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because
he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for
the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:12
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
Ephesians 5:25
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”
1 Corinthians 6:20
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth
the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light:
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who his own self bare our sins in his own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” ***Note: "were" healed, not "are going to be healed if you accept the healing."***
1 Peter 2:9, 21, 24
Irresistible Grace:
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the
flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and
who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no
man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”
John 6:63-65
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
And this is the Father's will which hath
sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but
should raise it up again at the last day.”
John 6:37, 39
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:44
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
Ephesians 2:1, 6, 8
“And all the inhabitants of the earth are
reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of
heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his
hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”
Daniel 4:35
“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”
Psalms 115:3
“Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he
yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art
thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that
formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over
the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another
unto dishonour?
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel,
Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a
remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short
in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the
earth.”
Romans 9:19-21, 24, 27-28
“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”
Psalms 3:8
“Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God.” ***Note: a man cannot be born by the spirit by his own power or free will (John 1:13)***
John 3:3
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1:12-13
Preservation/Perseverance of the Saints (eternal security, or, once saved always saved):
“Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath
said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Hebrews 13:5
“And this is the Father's will which hath
sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but
should raise it up again at the last day.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
This is that bread which came down from
heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth
of this bread shall live for ever.”
John 6:39, 44, 54, 58
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
"These things have I written unto you
that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye
have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of
God."
1 John 5:13
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
Philippians 1:6
“Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?
For I am persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35, 38-39
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