Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - Ep 143 | TULIP

Episode Date: July 29, 2019

What does it mean to be a Calvinist?

Hey guys, welcome to Relatable. Hope everyone's having a wonderful day. Today we are going to talk about Tulip or what is known as the Five Points of Calvinism, which is really the heart of the biblical theology that I hold. They describe how we view God, how we view man, how we view salvation, Christ, atonement, regeneration, assurance, worship, missions. These are really focused on the central act of God, Savior. sinners. So we discussed in our Five Solas episode, Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformation.

Martin Luther, a German monk, turned accidental kind of revolutionary, who spoke out against corruption in the Catholic Church at the time. He pointed people to the Word of God in showing the world that salvation is not through indulgences, is not through works, but is by grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for God's glory alone. Now, if you have any questions about that or if you have any pushback on that or questions, if you really have any questions regarding this episode or anything that you hear me say that's like, I wish you would have explained that more or I don't believe that or whatever. I would go back before you email me, you're always welcome to email me, but before you email me, I would go back

if you haven't listened to the Five Solas episode. I would listen to that. And if you haven't listened to the predestination episode, I would listen to that. So I recommend, before listening to this podcast, listen to the predest episode and listen to the Five Solis episode. And because a lot of what we're talking about in this, we don't get as in depth on those things as we did in those podcasts. So that's just going to be my primer. So we're going to talk about a specific branch of Protestantism that grew from the Protestant Reformation called Calvinism. The reason this is important is because Calvinism accounts for the views of the vast majority of reformed Protestants today.

So, reformed Protestants hold to the five solas that we discussed, and most also hold to Tulip, which came from those who adhere to the theology of John Calvin, who was a French theologian at the time of the Reformation, who was also influenced by Martin Luther, who created a system of theology that was found. on the spirit of the Reformation and the Five Solis that we have discussed.

If you, like I said, if you want to know more about that, go back and listen to those episodes. So let us set up tulip with a quote from John Calvin, or not, sorry, not from John Calvin, but from Martin Luther himself in his work, bondage of the will. I condemn and reject as nothing but error, all doctrines which exult our, quote, free will as being directly opposed to this mediation and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for sins. Apart from Christ, sin and death are our masters, and the devil is our God and prince, there can be no strength of power, no wit or wisdom, by which we can fit or fashion ourselves for righteousness and life, and that is a very good summation of what reformed Protestants

and Calvinists believe. Of course, we know that these words that Martin Luther uttered to be true according to scripture. Ephesians 2 says that we are dead apart from Christ and that neither the grace that we're given nor the faith that we hold are our own doing, but are a gift from God so that no one may boast. The passage even says that the good works that we do were actually prepared beforehand by God. Romans 5 says that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, we talked about this in the previous episodes. We don't get to take credit for our salvation because even the faith that we hold was given to us by grace. John Piper, we're going to refer, by the way, a lot to John Piper's work in this.

He has a whole work on Tulip, the Five Points of Calvinism. So we're going to refer to a lot to his quotes in this book that he wrote. John Piper interprets what Martin Luther meant in the quote that I just read that says, as long as someone insists on ultimate human self-determination, they fail to grasp the depth of our need and the obscure greatness of the free and sovereign grace of God, which alone can give life and faith. So to give ourselves any credit for our salvation fails to or allows us to, it does not allow us to really understand our lostness, our corruption to the core, our absolute and utter

inability to save ourselves. Now, Martin Luther is best known for the idea. of Solafide, however you want to pronounce that, or by faith alone. So being justified by faith given to us by grace rather than good works, works of righteousness, or indulgences. And that one simple thought, which is founded in the Word of God, had a profound impact on other thinkers throughout Europe, which of course is the cause of the Reformation. And John Calvin was a significant player in this Reformation. Anglican author J. I. Packer wrote about John Calvin.

It is doubtful whether any other theologian has ever played so significant a part in world history. Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon said, The longer I live, the clearer does it appear that John Calvin's system of theology is the nearest to perfection. American historian John Fisk wrote, It would be hard to overrate the debt which mankind owes to Calvin. He must occupy a foremost rank among the champions of modern democracy. The promulgation of this theology was one of the longest steps that mankind has ever taken toward personal freedom. And I've talked about this before, about how the Protestant Reformation, specifically Calvinism, were hugely instrumental in the American Revolution.

The idea that men and women were not beholden primarily to the church, but to God himself, that they were free to read the Bible for themselves. that they had an individual and a personal responsibility to God, those ideas changed everything. The spirit of free inquiry, of free speech, of debate, of personal responsibility, understanding the sovereignty of God above earthly institutions were all products of the Protestant reformation and were incredibly influential in the American Revolution. So Calvin was a very big deal. Over the course of his life, he wrote over 48 volumes of books. of tracks, sermons, commentaries, letters that were dedicated to expositing God's word,

displaying the majesty of God in the scriptures, according to John Piper. Calvin's main contribution, whereas Martin Luther's main contribution, a lot of people say, is by faith alone, Calvin's main contribution was the principle of the sovereignty of God. So he believed, this is according to John Piper again, that the whole of a man's life is to be lived as in the divine presence. This is a fundamental thought of Calvinism that really shapes his theology and shapes the theology of those who add here to his teachings. So Tulip, which were about to break down, became the five points of Calvinism or the creed that Calvinist follow, but it was not until actually the 1600s after John Calvin had died that this really,

that Tulip was known as the pillars of Calvinism. There, came a controversy between those who were called Armenians in Holland and those who considered themselves Calvinist. So in Holland, during the 1600s, the founder of the Armenian party, if you will, was Jacob Arminius. He was a student of Calvin's successor. Arminius came to reject certain reform teachings. He began teaching those rejections, particularly his opposition to how Calvinist interprets Romans 7 and Romans 9, which talks about God's sovereignty, particularly in chapter 9. So verse 16 of Romans 9 says this, so then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. And then verse 18 says, so then he has

mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. Calvinists take this to say that it is God's sovereign choice and doesn't have to do with man's efforts. Arminius disagreed with that. He did not believe that these passages pointed to predestination in the way the Calvinist did. So he wrote a book called Declaration of Sentiments. And within the second section on theology, he attacked the reformed understanding of election. I don't mean attacked to try to say, I think people a lot of times use the word attacked when they're trying to use it as a pejorative against people who disagree with him. I'm not saying that, but he really did.

He went after the Calvinist doctrine. So he says, this doctrine completely subverts the foundation of religion in general and of the Christian religion in particular. Arminius died on October 19th, 1609, but the controversy was already sparked. It ended up spreading all over Holland where the majority of Christians belong to the Reforms Church. As a result, the Armenians, as they are called, prepared a petition to the civil government and they summarized their creed in five articles. And they laid them before the state of Holland in 1610 under the name of Remonstrance.

I'm not totally sure how to pronounce that. And it was signed by 46 practicing minister. So the five articles of Armenianism, and this is a brief summary of these articles. Article 1 is conditional election. The elect are predestined to salvation by exercising their free will and choosing to follow Christ.

Article 2, unlimited atonement. God offers atonement to all humankind. Article 3, deprivation. The fall of Adam is responsible for man's sinful state, but humanity is not incapable of choosing between good and evil. Article 4, resistible grace, the free will of man allows him to accept or reject God's call and choose for himself, salvation or damnation. Article 5, assurance of security when an individual chooses salvation, they may also choose to ignore the call of the Holy Spirit

by returning to their sinful ways. Man is in control of his eternal destiny, and God has foreseen those who will accept his grace. So that is the view of Armenians. The Reformed Church Calvinists then gave a response in the synod of Dort. I think that's how you pronounce that. The examination and consideration of the creed lasted from November 13, 16, 18 to May 9, 16, 19. So it took them a long time to write their rebuttal. The signod's official response has become known as the canons of Dort or the five points of Calvinism, Tulip.

It is also known to sometimes, or they're also known as the doctrines of grace. So these were a response to the five articles of Armenianism. They've become the Calvinist pillars. They didn't just come out of nowhere. They actually came amidst this controversy. So let's start with the T of Tulip. The T of Tullup in these five points of Calvinism is total depravity. So this is the state of man before salvation.

Now, once you hear this, if you're hearing this for the first time, you will probably start to think about my theological episodes and be like, oh, I understand where Ali is coming from or we're the foundation of Ali's interpretation of scripture, not my interpretation of scripture, but my understanding of scripture is coming from and it's really coming from these five points. So T is total depravity. That's the state of man before salvation. John Piper says it like this. In summary, total depravity means that our rebellion is sinful. Our inability to submit to God or reform ourselves is total and we are therefore totally deserving of eternal punishment.

Man's depravity is total in at least, at least four of these ways. Our rebellion against God is total. Apart from the grace of God, there is no delight in the holiness of God. There is no glad submission to the sovereignty of God. Romans 3.9 through 11, no one is righteous, no not one. John 3.20 through 21, everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his work should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. So apart from the work of God,

we hate the light of God. We will not come to him because we don't want our evil to be exposed. So we are totally rebellious to God. In our total rebellion, everything we do is sin. So Romans 14, 23. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. So we are in total rebellion. Everything that we do is a product of sin without faith. The Bible also says it is impossible to please God. Romans 718, this is Paul speaking. I know that nothing good dwells in me. That is in my flesh. So nothing in us is actually good. We have an inability to submit to God and to do good. That is completely and totally true of us. Romans 8 7 through 8.

The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law. Indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So in our natural selves, we have a mindset that is not able, not even capable to submit to the Lordship of Christ. Ephesians 2.1 says that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. We are dead so we are incapable of any spiritual life in God because a dead person is. is not capable of doing anything. We have life, but we have physical life, but our hearts, our spiritual hearts are like stones

to God. And Ephesians 4 also talks about this as well, that we are callous, we are darkened in our understanding. We are alienated from the life of God. So we are totally cut off, totally depraved apart from Christ. And because of that, our rebellion is totally deserving of eternal punishment. Ephesians 2, 3, we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind. So just our natural selves, we're carrying out what we want.

And we were by nature. By our own nature, we were children of wrath. So this means that apart from Christ, our very nature is under God's wrath. Our very nature is condemned, like the rest of mankind, the verse says. So we were children of wrath. We were destined towards damnation because we were dead. in our sin. That is who we are completely corrupt, completely depraved, apart from God. As John 318 says, those who do not believe in Christ are condemned already. So we are completely

worthy of blame, apart from the grace that God gives us through Jesus Christ, and hell is the punishment that our sin and that our rebellion in our natural state deserves. Now, as Calvinists point out, this does not mean that everyone who is apart from Christ, everyone who is a Christian are as bad as they could be. Of course, that's not true. As we've said before, there are non-Christians who live moral lives, who abide by biblical principles without even realizing it. They love their neighbors as themselves, for example, but total depravity speaks to both our capacity for evil and our complete unworthiness before a holy God in our natural state. The only way to be made clean in our natural state is through Christ and Christ delusiness.

alone. So that is total depravity. We are totally depraved. We are totally dead in our sin. We are totally incapable of saving ourselves. The you in Tulip is unconditional election. So this is the work of the father in salvation. So because we are totally depraved apart from Christ, because the Bible says that apart from Christ we can do nothing. And apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins. That means that we are only saved through God's choosing, through God's power, through God's election, our own effort, as Ephesians 2 says. This is not a result of works so that no one can boast. We covered this point in particular on the episode of involving predestination or on predestination. So again, go back and listen to that if you have questions about this particular point.

We are so depraved that dependent on God for His grace to be born again, which was purchased by the blood of Christ. The success of our salvation is then dependent. on God's election. So John Piper says that election refers to God's choosing whom to save. It is unconditional in that there is no condition man must meet before God chooses to save him. And we know this from the biblical text, that election does not happen because of our faith, but it actually happens before our faith. So Acts 1348. And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. So as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. John 1026, but you do not

believe because you are not among my sheep, Jesus says. John 847, whoever is of God, here's the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. John 1837. Then Pilate said to him, so you are a king. Jesus answered, you say that I am a king, for this purpose I was born, and for this purpose I have come. into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. So God's election actually precedes faith. This is why some believe and some do not.

Romans 9 1 through 23. John Piper interprets this particular text, which we've read before as saying, or he has his commentary on this text, is that God's election is preserved and its unconditionality because it is transacted before we are born and have or have done any good or evil. The text says this, for he says to Moses, God says to Moses, this is God through Paul.

I have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then, the chapter says, it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, for this very purpose, I have raised you up that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. So, then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, why does God still find fault? For who can resist his will? But who are you, oh man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder? Why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

What if God desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power has endured with much patience, vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory? You get almost all the five solas in that one passage. Key text number two that is referred to in this particular point of Calvinism. So Ephesians 1 3 through 6, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace. So as John Piper says, Christians come to faith and are united to Christ and covered by his blood, because we were chosen before the foundation of the world for this destiny of holiness. Romans 8, 28 through 33. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. It goes on to say, who shall bring any charge against God's elect. It is God who justifies who is to condemn.

1 Corinthians 1.23 through 24, but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles, but to those who are called both to Jews and to Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. So his justification, his choosing of us actually precedes our faith. He chose us before we had faith in that faith that we are given is a gift of grace. The L of Tulip is limited atonement. So this is the work of the sun in salvation. Christ's death was for the redemption.

of a particular people, a particular set of people. Christ's death was sufficient, but efficient. That is a phrase you might hear in relation to this point. It was sufficient but efficient. So it was sufficient for the entire world, but it was efficient for those whom God called to himself before the foundation of the world. So limited atonement means that Christ's death was not limited in power, but it was limited in purpose. So John 179 says, I am praying for. for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. We believe that Christ died for his bride, for the church, and did not simply create a possibility for salvation, but purchased for them all that is necessary for salvation. So

Matthew 26, 28, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Jeremiah 31, 31 through 34, the days are coming, declares, Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers. My covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord, for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts and I will forgive their

iniquity and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 32.39 also talks about giving them a new heart and one heart in one way that they might fear God forever. Ezekiel 36, 26, 26, through 27 says that God will give us a new heart, a new spirit. He will remove the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh so that we can walk in obedience to his rules. So God promises in the new covenant to Christians that he will give us a new heart. This is his initiative. This is his prerogative. This is his choice. So if someone is a believer, it's because God has had mercy to forgive their sins, to remove their heart of stone to give them a heart of flesh, to give them the ability to obey and to follow him.

John Piper's commentary is every promise in the covenant is a blood brought, a blood bought promise. They will come true for us because Jesus died for them to come true for us. There is a definite atonement for the new covenant of people. And so this covenant is sure it is limited, is efficient while also being sufficient. John 1015 says, I lay my life down for the sheep. John 637 says, all that the father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. The rest of John also speaks to this, that Jesus died for those that the father has given him.

Another key text on Christ atonement is that Romans 8 passage that we already read, He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all. How will He not also with him graciously give us all things? those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. So the death of Christ happened and was designed for the elect in mind. He purchased not a possibility to be saved, but a belief in a promise that they will be saved. The eye of tulip is irresistible grace. So this is the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation.

This is from a really good resource, I think is an awesome resource. It's called got questions.org. It sounds like really cheesy, but it's a very awesome biblical resource. Again, not inerrant because it is not the word of God itself, but it offers really good commentary. And this is how they describe irresistible grace. God has elected to a particular people to be the recipients of Christ atone work. These people are drawn to Christ by a grace that is irresistible.

When God calls man responds, this teaching does not mean that God saves men against their will. Rather, God changes the heart of the rebellious and believers so that he now desires to repent and be saved. God's elect will be drawn to him and that grace that draws them is in fact irresistible. God replaces the unbelievers heart of stone with the heart of flesh and reformed theology. Regeneration precedes faith. Irresistible grace means that God is sovereign and he can overcome all resistance by giving you a new heart when he wills. Daniel 435 says he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand. Job 42 says,

I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. So irresistible grace is the Holy Spirit's work of bringing us to faith. That Romans 9 passage that we already read, but who are you, oh man, to answer back to God? Well, what is molded say to its molder? Why have you made me like this? So the potter has control over the clay to make the clay as he wills, either a vessel for wrath or a vessel for mercy, as Romans 9 says. So irresistible grace is a sovereign work to overcome the rebellious heart that we

have naturally and to bring us through grace to faith in Christ so that we can be saved. So when we are totally dead in our sins, which is what total depravity says, which is what Ephesians 2 says, if we are dead in our sins, we will never be able to believe in Christ unless God himself, through his power, through his grace, through his election, overcomes our rebellion. The Bible doesn't teach that the Holy Spirit draws and then one has the freedom to resist or to accept that. We will always use the freedom that we have in our natural state to choose what is wrong, to choose sin over God and to resist him. As Romans 8 says, The mind that is set on the flesh is actually hostile to God.

You can't please God. It is against its nature to please God. The father is the only one who draws people to salvation. So John 644 says, no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him. John 665 says, and he said, this is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the father. So this means that even our repentance is a gift from God. A 2 Timothy 2.24 through 25 says, And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome,

but be kind to everyone able to teach patiently enduring evil. Correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. So repentance is a gift from God given to us by grace so that we might have faith in Christ. Act 16 talks of God opening the heart of Lydia. So it is God who changes hearts. So this is an act, all of this, an act of sovereign grace. And then P of Tulip is perseverance of the saints.

So this is the state of man after salvation. So the people that God has elected, the people that God has drawn to himself through the Holy Spirit are going to persevere in faith. the people that God has elected are not going to be lost because he has given them the faith and the strength to persevere. Some people use the term preservation of the saints rather than perseverance of the saints because it puts the responsibility on God rather than on the saints. They believe that this choice of words is a more accurate description of what this actually means. Christ continues to intercede for his people, even

after we are saved, this continues to give believers the assurance that those who belong to Christ are eternally his, that we cannot be plucked out of his hand. 1 Corinthians 151 through 2, now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preach to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preach to you unless you believed in vain. So preservation or perseverance is a signal of true faith given to us. by grace given to the elect by God. Revelation 2.7, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,

to the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. So this preservation or perseverance or fighting to the end, working out our salvation in fear and trembling through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is given to us by grace through faith in God that we cannot take responsibility for is vital. as we become sanctified and as we reach the proverbial end of our race. And now you might be asking at this point, well, where does free will come in? Is there such thing as free will?

Do we really choose anything or is everything just predestined? If God is predestined everything, then what does anything really matter? Well, we talked about this on the predestination episode. So again, I would go listen to that. But there is this doctrine or there is this principle called concurrence where two things that seem to be opposed in each other, happen at the same time. What we know from God's word is that he does unconditionally elect us, that there is an election, that there is a predestination,

not simply a foreknowledge, but in the sovereignty of God that he has chosen believers, but he also calls us to evangelize. He also calls us to persevere. He also calls us to fight. He also calls us to stay true to him. There is verbiage. There are commands in the Bible that we are supposed to follow. And so it is confusing, I think, to our finite minds to say, how is God sovereign predestining everything?

How does he also hold us responsible for our actions and tell us things to do? Why would the Bible even be written? Why would he even call us to holiness and obedience if he already predestined everything that we do? And there's not necessarily an easy answer to that except for the fact that we know that the Bible says both. And if the Bible says both, then both have to be true. rather than giving up one for the sake of the other, rather than saying, oh, well, maybe God doesn't predestined things. And we really do have all this free will to choose salvation or not choose salvation.

Instead of throwing that away, we say, okay, well, both are true. We also don't go to the other end and say, well, nothing that I do really matters because God predestined it anyway. The Bible doesn't support that either. The Bible supports both. So both have to be true. We live in obedience to God's word. and we understand that he is sovereign over everything and that everything is done by his power and for his glory.

I'm not saying that we have to fully understand that to live in obedience to it because I don't think we do. We just have to realize that the word of God is sovereign, that the word of God both tells us things that we have to do and say that God is sovereign over absolutely everything, especially in regards to salvation. I would resist the temptation to say that you chose your salvation because the Bible is so clear. and so ardent against that that you cannot take credit for what you have in. I know a lot of people think about pre-estination and it scares them. They're uncomfortable with it. But really, it should give us so much comfort that our salvation is not dependent on ourselves

because if we had the power to earn our salvation, we would never do it. And if we had the power to lose our salvation, we would definitely lose it. If it was dependent on me, I would not be saved. even my motives for the good works that I do in and of myself are wrong. Even the so-called good that I do, even the so-called love that I have when I am in my flesh, when I am in my natural state, even those are corrupt. If I had to save myself, if it was dependent on me to have true regenerative, a justifying, saving faith, I wouldn't be able to muster it.

I would be totally out of luck. But because I know it's on God, it's dependent on his faithfulness and not my faith. mind. It's dependent on his choice and not mine. All I have to do is submit to his sovereignty and understand that he is in total control. And we can have peace and assurance and worship God because of his power and because of this amazing plan of redemption that he has written, that he wrote before time began that you were chosen before the foundation of the world. It's an amazing reality that should allow us and move us to worship and to glorify God. So that is what is the heart of Calvinism. And again, I'm not saying that all of these things are easy for us to understand. I think

I am still working through a lot of them and trying to reconcile them to the parts of the Bible that I'm like, does this go with this? Of course, that's what we do. And again, my word is not inerrant. John Calvin's word is not inerrant. John Piper's word is not inerrant. The word of God is inerrant. So anything that pushes us to study more of God's word and to reconcile our confusion and seeming contradictions with God's word, I would say that that's productive. So do that. Study. God's word for yourself and remember to submit to the sovereignty and control of God rather than to our own feelings and our own ideas of what should or shouldn't be. I would say that's a really safe bet. So thank you guys for listening. As always, if you have any questions, let me know.

Please leave me a review. If you love this podcast, it would mean a lot to me. Subscribe on YouTube and I'll see you guys soon.