Christmas: The Divine plan

of God for Salvation

 Calvin emphasized the role God
plays in the process of salvation.
He theorized that believers were
predestined to salvation. This
means that before God had even
created the world, he chose which
people would be beneficiaries of
his gift of salvation.
Calvin affirmed a strict understanding of God's
sovereignty. He believed that God was in
complete control over humanity's actions and
that nothing happens unless God wills it.
The five foundational tenets of Calvinism are often referred to as
(T.U.L.I.P.):
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
LIMITED ATONEMENT
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
This is often mistaken to mean that humans are
all hopelessly, intensely sinful. Actually, it means
something quite different: as a result of Adam
and Eve's disobedience to God -- the Fall of Man
-- sin has extended to all parts of every person's
being: "his thinking, his emotions and his will."
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
This is the concept that it is impossible for the
ordinary "natural" human to understand the
Gospel's message. They are spiritually helpless.
First, God must first decide to intervene in the
form of the third personality within the Trinity,
the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, the person is lost
forever.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
ROMANS 5:12 (NLT)
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.
Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to
everyone, for everyone sinned.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
MARK 4:11 (NLT)
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the
secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables
for everything I say to outsiders”
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

This is the concept of predestination: that God

has divided humanity into two groups. One
group is "the elected." It includes all those whom
God has chosen to make knowledgeable about
himself. The rest will remain ignorant of God,
and the Gospel. They are damned and will spend
eternity in Hell without any hope of mercy or
cessation of the extreme tortures.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

God made this selection before the universe was

created, and thus before any humans existed. The
ground or grounds that God uses to select the
few is unknown. What is known is that it is not
through any good works on the part of the
individual. It is not that he extends knowledge to
some in order to find out who will accept
salvation and who will not.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

There is a degree of tension within the Bible

concerning precise division of responsibility
between God and humans on this matter. The
Bible does not resolve this issue.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

*Hyper-Calvinists believe that a person has zero

responsibility for their own salvation; it is all up
to God.
*Arminians teach that humans have free will and
thus can accept or resist the call of God.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

ROMANS 9:15 (NLT)

For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will
show compassion to anyone I choose.”
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

ROMANS 9:21 (NLT)

When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he
have a right to use the same lump of clay to make
one jar for decoration and another to throw
garbage into?
LIMITED ATONEMENT

This is the belief that Jesus did not die to save all
humans. He only died for the sake of specific sins
of those sinners who are saved.
LIMITED ATONEMNT

MATTHEW 26:28 (NLT)

for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant
between God and his people. It is poured out as a
sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

This is the belief that every human whom God

has elected will inevitably come to a knowledge of
God. The elect cannot resist the call.
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

JOHN 6:44 (NLT)

For no one can come to me unless the Father who
sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I
will raise them up.
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

ROMANS 8:14 (NLT)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are
children of God.
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

1 PETER 5:10 (NLT)

In his kindness God called you to share in his
eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after
you have suffered a little while, he will restore,
support, and strengthen you, and he will place
you on a firm foundation.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

This is the "Once saved, always saved" belief --

that everyone who has been saved will remain in
that state. God will begin and continue a process
of sanctification which will continue until they
reach heaven. None are lost; it is impossible for
them to lose their salvation.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

PHILIPPIANS 1:6 (NLT)

And I am certain that God, who began the good
work within you, will continue his work until it is
finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus
returns.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

ROMANS 8:38-39 (NLT)

And I am convinced that nothing can ever
separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears
for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not
even the powers of hell can separate us from
God’s love.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

ROMANS 8:38-39 (NLT)

No power in the sky above or in the earth below
—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able
to separate us from the love of God that is
revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

JOHN 6:39 (NLT)

And this is the will of God, that I should not lose
even one of all those he has given me, but that I
should raise them up at the last day.