Credo
What I believe...
the Calvinist foundation
Many of you have heard of Calvinism, but don't really
understand it.
This page is for you. Here I have explained the basic beliefs
of the
Calvinist perspective and given the Biblical foundations for
them. I
don't claim to be an authority, but have done my best to summarize
what others have written. If you have questions, please feel
free to write,
and I will do my best to answer.
1. Total depravity.
Human kind is born with a sin nature. In other words, we naturally
sin. We are sinners, and so have no choice but to sin. We are
totally depraved. This does not mean we are sinful to our greatest potential,
but that we are totally sinful. For example, if you have a glass of water
and add one drop of pure poison to it, the entire glass is poisonous. Not
a single drop is uncontaminated; but it is not pure poison. Being totally
depraved, we are dead in sin.
Ephesians 2:1
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in sins.
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is decietful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it?
Genesis 6:5
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
2. Unconditional election
God chooses to freely elect some certain sinners to salvation.
This is not because of any merit on their part, but only because of His
incomprehensible mercy. This mercy is unconditionally given, and is subject
to no judgment on our own part.
Romans 9:15-16
For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is
not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth
mercy.
Ephesians 1:4-5
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.
John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,...
Acts 13:48
...and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed...
Romans 9:18
Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom
He will He hardeneth.
3. Limited atonement.
Although the death of Christ on the cross was sufficient to pay
for all sins, it did not. Only those who were chosen (see above) were paid
for. Christ did not pay for the sins of those who will not be saved. If
He did, and they still died in hell, the price for their sins would be
paid twice. God, as a just God, cannot accept a double payment for sin.
Matthew 1:21
...He shall save his people from their sins.
Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life.
Colossians 1:21-22
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind
by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.
4. Irresistible grace.
The Holy Spirit works in the hears of God's chosen in an irresistible,
all-powerful way. Although everyone's sinful nature will try to resist
this saving grace, God's omnipotent power saves His chosen. This is not
to say that we are forced to be saved from death, but that our eyes and
minds are opened to see the consequences of sin and the option of salvation.
We can see that we really have no choice but to choose Christ. It is like
a multiple choice question with only one choice.
see references above and below for proofs.
5. Perseverance of the saints.
This is one of the most controversial points of Calvinism, but
must be the logical and Biblical conclusion. If it is God who saves, do
we have the power to reverse His act? God has chosen some, and He does
not give them any options.
John 6:39
And this is the Fathers 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 10:28
And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work
in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:29
For the gifts and calling of God are not repented of.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful who shall establish you, and guard you
from the evil one.
1 Peter 1:5
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
Hebrews 10:29
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought
worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the
blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, and unholy thing, and
hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Jude 24
Now unto Him Who is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless before the presence of His glory.
In conclusion:
Many do not understand this last thing that I wish to point out.
God is above us. "His ways are not our ways." He cannot be understood
by our mortal, sinful, human minds. Because of this, no one can have a
perfect understanding of God in this life, if ever. We can, however, know
enough; and we are commanded to "study to show yourselves approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
The points above; my Credo, what I believe; are the best conclusions
I have come to after much study in both the Bible and commentaries written
about it. Many people have studied such things in far greater depth, and
some have come to different conclusions. You do not have to believe as
I do to be saved. There are only two things which we must do to
be saved:
Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
The Bible is the Word of God, and it is the foundation upon
which all of our beliefs must be founded. The entire Bible, in context,
must be studied to find the answers to our questions.
This page last changed 9/13/97
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