Salvation – Soteriology, Part 4

Soteriology and Christian Teachings

"There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, And that is to have either a clear conscience or none at all." – Ogden Nash

"Just remember this, my girl. When you look up in the sky, you can see the stars and still not see the light." – The Eagles, I'm Already Gone

Show 22 397 – Soteriology – Part IV
May 27th 2014

“Live from the Mecca of Mormonism – Salt Lake City Utah – This is Heart of the Matter – Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity . . . Face to Face” And I’m your host Shawn McCraney.

First, some websites for your consideration:
www.bornagainmormon.com – Started it all. Lots of information and discussion. Not updated much (and now that I think of it it should be) but answers a lot about our outreach to the LDS.

Then there’s www.hotm.tv. This site is dedicated to the actual television ministry. There all the shows of the past are archived and ready for your perusal. We also have a store on this site where you can purchase t-shirts like this (show t-shirts) cups like this, bumperstickers like this, and music CDs like these. You know this music is very good and produced by a trained musician but more importantly you will learn the Word of God (and not the words of Man) listening to it. You can also pick up two short films about teen (s-e-x) at the Hotm.tv website. The HOTM site is also the hub where emails and requests for information on the Mormon Christian debate flow. Managing it and the content is a full-time endeavor.

Finally, consider going to www.C-A-M-P-U-S.com. There you can read all about our views on church (and once again, this site needs to be updated). Finally, by going to the following YouTube locations you can tap into all of our verse by verse teachings of the Word of God.

Heart of the Matter Television Network

And if all of this is not enough, here in Utah we are airing our own 24/7 Christian television Network on KPDR channel 19.3. Yes, we have had some struggles with clarity. Yes, there has been difficulties with equipment failure, but if you get regular old television and you are interested in a unique approach to Christian TV, consider the Heart of the Matter Television Network on 19.3.

And last of all we invite any and all who are looking for a church that is here to equip you in your Christian walk, consider joining us here at our studio/Church in grand old Murray Utah. We Gather every Sunday at 10 am (milk) and 2:30 (meat) and are currently going verse by verse through John and Hebrews respectively.

Supporting Our Ministry

How are we able to keep all of this going? By the Lord putting it on your heart to support us, that’s how – and that is how it has ALWAYS been. This is not a petition to our regular supporters – you do enough and we thank God for each and every one of you. Nor is this an appeal to people on a limited fixed income – we DO NOT WANT YOU TO SEND MONEY – really. However, if you do not fall into either of these categories AND you are led of the Lord to support our efforts to reach people, we could truly use it.

One of the mysteries Christians often face and wonder about is the relationship between Jesus and the Father. Of course the LDS claim the Father is literally the Father of Jesus, one of His spiritually begotten sons (and His only fleshly begotten in humankind). To them, they are separate and distinct persons in bodies of flesh and bone. To Christians, however, the water gets kind of muddy because we have to agree with scripture that Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30 “I and my Father are one”) but also that the Father has given the Lord Jesus His glory as He said in John 17 (John 17:22) “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” Of course, we have to admit the utterances of Paul in Philippians 2:58 where he says: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in

The Nature of Christ

The form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

How can we take all of these views (plus hundreds more, quite frankly) and understand the nature of Christ, who, I might add, also said relative to His Father:

John 14:28 “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”

Oh, we’ve heard all the explanations, haven’t we? We’ve even echoed them as a means to avoid the difficulty, like . . . “When Jesus said the Father is greater than I,” He didn’t really mean greater, because, as Trinitarian doctrine makes plain, Jesus and the Father are equal, right?” And when Jesus plainly stated that no man knew the hour or day of His second coming the experts say, “We’ll, speaking as a man He didn’t know the hour or day right?” Games. Just games, in my opinion. But the Bible, plainly read, simply taken in with the faith of a child, makes the whole thing perfectly clear – at least to me.

God and His Word

God is one. He so loved the world He took His Word (His Logos) and sent Him to save it – which He did. His word was with God and His Word was God. And by His Word God created all things. And His word was made flesh and dwelled among us. His Word is subject to God. God gave the Word glory. God gave the Word power. God put all things in the Word made flesh control. The relationship between God and His Word was unlike any other but because of the Word made flesh Man can become joint-heirs with Him.

Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. To support this, recall the first words of Paul to the Philippians in Philippians 2 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Christian Views on Salvation

So we’ve been talking about Mormon soteriology. Now it’s time to explain the various Christian views of the same. It’s really an intriguing topic because the Christian views are not really any better understood by the masses than the LDS understand theirs. What does exist within the Church writ large is the general consensus that Jesus saves and there is a giant period after this general agreement. Interestingly enough, in many ways the LDS agree with this generality – that Jesus saves – when they say things like salvation would not be possible without His atoning sacrifice. At the end of the day Christians would have to agree.

Acknowledging this, however, does nothing to help us with the fact that there is great debate on actually how, who, when, where, and how long-lasting Jesus’ salvation actually is. Additionally, there is a polarized extreme among the Christian positions relative to the idea that Jesus saves. Walk into a hyper-grace church, or a uber liberal gathering of believers and you will find people who, when talking about salvation say, Jesus saves period period period. Walk into others and you will find the stance being, Jesus saves coma. Most theologians side with scripture that supports the teaching that it is only God who decides who will be saved while others suggest that believing is up to the individual. Then we have all the hullaballoo over once saved always saved, and the divergent views can get quite messy.

Understanding Calvinism and Arminianism

Arminianists. Now, Calvinism has softened and changed its approach to some of these topics over the past number of decades. When Jean Calvin articulated them and people accepted them then passed them on they had a tendency for several hundred years to be quite harsh. In my opinion they’re still harsh, but my opinions don’t matter at this point in our discussion – just the facts. So, let’s look at the facts behind these two major approaches to Christian soteriology.

First of all, we have to admit that if anyone is to be saved from sin, hell, and/or the second death, both Calvinists and Arminianists agree that Jesus Christ is the author of such salvation. Because this is essentially agreed upon modern believers from both sides of the argument can sit in the same room – laughably, and ironically, this was not always the case. The rub comes down to all the nuances that pop up over who, when, how, what, etc.

The Division and Debate

Before going to the board I want to say right here and now that all the division and debate, yes the deaths, and excommunications, all the hatred and animus and arrogance that has existed (and continues to exist to this day) over these topics is so contrary to the Love of God believers are supposed to have that, by the Holy Spirit I have become resigned to not give a rats ass what dogma people use to divide and hate one another. Again, I think it is a weapon of darkness to get believers to divide on any of this stuff. Nevertheless, we do seek for truth and clarity and whether we will allow ourselves to divide over it or not we want to best understand the Biblical view if at all possible.

Biblical Support

That being said we are brought to another point of fact – the Calvinist and the Arminianist views are both (for the most part) biblically supported to some extent or another. This has also lead to the great fervor both sides maintain in defending their respective positions. This situation has allowed the cults like Mormonism to slip in and offer their own fictional approach to things like soteriology with a certainty that is not found among the Christian churches as a whole. What’s a soul – a searching truth seeker – especially one coming out of Mormonism – to do? We’ll cover this next week.

From Melbourne Australia

Hi Shawn, Hayden here from Melbourne Australia. I've been searching for a biblical response to the question, should Christians abstain from meat with blood still in it? Wondering your opinion on this matter. Also, I share a house with a Muslim, he not very into Islam but he does only eat Halal meat, he often offers food to me and I'm not sure if I should be eating it. I know the bible says to avoid eating meat sacrificed to idols, but I feel rude to say no when my housemate offers me food. Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated. God bless you brother, Hayden.

On Christianarchy and Tithes

Hi Shawn, I have enjoyed your shows. After my last email to you where I apologized for being a jackass for joining the crowd, I have been studying Christian Anarchy. It is crazy because as a Mormon I was exposed to a respected Christian Anarchist. I attended the University of La Verne in the

Exploring Christian Anarchy and Tithing

I hope this email finds you doing well my brother. I have enjoyed your shows. After my last email to you where I apologized for being a jackass for joining the crowd, I have been studying Christian Anarchy. It is crazy because as a Mormon I was exposed to a respected Christian Anarchist. I attended the University of La Verne in the 80's. While there I took several classes with Dr. Vernard Eller. I learned a great deal about how to study the Bible under him. It was under him that I gained a love for Paul. Any way, the more I read and learn, the more I realize I am a Christian Anarchist. Small world.

I wanted to ask you about tithing. I pay tithes, and have been blessed. However, I worry because some times I catch myself thinking that it is paying tithes that causes the blessings. Worse, I think that if I don't pay tithes, I may not be blessed. I know this is crap. How can I break this mind set? Many churches teach tithing, but I am not sure that tithing is today's law. Any help you can provide in helping me get relief of the crazy thinking is greatly appreciated. I know it is a leftover from Mormonism, but many other churches teach it too. Thanks in advance for your help.

God bless you,
Lowell Johnson

Understanding the Creation Account

On the creation or creative period. I am not an ardent literalist when it comes to the creation account. I’m not saying that God didn’t or couldn’t create the heavens and earth in six twenty-four hour periods but I’m not sure that is what the Genesis account says. One argument I have with it: “I would still love an explanation of the sun in measuring time.”

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The Concept of a Twenty-Four Hour Period

TWENTY-FOUR HOUR PERIOD? REALLY? The first day was a twenty-four hour period? God has not yet created the sun the earth to spin around it and the first day was a dogmatic twenty-four hour period? I'm not saying that day and night did not exist before the lights were created but that the lights give us time and time gives us period of time, like hours.

So while the day and night were obviously present before the sun and lights were created, there was no time or seasons to govern what God called day and night – how could there be without light from the sun? This is why we later read in verse fourteen of chapter one of Genesis:

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to…

Understanding the Creation and Role of Light

God set the stars in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. …you figured out how that works yet? I would still love an explanation of the sun in measuring time.

The Concept of Divinity and Heirship

FROM A RATHER ANNOYING MAN WE’LL CALL BB wrote: “I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME BUMPS HOWEVER I HAVE TO SAY THAT I DO MISS YOUR SHOW ON T.V……. IN YOUR STUDIES, DO YOU FIND THAT MAN CAN BECOME A GOD IN THE NEXT LIFE. AND IF SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOUR FRIEND BOB B

GODS? No. But heirs – joint heirs with Christ? Children of Light? Absolutely. Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Galatians 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 2nd Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him.

Trust in the Bible

FROM JASON REGARDING A CALLER LAST WEEK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TRUST THE BIBLE: I was a little…hmmm…irritated? perhaps. nah, not irritated, exasperated is probably more like it… with one of the final callers from the other night's heart of the matter episode. He wasn't rude or anything…but he posed a question I've heard often enough that it's beginning to bug me. Something to the effect of "how do we know the books of the current bible are it?” Here's my take.

The Bible as a Guide

No, the bible is NOT it. It's the beginning. It's completely incomplete and imperfectly perfect. It imperfectly tells us of God but perfectly tells us how to be his son. It incompletely describes God from before creation, how he made everything we know of our universe to after his coming, death and resurrection. Incompletely teaches us how to precisely live as a new man in Christ after the death of the old and how to carve out our existence in a world where blessings fall on the righteous and the wicked. But it completely tells us how we can figure it out. Do people not get that the holy spirit is God living inside them? Read His word, learn him, lean not unto your own understanding, be led of the Spirit of the living God dwelling in you! If it were the end all be all to everything God and everything Christian then it'd be completely exhaustive, and perfectly definitive. It would order us how to live our day to day. Where to go. What to do. What's allowed and what's not, etc ad nauseam. It'd explicitly have each of our lives mapped out. But who wants that?

I used to…I grew up so afraid of walking outside his perfect will that I desired a dictator. I wondered why he wouldn't just speak to me directly and say, “Json, go to this school, take this job, marry this woman, live in this area, do this, don't do that.” It'd make it a damn sight easier on me to follow him. It's quite a conundrum for the Christian who desires to do God's will to be left with "just" the bible. The more I learn of him though, and the less I adhere to what someone else's interpretation mandates, it doesn't appear, to me, as if God wants to be a dictator of the born again believer any more than he wants to force us to choose him in the first place. It takes faith to become born again. It takes faith to continue living and growing as such. I say if the other books that are out there which didn't make the cut bring you closer to the God.

Exploring the Bible's Role

I was a little…hmmm…irritated? perhaps. Nah, not irritated, exasperated is probably more like it… with one of the final callers from the other night's heart of the matter episode. He wasn't rude or anything, but he posed a question I've heard often enough that it's beginning to bug me. Something to the effect of "how do we know the books of the current bible are it?". Here's my take.

No, the bible is NOT it. It's the beginning. It's completely incomplete and imperfectly perfect. It imperfectly tells us of God but perfectly tells us how to be his son. It incompletely describes God from before creation, how he made everything we know of our universe to after his coming, death and resurrection. Incompletely teaches us how to precisely live as a new man in Christ after the death of the old and how to carve out our existence in a world where blessings fall on the righteous and the wicked. But it completely tells us how we can figure it out.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

Do people not get that the holy spirit is God living inside them? Read his word, learn him, lean not unto your own understanding, be led of the spirit of the living God dwelling in you! If it were the end all be all to everything God and everything Christian then it'd be completely exhaustive, and perfectly definitive. It would order us how to live our day to day. Where to go. What to do. What's allowed and what's not, etc ad nauseam. It'd explicitly have each of our lives mapped out. But who wants that?

I used to…I grew up so afraid of walking outside his perfect will that I desired a dictator. I wondered why he wouldn't just speak to me directly and say Json, go to this school, take this job, marry this woman, live in this area, do this, don't do that. It'd make it a damn sight easier on me to follow him. It's quite a conundrum for the Christian who desires to do God's will to be left with "just" the bible. The more I learn of him though, and the less I adhere to what someone else's interpretation mandates, it doesn't appear, to me, as if God wants to be a dictator of the born again believer any more than he wants to force us to choose him in the first place. It takes faith to become born again. It takes faith to continue living and growing as such.

Embracing Other Texts

I say if the other books that are out there which didn't make the cut bring you closer to the God of the books which did, then read 'em! If there are other books which do the same but weren't even around at that time, read 'em! Walk by faith along your own narrow path, work out your own salvation with fear (I like to use it in the Proverbs 9:10 way in this instance) and trembling.

Understanding the Role of the Bible

The Bible is not the end-all-be-all; it's the beginning. It's completely incomplete and imperfectly perfect. It imperfectly tells us of God but perfectly tells us how to be His son. It incompletely describes God from before creation, how He made everything we know of our universe to after His coming, death, and resurrection. Incompletely teaches us how to precisely live as a new man in Christ after the death of the old and how to carve out our existence in a world where blessings fall on the righteous and the wicked. But it completely tells us how we can figure it out. Do people not get that the Holy Spirit is God living inside them? Read His word, learn Him, lean not unto your own understanding, be led by the spirit of the living God dwelling in you! If it were the end-all-be-all to everything God and everything Christian, then it'd be completely exhaustive, and perfectly definitive. It would order us how to live our day to day. Where to go. What to do. What's allowed and what's not, etc., ad nauseam. It'd explicitly have each of our lives mapped out. But who wants that?

The Journey of Faith

I used to…I grew up so afraid of walking outside His perfect will that I desired a dictator. I wondered why He wouldn't just speak to me directly and say, "Json, go to this school, take this job, marry this woman, live in this area, do this, don't do that." It'd make it a damn sight easier on me to follow Him. It's quite a conundrum for the Christian who desires to do God's will to be left with "just" the Bible. The more I learn of Him, though, and the less I adhere to what someone else's interpretation mandates, it doesn't appear, to me, as if God wants to be a dictator of the born-again believer any more than He wants to force us to choose Him in the first place. It takes faith to become born again. It takes faith to continue living and growing as such.

Exploring Beyond the Bible

I say if the other books that are out there which didn't make the cut bring you closer to the God of the books which did, then read 'em! If there are other books which do the same but weren't even around at that time, read 'em! Walk by faith along your own narrow path, work out your own salvation with fear (I like to use it in the Proverbs 9:10 way in this instance) and trembling. I was a little…hmmm…irritated? perhaps. Nah, not irritated, exasperated is probably more like it… with one of the final callers from the other night's heart of the matter episode. He wasn't rude or anything…but he posed a question I've heard often enough that it's beginning to bug me. Something to the effect of "how do we know the books of the current Bible are it?". Here's my take.

Understanding Faith and Salvation

It's quite a conundrum for the Christian who desires to do God's will to be left with "just" the Bible. The more I learn of Him though, and the less I adhere to what someone else's interpretation mandates, it doesn't appear, to me, as if God wants to be a dictator of the born-again believer any more than He wants to force us to choose Him in the first place. It takes faith to become born again. It takes faith to continue living and growing as such.

I say if the other books that are out there which didn't make the cut bring you closer to the God of the books which did, then read 'em! If there are other books which do the same but weren't even around at that time, read 'em! Walk by faith along your own narrow path, work out your own salvation with fear (I like to use it in the Proverbs 9:10 way in this instance) and trembling.

The “Five Points” of Arminianism

Free Will or Human Ability: Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe, but He does not interfere with man’s freedom. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it. Man’s freedom consists of his ability to choose good over evil in spiritual matters; his will is not enslaved to his sinful nature. The sinner has the power to either cooperate with God’s Spirit and be regenerated or resist God’s grace and perish. The lost sinner needs the Spirit’s assistance, but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is man’s act and precedes the new birth. Faith is the sinner’s gift to God; it is man’s contribution to salvation.

Conditional Election: God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call. He selected only those whom He knew would of themselves freely believe the gospel. Election therefore was determined by or conditioned upon what man would do. The faith which God foresaw and upon which He based His choice was not given to the sinner by God (it was not created by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) but resulted solely from man’s will. It was left entirely up to man as to who would believe and therefore as to who would be elected unto salvation. God chose those whom He knew would, of their own free will, choose Christ. Thus the sinner’s choice of Christ, not God’s choice of the sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation.

The “Five Points” of Calvinism

Total Inability or Total Depravity: Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not — indeed he cannot — choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ — it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation— it is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.

Unconditional Election: God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause of God’s choice. Election therefore was not determined by or conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus God’s choice of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.

Universal Redemption or General Atonement: Christ’s redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did

Theological Perspectives on Salvation

Although Christ died for all men and for every man, only those who believe in Him are saved. His death enabled God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe, but it did not actually put away anyone’s sins. Christ’s redemption becomes effective only if man chooses to accept it.

Particular Redemption or Limited Atonement

Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ’s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, therefore guaranteeing their salvation.

The Holy Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the gospel invitation; He does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation. But inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit’s call. The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man’s contribution) precedes and makes possible the new birth. Thus, man’s free will limits the Spirit in the application of Christ’s saving work. The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow Him to have His way with them. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God’s grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be, and often is, resisted and thwarted by man.

Efficacious Call of the Spirit

In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The eternal call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call, the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God’s grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.

Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith. All Arminians have not been agreed on this point; some have held that believers are eternally secure in Christ — that once a sinner is regenerated, he can never be lost.

All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end.

According to Arminianism, salvation is accomplished through the combined efforts of God (who takes the initiative) and man (who must respond) — man’s response being the determining factor. God has provided salvation for everyone, but His provision becomes effective only for those who, of their own free will, “choose” to cooperate with Him and accept His offer of grace. At the crucial point, man’s will plays a decisive role; thus man, not God, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

This was the system of thought contained in the “Remonstrance” (though the “five points” were not originally arranged in this order). It was submitted by the Arminians to the Church of Holland in 1610 for adoption but was rejected by the Synod of Dort in 1619 on the ground that it was unscriptural.

According to Calvinism, salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. The Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit makes Christ’s death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

This system of theology was reaffirmed by the Synod of Dort in 1619 as the doctrine of salvation contained in the Holy Scriptures.

The Five Points of Calvinism

Time formulated into “five points” (in answer to the five points submitted by the Arminians) and has ever since been known as “the five points of Calvinism.”