Is Five Point Calvinism Biblical?

IS FIVE POINT CALVINISM BIBLICAL?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Five Point Calvinism is a theological theory that summarizes God's relationship with Man in redemption under five key points known as TULIP which stand for:

Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistable Grace
Perseverance of Saints

My view is that whereas sections of the Calvinism theory are Biblical, some of its articulations do not appear to be consistent with biblical truth.

The doctrine of Total Depravity assumes that man has no capacity to make a moral choice for obedience to God because he is dead in sin.

This doctrine rests on a literal interpretation of Scripture in circumstances that allegories and metaphors are intended by the writers of Scripture.

It lies on the premise that man is so "dead in sin" that he cannot of himself come to Christ. This theory is, in my view only Biblical to the extent of the affirmation that the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin.

The phrase "dead in sin" is, in my view, a biblical metaphor. In fact there are several other figures of speech in Ephesians 2:1-10 where this phrase is lifted from. Consider the following: "made alive" (2:5), "raised us up", and "made us sit together in heavenly places" (2:6).

My view that a faithful exegetical treatment of the passage would not arrive at the conclusion affirmed by Calvinism. I am simply unable to draw a literal interpretation of a passage where metaphors and figures of speech are evidently bare.

To teach that man is completely dead in sin to the point that he cannot consciously make a choice for obedience to Christ at the preaching of the word of God is, in my view, unbiblical.

Secondly, Calvinism depicts God as a manipulative deity, a view that cannot be collated through revelation of Scripture. They also portray man as devoid of any moral will.

There is no denying that God unconditionally reached out to sinful man in Christ at the cross. However, Scripture reveals that God opened His arms wide to all men in all ages since Calvary without any discrimination (John 3:16). He cannot therefore impose salvation upon anyone or reject a person who willingly comes to Christ!

Thirdly, in their endeavor to articulate their view of the Sovereignty doctrine, Calvinism projects a deity whose moral nature is manifestly inconsistent with what is revealed in the Bible. The moral nature of the God of the Bible is inconsistent in both the Old Testament and New Testament Scripture. He always sought to draw man to Himself. Christ's death on the cross was the highest expression of love for sinful man (Romans 5:8).

My view is that five point Calvinism depicts a picture of a monster deity who has "decreed all things from the foundations of the world" and manipulates men to achieve his ultimate objectives. I believe that the Free Will doctrine is discernible from several passages of Scripture and is consistent with God's will for men.

Why would the judgment scene in Rev. 20:11-15 be in Scripture if a sinful man had no responsibility for their decisions?

God gave Adam and Eve a chance for obedience and they willfully lost it.

Man's opportunity for redemption is now available in Christ and that window is, in my view, open to all men on earth who will hear the Gospel proclaimed until the coming of Christ.

My view is that the God of the Bible has not and will not decree that a given number of people should perish even as he predestinates some to eternal life! He does not glory in the destruction of sinners (Ezekiel 18:23).

Finally, and contrary to five point Calvinism, Scripture reveals that Christ's atonement is unlimited. John 3:16 stands out on this truth. This is attested by several other passages of Scripture.

On this score, my view is that Five Point Calvinism is manifestly inconsistent with Scripture in so far as the doctrines of Total Depravity, Limited Atonement and Irresistable Grace are outlined in their theory. Since the Total Depravity doctrine lies at the heart of the TULIP theory, it naturally follows that its deficiency annuls the rest of the four doctrines.



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020