God's Sovereignty in Salvation

This message presents the biblical basis for believing that God's sovereignty is absolute in all things, including man's salvation. Man is responsible and God is sovereign such that God is ultimately the cause of man's salvation.

After a brief history of the theologies of John Calvin and Jacob Arminius, the five points of what is commonly called “Calvinism” are studied through the Scriptures, spelling out the acrostic “tulip.”

“T” represents total depravity meaning that before God every individual is depraved and unable of doing anything God would regard as “good.” This does not mean that every person acts to the full extent of their sinful potential but that all aspects of being and life are infected by sin. The bible reveals that the sin nature is present from the moment of conception. Unconditional election is represented by the "U" based upon the conclusion that God sovereignly, from the mass of totally depraved humanity, chose to save some. Limited atonement is represented by the letter "L," however this study concludes that God's provision of salvation is sufficient for any and all to be saved. A careful review of the context and use of the word “world” in passages relating to man's salvation indicates that Christ died for all, not just for the elect. Irresistible grace is represented by the letter "I", meaning that God's calling of individuals to be saved will be effective, always resulting in their salvation. The Scriptures also testify that believers have eternal security described in the acrostic by the final letter "P," representing the perseverance of the saints.