Calvinism

Reformed Baptists are Calvinists. Calvinism is not the gospel, but it is the theological framework of the gospel. The term Calvinism, when applied to the doctrine of salvation, is a way of talking about the biblical basis of the gospel. One may certainly believe the gospel without being a Calvinist. But one cannot sufficiently explain and defend the gospel without those great biblical doctrines that go by the nickname of Calvinism. Perhaps an illustration would help. You can drink from a water faucet without understanding the plumbing that causes the water to flow from the faucet. In the same way, you can drink of the water of life by the gospel without understanding God’s sovereign grace that is the basis of the gospel.

Among some, however, Calvinism is a bad word. It conjures thoughts of a fatalistic God, an arbitrary despot who controls and lords over others. People sometimes wrongly accuse Calvinists of making God into the author of evil who approves of sin. In light of Calvinism’s bad reputation, some might say we should use a different word.

But I suggest that Calvinism offends human pride not because of the word, but because of the biblical doctrines it represents. If we were to choose another word, very soon whatever word we chose would become equally offensive to naturally rebellious human nature. The doctrines of Calvinism offend because they declare that God is God and human beings are His subjects. God rules everything. Biblical Calvinism asserts that God is freer than human beings, and that human beings are completely under His control. Calvinism says that God effectively governs every molecule of creation. He does not ask anyone for permission to rule. He does not wait for us to decide whether we will allow Him to do as He pleases. God’s kingdom is not a democracy. Rather, the good, loving, holy, and just God of the Bible does whatsoever He pleases, no matter what anyone says or thinks about it. These truths offend naturally proud and sinful people.

I suspect Calvinism especially offends American individualists who think of human freedom as the supreme value. While human freedom may be a supreme American value, it is certainly not God’s supreme value. Rather, God values what is actually true, good, and beautiful, whether human beings freely agree or freely disagree. God’s greatest delight is in His own perfectly good being. The Bible insists that God always acts in creation to shine forth, or glorify, the full range of His own attributes for all eternity. In Isaiah 48:11, God says, “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another” (NASB). God repeats the phrase “for My own sake” for emphasis. He is telling us that His greatest end is His own glory, which is simply to say that His greatest end is Supreme Goodness itself.

That is at the heart of the angst about Calvinism. Some think God exists to make much of people. But the Bible tells us that God’s highest end is God. How could it be otherwise? God is the first and best of beings. For God to value or glorify anything above Himself would make Him a false worshiper. It would make Him into a god who values something other than the highest good. But God glorifies God because God alone is infinitely and supremely good. God alone is worthy of worship, including God’s own self-glorification.

Now, it is important to understand that this truth does not pit God against people. Rather, God’s commitment to Himself is good news for us. It means God will never do wrong. He punishes the wicked who are outside of Christ because He loves what is good. But if we are in Christ, we can trust God to do what is very best for us. God’s commitment to the good means He hates evil and will deal justly with it. That is good news to those who are afflicted by the wicked and long for justice. God will certainly give perfect justice on the last day. God’s commitment to the true Good, to Himself, is the reason the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, assumed a human nature to suffer the just punishment for our sins and to rescue us from what is not good. God’s love of goodness is the reason God is committed to making us, His people, truly good, which is best for us. He does this in a legal sense by justification, and then within us by sanctification. That is how He brings us back to Himself. He makes us good legally and makes us good within so that we can have loving and joyful communion with Him. Ultimately, God brings us into His heavenly presence, where we will enjoy fullness of life with Him forever. God does all of this with absolute certainty, power, and love. This is Calvinism.

Thus, Calvinism, in the theological sense, is not about the beliefs of John Calvin. Very few who call themselves Calvinists believe everything John Calvin believed. Rather, Calvinism is a technical theological term that refers to the Bible’s God-centered theology, particularly to God’s sovereign grace in salvation. At its heart, Calvinism declares that God saves sinners. Since Calvinism is nothing other than a name for a particular biblical doctrine, some may wonder why we should use the word Calvinism at all.

Let me suggest three reasons to keep using the word Calvinism. First, we have to use some word to dispense with the need for long definitions each time we refer to the biblical doctrines it represents. Second, Calvinism is the proper historical-theological term. Third, using the word Calvinism in a pastoral context may help to remove its negative stigma so that opponents of these truths may be thwarted in their efforts to shock, confuse, and trouble God’s people by using the term as a pejorative.

Today, the word Calvinism is almost synonymous with the “doctrines of grace” and the “five points of Calvinism.”71 The five points of Calvinism are a popular summary of the Dutch Reformed response to Arminianism in the seventeenth century. Calvinism, or Reformed theology, had been a positive articulation of the Bible’s God-centered theology. But after the Arminians challenged Reformed orthodoxy at the Synod of Dordt, the Dutch Calvinists responded in the Canons of Dordt (1618–1619), which are a presentation of Calvinism’s doctrines over and against doctrinal error.

Not all agree that the five points of Calvinism are a helpful way of articulating the doctrines of the Reformation. A problem with the five points is that they are a list of doctrines that do not necessarily show their connection with the rest of theology. One might think he can choose among the five points, or that these points are merely derived from isolated proof texts when, in fact, the doctrines of grace are all nested within the Bible’s theology as a whole. The five points of Calvinism are inextricably linked with the doctrine of God, the Bible’s covenants, the nature of Christ’s work, justification, sanctification, the church, the last things, etc.

Another problem with summarizing Calvinism in terms of five points is that they are a response to the error of Arminianism. Thus, one might wrongly think that Calvinism’s doctrines are fundamentally oriented against their rival theology. While it is true that the five points of Calvinism are a polemic against Arminianism and don’t convey the constructive and positive nature of the Bible’s own presentation of these doctrines, they are, I believe, useful in responding to Arminianism because Arminianism is still so prevalent today.72

Often the five points of Calvinism have been arranged by the acrostic “TULIP,” which stands for Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. That way of ordering these doctrines has a certain pedagogical value. But this chapter will arrange them differently, to be more consistent with the Bible’s own framework as well as with their first appearance in the Canons of Dordt. It will begin with the Reformed doctrine of God’s eternal decree and then move through the major covenants of Reformed theology to show how they are connected to the Bible’s theological structure, overarching narrative, and hermeneutic.

God’s Sovereign Rule and Unconditional Election

Reformed theology acknowledges that God is the supreme sovereign of heaven and earth, the King of Creation who upholds, directs, and governs all things according to His infinite power with perfect goodness and wisdom. God meticulously renders certain everything that comes to pass according to His wise providence, down to the last detail, by His good and sovereign will. He eternally decreed the end of all things from the beginning of time (Isa. 46:10), and His eternal decree is the basis of His exhaustive definite foreknowledge of all future events (Isa. 46:11). Ephesians 1:11 says that God “works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Job 42:2 declares, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

Second London Confession 3.1 says,

God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.

The Bible declares God’s absolute sovereignty, which is His supreme authority to do with creation whatever He pleases because He is its good Creator. Psalm 115:3 says, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Psalm 135:6 says, “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” Daniel 4:34–35 says,

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

God’s Sovereignty Displayed in His Universal Providence

The Bible teaches that God sovereignly exercises total control over everything He created. His providence is His sovereign government of all things. John Calvin famously said, “It is certain that not one drop of rain falls without God’s sure command.”73 Second London Confession 5.1 says,

God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will; to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.

The Bible says God causes and withholds dew and rain (Lev. 26:3–4; Deut. 11:13–14; 28:12; Job 28:26; Matt. 5:45). Hail, snow, and thunderstorms are from God (Job 37:5–10; Ps. 107:25; Isa. 28:2). He directs the winds (Num. 11:31; Jonah 1:4) and causes grass and crops to grow (Ps. 104:14–15). He oversees the lives of sparrows (Matt. 6:26; 10:29) and nourishes and feeds every animal (Job 38:39–41; Ps. 104:10–30).

He created and sovereignly rules rational beings, including the angelic beings of the heavenly places. He created them to administer the divine rule and government over all creation, tasking them with revealing the Word of God (Luke 1:11–19; Acts 8:26; 10:3–8, 22; 27:23–24), executing judgment on His behalf (2 Sam. 24:16–17; Acts 12:23), and fighting His battles (Dan. 10:13). The righteous angels are subject to God’s government, but He also exerts total control over evil spirits (1 Sam. 16:14–15; 1 Kings 22:20–23; Job 1:6, 12; Isa. 19:14).

God not only rules the angels, but He also governs every detail of the lives of human beings. Both wealth and poverty come from the Lord (Deut. 8:11–20; 1 Sam. 2:6–8; Ps. 113:7–8). He assigns position and status, humbling men and lifting them up (1 Sam. 2:6–8; Ps. 75:6–7; 113:8). He causes barrenness among women, and He is also the source of their ability to have children (Gen. 30:2; Ps. 113:9). The Lord both grants and denies food according to His sovereign will (Ps. 136:25; Isa. 3:1). He watches over us as we travel (Ps. 146:9) and causes us to fall asleep (1 Sam. 26:12).

God directs the minds and hearts of human beings (Ps. 33:14–15). He turns the hearts of kings wherever He wishes (Prov. 21:1). He removes understanding (Job 12:24) and causes faintheartedness (Lev. 26:36). To accomplish His purposes, He hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Ex. 9:12), and He put it in Absalom’s heart to devise an evil scheme against his father, David (2 Sam. 12:11; 16:22). God thwarts the good counsel of His enemies (2 Sam. 17:14) and causes their wisdom to perish (Isa. 29:14). He stiffens men’s hearts in order to destroy them (Josh. 11:20), and, for good reasons, He turns the hearts of men to hate others (Ps. 105:25). The Bible says that if a prophet is deceived, then God deceived him (Ezek. 14:9). As punishment for sin, God gives wicked men over to corrupt minds (Rom. 1:28) and sends delusions to make them believe what is false (2 Thess. 2:11).

Furthermore, God sovereignly directs human actions and choices. A man’s way is not in himself; rather, all the ways of men are from God, who rules them (Jer. 10:23). The Lord determines every step a man takes (Ps. 37:23; Prov. 20:24), and all his movements are the result of the divine will (James 4:13–16). God caused Cyrus to invade and conquer Babylon (Isa. 45) even though Cyrus had no knowledge of the part he played in God’s sovereign design (Isa. 45:4). The speech of a man’s tongue is from the Lord (Prov. 16:1), and his every decision is according to the comprehensive providence of God (Prov. 16:9; 19:21; Jer. 10:23). Reformed theology unflinchingly confesses this great God of the Bible. Because God is the absolute all-wise Creator and Ruler of all things, we owe Him all worship and obedience.

God rules over and controls the sinful choices of angels and men, but the Bible also teaches that God is neither the author nor approver of sin (Ps. 45:7; Hab. 1:13; James 1:13, 17). While God’s decree makes sinful acts of men certain (Luke 22:22), He decrees that men sin freely, according to their own wills, and in such a way that they alone are responsible for the sins they commit (Ezek. 18:20).

Such passages of Scripture may raise questions about God’s relationship to evil.74 Scripture teaches that God decrees all things to fulfill His wise and good purposes, including evil. He has a morally sufficient reason for the evil He decrees (Gen. 50:20). But God Himself never does evil and is never to be blamed for evil (James 1:13–14, 17). He rightly blames and judges creatures for what they do (Isa. 66:3–4). God forbids us to do any evil because it harms us and others (Matt. 6:13; James 5:19–20). These truths are a great mystery, but Scripture plainly teaches them. God ordains that human beings freely sin and that they are responsible for the sins they commit, but God neither sins nor approves of sin. As it has been said, “Sin is not good, but it must be good that sin is, or it would not be.”

Second London Confession 5.4 says,

The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in His providence, that His determinate counsel extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, which also He most wisely and powerfully binds, and otherwise orders and governs, in a manifold dispensation to His most holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceeds only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.

God’s Sovereignty Displayed in His Unconditional Choice
of Some Sinners to Save

God’s gracious eternal decree of unconditional election is the basis of God’s salvation of sinners. Unconditional election means that God chooses to save sinners not because of any foreseen goodness, merit, or praiseworthy conditions in them, but only because of His good pleasure to redeem a people for Himself for their good and His glory. Could there be better news for believers? We didn’t do anything to get God to choose us, which means we can’t do anything to get Him to choose against us! He loved us with a saving love even when we were not lovely. He chose us even though we were far from choice. Romans 11:5–6 says, “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” This is the great Reformed doctrine of unconditional election.

Second London Confession 3.5 says,

Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.

Speaking of unconditional divine election, Paul writes in Romans 9:10–13,

And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

In these words, Paul illustrates God’s gracious unconditional election from an Old Testament narrative. There were two children in Rebekah’s womb. They had done nothing, either good or bad. There was not one thing in these children to commend them to God one way or the other. But God chose Jacob for salvation and rejected Esau according to His own “purpose of election.” Why did God choose one and not the other? Paul says God’s choice was not conditioned on anything in the children, since they had done nothing good or bad. He concludes, “So then it [meaning election] depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Rom. 9:16). In other words, divine election is unconditional.

That answer may be troubling to some. Why does God choose to save some and not others? If there is no reason, then His choice would be arbitrary. But nothing God does is arbitrary. God is the first cause of all things. Therefore, God Himself is the reason for His choices, and no cause can be sought behind Him. Paul says, “He has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills” (Rom. 9:18). In truth, God is the reason for every choice He makes and for everything He does. The ultimate answer to every question about why something is the way it is, rather than some other way, is nothing other than God Himself, the first cause of all.

Other Passages that Speak of Election

The Word of God teaches the doctrine of election in a number of places. Psalm 65:4 says, “Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!”75 Matthew 11:27 says, “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 22:14 says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” Ephesians 1:4–5 says, “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4–5 says, “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says, “God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.”

What about Foreknowledge?

Some object to unconditional election because they believe God chooses people for salvation on the basis of His foreknowledge that they would choose Him. They base this view on Romans 8:29, which says, “Those whom He foreknew He also predestined.” Arminians say that this passage means God looked into the future and foreknew who would respond favorably to the gospel. Predestination for Arminians means that God chose to save those whom He knew would choose Him.

But the word “foreknew” in Romans 8:29 is about God knowing persons, not merely facts about persons. It says “whom he foreknew,” not “what he foreknew.” It does not say God knew the fact that a person would choose Him, and that is the reason He chose him first. Rather, it says God knew the person himself.

Moreover, the word for foreknowledge in Greek means “to foreordain” or “to choose beforehand.” Thus, Romans 8:29 means that those whom God chose beforehand, He predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ in the future. God eternally and unconditionally chose those whom He destined to become like Christ.

Furthermore, the idea that God chose people based on foreseen faith contradicts passages of Scripture that say faith is the result of election, not the precondition of election. For example, in John 10:26 Jesus tells the unbelieving Jews, “You do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” He does not say, “You are not my sheep because you do not believe.” Similarly Acts 13:48 says, “As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” It does not say, “As many
as believed were appointed to eternal life.” These texts demonstrate that God’s election is the source and cause of belief, not the other
way around.

From a theological perspective, if the Arminians are right that God chose us because of something in us, whatever that might be, it would be the beginning of salvation by merit. If He chose us because we did not resist His drawing, or if He chose us because we first chose Him, or if He chose us because we accepted the message of the gospel, then God chose us because of something good in us. Conditional election would mean that God chooses good people to be saved, which would in turn mean we are not saved by grace alone and God does not get all the credit and glory for our salvation. Rather, it would mean that God chooses some people and saves them because they are better than other people who did not choose Him.

On the other hand, some people might see this problem and insist that what we do for salvation is in no sense meritorious or good. They might say that God chose us because of our faith, which is not a good work and is not morally righteous, but only a neutral act. But if faith is morally neutral, then a morally neutral act is what brings some people into heaven! The lack of that morally neutral act is what sends others to hell for all eternity! But it would be unthinkable for God to send some human beings to heaven and others to hell because of a morally insignificant act. This is not a good solution for non-Calvinists.

Biblically speaking, faith is not morally neutral. We know this because God commands us to believe in Christ (Acts 16:31), which means it is sinful and disobedient not to believe in Christ. If we obey God’s command to believe, then we are doing something good when we believe. Faith is one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Faith is, therefore, a virtue. People who exercise saving faith are doing something morally good. Thus, those who say that God’s eternal election rests on foreseen faith make election depend on moral goodness in the creature, and that means salvation is not by grace alone to the glory of God alone, but is instead grounded in a person’s goodness that is not determined by God alone, but by the person. Such a position forces God to share His glory with the creature and gives His creatures a ground on which to boast.

Consider too that the doctrine that predestination is based on foreseen faith does not do the theological work that many want it to do. Often, those who teach predestination based on foreknowledge want to keep God from being blamed for people going to hell. But consider that all orthodox Christians believe in God’s perfect foreknowledge (Ps. 139:1–6; Heb. 4:13). If God foreknew who would reject Him, and if He created them anyway, then God created some people knowing full well that they would reject Him and go to hell. Why wouldn’t God simply choose not to create those whom He knew would reject Him? The fact that He created people He knew would go to hell implies that God created some people for the very purpose of rejecting Him and going to hell. Therefore, the notion that God’s predestination is based on foreseen faith does not free God from the charge that He created some people for destruction (Prov. 16:4; Rom. 9:17–18, 22).

Finally, there is a very significant theological problem with the doctrine of predestination based on foreseen faith. It violates the doctrine of God’s independence, or self-existence. The biblical doctrine of God declares that God does not depend upon creation for any of His perfections. If any of God’s attributes depends on anything outside of God, then God would depend on things outside of God to be God. That is why classical theology teaches that every perfection that is in God is God. This is the doctrine of simplicity. Thus, God’s attribute of infinite knowledge, His omniscience, cannot depend upon creation, or else God depends on creation. If God’s decree of election depends on God’s knowledge of the choices of His creatures, then God is dependent on creation, and He is not God. Therefore, it is impossible that God foreknew what people would choose in the future based on an independent free will that originates contra-causally. Instead, the Bible teaches that God decrees, or chooses, what people will choose, and that is how God knows what they will choose (Isa. 46:8–11). God does not decree the future choices of men because He knows them. Rather, He knows the future choices of men because He decrees them. Thus, the Bible teaches that God’s knowledge is independent of His creation and does not depend on independent human choices.

Implications for the Christian Life

This great doctrine of God’s sovereign and gracious election leads to holiness of mind, heart, and conduct. The fact that God would choose wretched sinners to save, and that we would do nothing to save ourselves apart from His effectual grace, humbles us into the dust. It also leads our hearts to deep gratitude and joy. God saved us out of our filth and sin. We were rebellious, running far from Him, but He chose us and lovingly chased us down in spite of ourselves, not because of ourselves. The biblical doctrine of unconditional election is part of the very ground of worship. We worship God not because we chose Him, but because He chose us. What would we have to sing about in worship if our choices, our goodness, were the determining factor of our salvation? Could we sing praises to God about our own free and wise choices, our goodness and movement toward God? What would that even sound like? “We thank you God that we chose you for our salvation.” No! Rather, we sing God’s praises for His conquering love, for His gracious choice, for His free gift of salvation. So our song shall ever be.

Moreover, the doctrine of election forms the deepest, most foundational basis of our assurance of salvation. How could we be sure of our salvation if, in the end, salvation depends upon our vacillating free will? Our will is fickle and changing and can form no firm basis of assurance. Full assurance of salvation, rather, depends entirely upon God’s immutable and gracious election. Our Lord Jesus Himself speaks plainly in this regard. In John 6:37, He says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” How can we be sure we will endure to the end? Only because our salvation, from beginning to end, was never based on our choice of God, but on God’s choice of us. This certain assurance of salvation gives us the strength to live the Christian life and to endure to the end (Heb. 6:11–12).

The Covenant of Works: Total Depravity

God’s sovereign decree is the eternal basis of our salvation, but God’s covenants are the historical framework through which God sovereignly works His purpose to save His people. He established the covenant of works with Adam in the garden of Eden. The covenant of works was to be a covenant of life and friendship between Adam and God. But things went badly awry. To understand our need of God’s sovereign saving grace, we have to understand what happened to humanity as a result of Adam breaking this first covenant.

Covenant of Works

The human race is “totally depraved” as a result of Adam’s sin in the covenant of works. Total depravity means that from the moment sinners are conceived in their mother’s wombs, they are depraved and opposed to God in body and soul, mind, heart, and will. In the beginning, before Adam sinned, God lovingly created Adam in His image. Adam was the covenantal representative (federal head) of all who descend from him by ordinary and natural generation. God lovingly wrote His good law on Adam’s heart, teaching Adam how to love God and others (Rom. 2:14). God walked with Adam in the garden and communed with him in love (Gen. 3:8). God gave Adam every good gift. He promised Adam eternal life for perfect obedience (Gen. 3:22), but He also threatened Adam with eternal death for disobedience (Gen. 2:17).

Sadly, instead of trusting God and obeying Him, Adam rebelled against God, refused to love God, refused to love his wife and his future children, and broke God’s law. Therefore, God cursed Adam, together with all his natural descendants, with eternal death. Paul writes, “Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). This curse means that Adam’s natural descendants inherit totally depraved natures that have no love for the true God and no desire to come to Him for salvation and life. “In Adam all die” (1 Cor. 15:22). Therefore, because of Adam’s sin in the covenant of works, all humanity is cursed with “total depravity.”

Scripture teaches that this sinful human condition begins at conception. In Psalm 51:5, David says, “I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 58:3 declares, “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.” Why is that? It is because God justly cursed the world—all mankind—in Adam, the federal head of humanity.

Total Depravity

Consider the term “total depravity.” The word “total” refers to every part of a person. People in Adam are depraved in mind, heart, and will—the totality of their persons. But we need to be careful here. Total depravity does not mean sinners are as depraved as they can possibly be. Sinners outside of Christ are depraved extensively in every part of their persons, but they are not depraved to a maximum degree of intensity. The Bible teaches that some sinners are more wicked than others (Matt. 10:15; Ezek. 8:6). It is only God’s common grace that keeps sinners from sinning more than they do (e.g., Gen. 20:6). So total depravity means that those in Adam are sinfully corrupt in every part of their persons, even though they are depraved to different degrees.

Romans 3:10–12 provides a helpful description of total depravity in a negative sense. It says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Notice that this text says the heart, the mind, and the will are depraved. No one in Adam is “righteous,” or lawful, from the heart. No one in Adam “understands” God’s truth with his mind. No one in Adam “seeks for God” with his will. That is total depravity in a negative sense.

But in a positive sense, total depravity means that natural people, outside of Christ, are only and always sinning. Everything an unbeliever does is sin. Romans 14:23 says, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” Referring to the character of sin in fallen humanity, Genesis 6:5 says, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

At this point, someone may raise an objection. What about the unbeliever who kindly helps an older woman cross a busy street? Hasn’t that unbeliever done something good? In reply, yes, that unbeliever has done relative good, when compared to the other human beings who did not help the lady cross the street. But the unbeliever has not done absolute good relative to God and His perfect law. A good work before God involves three elements. First, it requires a right motive, which is faithful love to God. Second, it requires a right action, which is obedience to God’s law. Third, it requires a right end or goal, which is to glorify God. An unbeliever does not act, to any degree, out of faith in God, in love to God, or to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Therefore, an unbeliever who helps a lady to cross a street is sinning before God, even though he is doing relative good before man.

Total Inability to Act for Salvation

But another question might arise. How sinful are Adam’s descendants? We have seen that people are sinners by degree. Some wrongly think of sinners as very sick in their sin, still able to do something to obtain salvation. The biblical picture, however, is not that human beings are sick. It is that they are dead, unable to do anything at all to save themselves (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13). Sinners don’t need a doctor. They need God to raise them from the dead.

Consider this metaphor. Some think of sinners as drowning in the deep end of a pool. Poor sinners are thrashing in the water, close to death. But the lifeguard provides them with much needed help by throwing them a life preserver. At this point, the person has a choice. He can take hold of the life preserver, graciously provided by the lifeguard, or he can stubbornly refuse it and choose to drown in the pool. But this is not a good metaphor for how salvation works. Biblically speaking, human beings are not drowning in their sins. They are lying stone cold dead at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” There is nothing any lifeguard can do to save a dead man. Dead people can’t do anything to save themselves. They need to be brought from death to life. That is the condition in which totally depraved sinners find themselves. They are completely unable to save themselves.

Scripture teaches that no natural person will ever seek God, embrace the gospel, or do any good whatsoever relative to God (1 Cor. 2:14). This doctrine is called “total inability,” which is a subset of total depravity. Isaiah 64:7 says, “There is no one who calls upon your name, no one who rouses himself to take hold of you.” No one in Adam calls upon God sincerely. Jeremiah 13:23 asks rhetorically, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.” A sinner can no more change his sinful nature than a leopard can change his nature. Similarly, Job 14:4 asks, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.” Job 25:4–6 expresses this same truth with remarkable clarity:

How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes; how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!

It is not merely that sinful man will not be right and pure before God, it is that he cannot be right and pure before God. Romans 8:7 says, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” And 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” He is not able to understand.

Therefore, no human being in Adam can do anything toward his own salvation. Natural men are completely lost and without hope of salvation in themselves. They cannot choose Christ because they will never want to choose Christ, apart from effectual grace. They cannot come to Him because, by nature, they will never come to Him.

Second London Confession 6.2–4 helpfully expresses this doctrine of total depravity.

2. Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them whereby death came upon all: all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.

3. They being the root, and by God’s appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation, being now conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus set them free.

4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.

Implications for the Christian Life

The doctrine of total depravity and its subset of total inability serve to humble our natural pride. The fact that God’s sovereign grace alone can change our hearts leads us to fall on our faces before the God of heaven in gratitude and worship for such a great salvation. Ian Hamilton wrote a helpful reflection on the doctrine of total depravity in the Christian life. He says,

Calvinism challenges the residual pride in human hearts. We are naturally and natively far more comfortable with Arminianism, which allows us to make a contribution to our salvation. To be confronted by the truth of our total inability is deeply humbling, but it is the truth of God’s own Word, not a notion that John Calvin concocted in Geneva. Becoming persuaded of this and casting ourselves solely on God’s mercy in Christ knocks (in large measure) the pride out of us and teaches us to live as men and women who glory in the God of grace. This is simply another way of saying that Calvinism puts God where he belongs and puts us where we belong. This is the test of authentic, biblical Christianity.76

The Covenant of Redemption: Definite Atonement

For Calvinists, there may be no doctrine more precious than the doctrine that Christ’s death actually and completely accomplishes the total salvation of His people. Just before Christ died on the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). If Christ’s death only makes salvation possible, and if its efficacy depends on something we have to do, then, in the end, we will have to trust in ourselves for redemption. If Jesus atoned for everyone in general, but for no one in particular, it would mean that Christ does not have any special interest in or love for His bride, the church, but is equally interested in everyone, including those who will never be saved. But thanks be to God, that is not the case! Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (emphasis added). Husbands are not to give themselves up for all women, but only for their wives. Husbands are not to love any other women in the way they love their wives. Why? Because a husband’s relationship to his wife should reflect the relationship between Christ and His church. Jesus didn’t give Himself up for all, but only for His beloved bride, the church.

Covenant of Redemption

Christ’s definite atonement for His chosen people is rooted in the covenant of redemption. In this glorious covenant, God appointed the incarnate Christ to fulfill the law of God, to die on the cross, and to rise from the dead three days later on behalf of His chosen people. Christ freely agreed to accomplish God’s will and obey Him completely (John 17:4). Isaiah 53 is about Christ’s obedience to this covenant of redemption, and Isaiah 54:10 explicitly calls it the “covenant of peace.”

Hebrews 9:12 tells of what Christ accomplished by His death in the covenant of redemption, saying that He saved His people “by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” What precious words! Christ’s blood not only makes redemption possible, but it actually secures redemption. Further, His blood secures eternal redemption—not temporary redemption, not possible redemption. All who are redeemed by Christ’s blood will certainly dwell with Christ forever in heaven. This passage means that Christ’s redemptive work secures eternal salvation for every person for whom Christ died.

Second London Confession 8.5 and 8.8 teach the doctrine of definite atonement for the elect. Paragraph 5 speaks of Christ’s obedience and sacrifice “for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.” It says,

The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.

Paragraph 8 shows that Christ applies redemption to all those for whom He definitely accomplished redemption. It says,

To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them; uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by His Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.

Definite Atonement

Definite atonement is sometimes called “limited atonement” (limited to the elect) or “particular redemption” (for Christ’s particular, chosen people). Definite atonement means that God intended to save a definite group of people—the elect and only the elect—through the work of Christ. Over and against definite atonement, Arminians advocate for a universal or unlimited atonement. They believe God decided that Christ would atone for everyone’s sins on the cross, even though not everyone will be saved. An Arminian theologian, Roger Olson, summarizes:

Arminius answers, “For the sins of those for whom Christ died were in such manner condemned in the flesh of Christ, that they, by that fact, are not delivered from condemnation, unless they actually believe upon Christ.” In other words, God decided that the sins of all people would be expiated by Christ’s death in such a way that only if people believe on Christ would their sins actually be forgiven.77

Arminians, therefore, hold that God chose to condemn all sins in Christ, but no one is actually saved unless he believes. This position raises questions about the sufficiency of Christ’s death to save and limits the power and efficacy of the atonement to save, in the name of widening its scope. Arminians believe in an indefinite atonement; that is, Christ died indefinitely for everyone, not definitely for His chosen people.

Now, some who believe in unconditional election reject the doctrine of definite atonement. I have often found, however, that these so-called “four-point Calvinists” misunderstand the classical doctrine of definite atonement. They think definite atonement means that Christ did not die in any sense for all mankind. But in historic Reformed theology, the doctrine of definite atonement refers to God’s sovereign intention to save His chosen people through the all-sufficient work of Christ on the cross. The classical doctrine of definite atonement teaches, however, that Christ’s death is sufficient suffering for the sins of the world.

Consider what the Canons of Dordt originally taught. Canons of Dordt, Second Head, Article 3, on definite atonement, speaks of the universal sufficiency of Christ’s death. It says, “This death of God’s Son is the only and entirely complete sacrifice and satisfaction for sins; it is of infinite value and worth, more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world.”78 But while Christ’s death is more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the world, Canons of Dordt, Second Head, Article 8 declares that God intended to save only the elect through Christ’s death. It says, “It was the entirely free plan and very gracious will and intention of God the Father that the enlivening and saving effectiveness of his Son’s costly death should work itself out in all the elect, in order that God might grant justifying faith to them only and thereby lead them without fail to salvation.”

We can say that Christ’s death is of such infinite value that had God chosen more people to be saved, Jesus would not have had to do any more to pay for their sins than what He has already done at the cross. Since the Son of God is of infinite value, then His death must also be of infinite value. That means Christ’s death is sufficient to atone for any and all sinners. But definite atonement teaches that God only intends to save the elect by Christ’s death. Another way of putting this is to say that only the sins of the elect were imputed to Christ on the cross (1 Peter 1:1; 2:4), and no others. The doctrine of definite atonement joyfully declares that God intended Christ’s death to effectively purchase every life blessing for His beloved chosen people, including new birth, faith, justification, adoption, and repentance, as well as an enduring holy life (Rom. 8:31–39).

Other Passages that Speak of a Definite Atonement

Other biblical passages speak to the definite scope of the atonement, which is particular to the elect. Matthew 1:21 says, “He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 20:28 says that “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In John 10:15, Jesus says, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” Acts 20:28 speaks of “the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” Christ did not obtain everyone by His blood, only the church. In John 17:24, Jesus prays, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” Christ’s priestly work of atonement and prayer is limited to the elect alone.

Certain texts explain what Christ actually accomplished by His death. He did not die merely to make redemption possible or to potentially reconcile people to God if they choose to believe. Rather, He died to actually redeem and reconcile His people to God. Romans 5:10 says, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”79 Galatians 1:4 says that Jesus “gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Colossians 1:21–22 says, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” Titus 2:14 teaches that Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” Christ alone accomplished the full salvation of all of his people.

Some Objections to Definite Atonement Answered

Universal Atonement. Some insist that God counts all the sins of every person in the world against Christ on the cross. They teach that Jesus received the punishment for the sins of every single person who has ever lived or will ever live.

Advocates of universal atonement point to passages that say Christ died for the “world.” For example, 1 John 2:2 says, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” But in reply, the word “world” in the Bible does not refer to everyone who has ever lived or will ever live. Rather, it often simply refers to a great number of people, or to both Jews and Gentiles (see Rom. 1:8; Col. 1:5–6). When 1 John 2:2 says that Christ was the propitiation for the sins of the world, it means that Christ not only died for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles.

Those holding to a universal atonement also point to passages that say Christ died for “all” (e.g., 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb. 2:9). In reply, when the Bible uses the word “all” with respect to the object of Christ’s atonement, it refers to all of a definite group, not all of every human being who ever has lived or ever will live. For example, in 2 Corinthians 5:14 we are told that Christ died for all of “us,” that is, the Corinthian believers, and that the effect of His death for the believers at Corinth is that they will also certainly die to the guilt and power of their sin. Similarly, Hebrews 2:9 says that Christ tasted death for “everyone” (or all). But the next verse tells us that Christ died to bring “many sons to glory” (a limited number), so the word “all” of verse 9 refers to the “sons” of verse 10.

Another passage, 2 Peter 2:1, could appear to teach that Christ actually died for people who are condemned. It says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” This passage, however, refers to the Jews who had been bought out of Egypt by God, their Master (Ex. 15:13, 16; Deut. 32:6). Never does this term “Master” refer to the incarnate Christ.

From a theological perspective, John Owen skillfully refutes the doctrine of universal atonement in his book The Death of Death.80 The following argument draws upon Owen. If Jesus was punished on the cross for all the sins of everyone in the world, and yet some people are punished for their sins in hell, then God is unjust because He is requiring a double payment. God would be punishing the same sins twice, once on the cross and a second time in hell. But God cannot justly punish the same sins twice. Therefore, Jesus must not have paid for all of the sins of all men.

If the response is that Christ’s atonement was enough yet people must believe in order for Christ to pay for their sins on the cross, then the question becomes whether unbelief is a sin. Of course, unbelief is a sin, since God commands all men to believe, and to disobey His command is a sin. But if Jesus paid for all sins, then He also paid for the sin of unbelief, and we have the same problem as above. How can unbelievers justly pay for their sin of unbelief in hell, if Jesus has already paid for that sin on the cross? If the answer is that Christ did not pay for the sin of unbelief on the cross, then Jesus did not die for all sins, and the argument for universal atonement is relinquished, since Christ did not die for all of the sins of all men. His death would be a partial atonement that does not pay for all of the sins of all men and is ineffective to save.

Free Offer of the Gospel. Some think Christ’s atonement must be universal for there to be a free offer of the gospel to sinners. They ask how Christ can be offered to every sinner, if the atonement is limited to the elect. I answer in two ways.

First, as discussed above, definite atonement does not mean Christ’s blood lacks sufficient value to save every sinner. Christ would not have to suffer any more than He did to save every single sinner in the world, and if God had imputed the sins of every person to Christ on the cross, then every person would be saved. In that sense, the blood of Christ may be offered to all. Evangelists and missionaries can sincerely declare that Christ’s death is available to all who come to Him.

Second, it is not clear how an ineffectual universal atonement gives support to the free offer of the gospel to sinners. If Christ’s blood universally and actually atones for the sins of every person in the world on the condition of their belief, then a truthful offer might sound something like the following: “Come to Jesus Christ and receive His blood, which is ineffectual to save anyone. Trust in the blood that covers millions of people who are currently suffering under eternal torments. Come and trust that blood with your eternal future, which has no power in itself to save, unless you do something yourself.” Such a “free offer,” in reality, casts the sinner back on his own faith and obedience to make up for what is lacking in Christ’s atonement. It subtly turns poor sinners away from Christ and His atoning work and tells them that their salvation depends on themselves and their obedience, rather than upon Christ and His work alone. Rather, only a definite atonement can possibly be the ground of a free offer of the gospel.

Implications for Christian Life

This doctrine, perhaps more than any of the other doctrines of grace, leads to worship. Romans 5:10 says, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” How do we respond to the glorious truth that Christ laid down His life to save hell-deserving sinners? There is no response but to fall on our faces with joy and gratitude for so great a salvation.

The Lord Jesus is altogether lovely! What a Savior! He does not draw a line in the sand and say, “If you cross this line, then I’ll love you enough to atone for your sins.” Rather, He crosses the line Himself, and before we do anything good, He gives His life away to save us completely! He knows everything about us, all of our wretched sins, and in great love, He still died for us. His death for us means our salvation is completely accomplished. Nothing we ever do, no sins we ever commit, can possibly nullify what He accomplished on the cross! He reconciled us to God! He will bring us into glory with Himself forever. So what do we do? We worship Him because He is good and worthy of worship. We love and adore Him, and we live the rest of our lives for His great glory.

The Covenant of Grace: Effectual Grace
and Perseverance of the Saints

The doctrines of effectual grace and the perseverance of the saints are precious to the believer. They mean that God graciously works in us for our salvation so that we will actually be saved from beginning to end. Philippians 1:6, expressing the truth of both effectual grace and perseverance of the saints, says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” God began our salvation in His effectual grace by regenerating us, and He continues our salvation by working sanctification in us.

Covenant of Grace

In Reformed covenant theology, the doctrines of effectual grace and perseverance of the saints are blessings of the covenant of grace. God made the covenant of grace with His elect people to save them from their sins. The blessings of the covenant of grace flow out of Christ’s work in the covenant of redemption. Christ accomplished redemption in the covenant of redemption. Christ applies redemption in the covenant of grace. When the Holy Spirit joins us to Christ in the covenant of grace, He gives us not only the objective graces of justification and adoption, but He also gives the subjective graces of effectual calling, regeneration, sanctification, and perseverance to the end.

Hebrews 8:10–12, which quotes Jeremiah 31:31–34, summarizes the graces God gives to His people in the covenant of grace. It tells us that God irresistibly draws His people to Himself: “I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they will be my people” (Heb. 8:10). God monergistically converts the hearts of His people. God says “I will” do these things. In the covenant of grace, God irresistibly draws His people to Himself.

The elect are also given the gift of perseverance in the covenant of grace. Hebrews says, “They shall not teach each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Heb. 8:11–12). God forgives the sins of His people and He preserves all members of the covenant of grace in the knowledge of Himself to the very end. Jeremiah 32:40 says, “I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.”

Therefore, the covenant of grace provides the blessings of effectual grace and the perseverance of the saints to those God chose for salvation from the foundation of the world.

Second London Confession 10.1 speaks of effectual calling. It says,

Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, He is pleased in His appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone, and giving to them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.

Second London Confession 17.1 speaks of the perseverance of the saints and shows how it flows out of effectual calling. It says,

Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved . . .

Second London Confession 17.2 argues that the perseverance of the saints is not only connected to God’s sovereign election but is part of the covenant of grace. It says,

This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him, the oath of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace, from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

Effectual Grace

“Effectual grace,” or “irresistible grace” as it is sometimes called, means that God effectively, or certainly, brings His chosen people to salvation. Without such effectual saving grace, even God’s chosen people would resist salvation to their deaths because they all inherited fallen and depraved natures from Adam. “Perseverance of the saints” means that God effectively causes His chosen people to remain saved and that they continue to live holy lives.

Effectual grace is logically necessary in light of the fallen nature of human beings. Because human beings are totally depraved and, therefore, totally unable to do anything to bring themselves to God, the only way for them to be saved and remain saved is for God to provide a powerful, conquering kind of grace that overcomes all natural human resistance to first and final salvation. Biblically speaking, a prevenient, resistible grace would not be sufficient to save totally depraved sinners.

John 6:44 is an important text for understanding the relationship between total inability and effectual grace. It says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (emphasis added). Remember the important difference between “can” and “may.” Jesus is not saying that no one is allowed to come to Him. Rather, He is saying that no one is able to come. The natural state of human beings, under the curse of Adam’s sin in the covenant of works, is that they do not have the capacity to come to Christ.

But then Jesus adds a wonderful word: unless. This is amazingly good news! No one can come to Christ, unless something is done. But what must be done? Jesus says no one can come to Him unless the Father “draws him.” Now some think the word “draws” only means that the Father enables or helps people to come to Christ. But the Greek word translated “draw” is helko, which means “to drag or impel.” In other places of the Bible, that same word is used to speak of Peter drawing a sword (John 18:10). Peter did not merely enable or help his sword to come out of its scabbard. No, Peter pulled it out effectually! Similarly, the disciples drew in their nets (John 21:6, 11), but they did not just enable their nets to come. They forcefully hauled in the nets, which were full of fish. Paul and Silas were caught and drawn before the rulers of the city (Acts 16:19; 21:30; see also James 2:6). They were not helped to the rulers, but dragged to them forcibly.

Therefore, John 6:44 is teaching that the Father must and does effectually bring people to Christ, if they are to be saved at all, since no one is capable of coming to Christ without Him. Every sinner naturally resists God’s effectual grace with all of his power, but no sinner can ever successfully resist the effectual grace of God. That is because God’s effectual grace powerfully and certainly conquers human resistance and causes hardened sinners to embrace Jesus Christ freely and willingly. Some misunderstand the doctrine of effectual grace to teach that God forces men against their wills to come to Christ. But effectual grace never works against the human will; rather, it changes the will, causing men to want to come to Christ, to trust and love Him, though they previously opposed and hated Him.

The Canons of Dordt, Third and Fourth Heads, Article 16 declares:

Just as by the fall humans did not cease to be human, endowed with intellect and will, and just as sin, which has spread through the whole human race, did not abolish the nature of the human race but distorted and spiritually killed it, so also this divine grace of regeneration does not act in people as if they were blocks and stones; nor does it abolish the will and its properties or coerce a reluctant will by force, but spiritually revives, heals, reforms, and—in a manner at once pleasing and powerful—bends it back.

Biblical Connection Between Irresistible Grace
and Perseverance of the Saints

The Scriptures frequently link irresistible grace and perseverance of the saints. Jesus said, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:39), and, as we have just seen, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Also, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27–29).

Some people deny irresistible grace but insist on a doctrine that says no believer can lose his salvation. Yet in the Bible, these two doctrines frequently appear together. The reason the saints persevere is that God irresistibly brought them to salvation in the first place. It is quite strange that many separate these two doctrines, denying irresistible grace but affirming the perseverance of the saints. Such a position is not rooted in careful biblical theology.

Perseverance of the Saints

The Reformed doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is not the same as “eternal security” or “once saved, always saved.” Reformed theology teaches those things, but it also teaches that God keeps His chosen people by continuing to work in them so that they live holy lives, even through many storms and great trials and difficulties. The Reformed doctrine of perseverance is the opposite of “easy believism” because it teaches that while God works every grace in His people, they must and always do, by grace, responsibly continue in the faith. The Bible speaks of the perseverance of the saints in two ways. First, it speaks of God’s preservation of the saints or, we might say, God’s perseverance for the saints. Second, it tells us of the perseverance of the saints in faithful holy living to the end.

There are a number of passages describing God’s certain preservation of the saints. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:8–9 that Christ “will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”81 In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Philippians 2:12–13 says to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, Paul writes, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” And 1 Peter 1:3–5 says that the elect are born again “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Additionally, the Bible teaches that because God works in the saints, they must and will actually persevere to the end. Jesus says in Matthew 3:8 to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” In Mark 13:13, He says, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” In John 15:8, He says, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” Romans 6:22 teaches that union with Christ “leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” Romans 8:13 says, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Hebrews 12:14 commands, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Revelation 2:7 says, “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 14:12 says, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”

Second London Confession 17.1 says,

Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, from which source he still begets and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraved upon the palm of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.

Some Objections to Perseverance of the Saints Answered

The Bible records what appear to be actual cases of people falling away from Christ (1 Tim. 1:19–20; 2 Tim 2:17–18; 4:10). But Scripture teaches that those who fall away from Christ are falling away from a false profession of faith and were never true Christians (1 John 2:19; Rev. 3:1). The Bible warns us that there will be “false brothers” (2 Cor. 11:15, 26; Gal. 2:4), and it gives many warnings against falling away. In each case, the warning is against falling away from a profession of faith in Christ and from an outward association with Christ and His people.

The book of Hebrews, for example, gives many warnings against falling away (Heb. 2:1–3; 3:12; 4:1–2; 6:4–9; 10:26–31). But the book of Hebrews was written to baptized, confessing Christians, to the visible church (Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 10:23). Not all within the church of the Hebrews were true Christians. The author was warning the visible mixed church against renouncing their profession of faith, denying the true gospel, and turning to Judaism. What is the purpose of the Bible’s warnings? They are preached to the visible church for two purposes: (1) to exhort the unbelievers to believe and (2) to exhort the believers to press on in faith. It is not in the power of unbelievers to believe or believers to keep on believing apart from grace. But God uses means, including the warnings of the Bible, to cause both to happen by the gracious power of the Holy Spirit.

Implications for the Christian Life

The Canons of Dordt have much to say about the implications of this doctrine for Christian holiness. Canons of Dordt, Fifth Head, Article 10 shows that the doctrine of perseverance provides great assurance to believers through the promises of God. It explains,

Accordingly, this assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which are very plentifully revealed in the Word for our comfort, from the testimony of “the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs” (Rom. 8:16–17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. If God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable.

Canons of Dordt, Fifth Head, Article 12 shows that the doctrine of perseverance is an incentive to godliness. It says,

This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints.

Canons of Dordt, Fifth Head, Article 13 says the doctrine of perseverance does not induce God’s people to carelessness.

Neither does the renewed confidence of perseverance produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways which the Lord prepared in advance. They observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of God’s fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon that face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit.

Conclusion

In closing, the Bible’s covenant theology demonstrates that the five points of Calvinism are not a narrow teaching of the Bible, limited to certain proof texts or an aspect of systematic theology. The five points of Calvinism are deeply rooted in the very superstructure of the Bible, which means that the whole of Scripture is about the glorious doctrines of God’s sovereign redeeming grace.

Unconditional election is an aspect of God’s eternal decree. Total depravity is one of the results of the curse of the covenant of works. Christ accomplished a definite atonement in the covenant of redemption, and He applies His merits in the covenant of grace by giving the gifts of effectual grace and the perseverance of the saints to the end.

These doctrines of sovereign grace are all interconnected. Total depravity means that if we are to be saved at all, God must act to save us, since we cannot save ourselves. God acts to save us first in His unconditional election of some sinners and the appointment of Christ’s definite atonement to redeem them. Christ’s atoning work secures the blessings of effectual grace and perseverance of the saints.

When God applies these glorious graces to His beloved people in the covenant of grace, He joins them together in Christ and they covenant together in local churches, where they worship Him freely from the heart and grow together in God’s persevering grace. The church will be the subject of the next chapter.

  1. 71. It’s not certain when the term “five points of Calvinism” first emerged, but probably sometime in the early 1900s. Consider the following sources for excellent discussions of the five points of Calvinism: Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951); David N. Steel, Curtis C. Thomas, and S. Lance Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented, 2nd ed. (Phillipsburg: P&R, 2004); Edwin H. Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism, enlarged edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1972).

  2. 72. The best early Reformed Baptist book-length response to Arminian exegesis and theology is John Gill, The Cause of God and Truth (Paris: Baptist Standard Bearer, 1992).

  3. 73. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.16.5, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960), 204.

  4. 74. For an excellent and thorough treatment of the problem of evil, see Scott Christensen, What About Evil?: A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory (Phillipsburg: P&R, 2020), and his shorter summary of the same argument in Scott Christensen, Defeating Evil: How God Glorifies Himself in a Dark World (Phillipsburg: P&R, 2024).

  5. 75. Emphasis added throughout the next several paragraphs.

  6. 76. Ian Hamilton, “Winsome Calvinism,” The Banner of Truth 526 (2007).

  7. 77. Roger E. Olson, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (Downers Grove: IVP, 2006), 227.

  8. 78. Emphasis added throughout this paragraph.

  9. 79. Emphasis added throughout this paragraph.

  10. 80. See John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2007), 135.

  11. 81. Emphasis added throughout the next two paragraphs.