TULIP

Total Depravity - Man can do nothing spiritually good to gain them salvation before a Holy God, who justly gave the law. Through this depravity man's will is in bondage to their sins. This meaning that they can do nothing but to sin and has thus lost the ability to choose good over evil. This however does not mean that man can do no good, it just means man is so evil that if left to himself he would act accordingly without the grace of God. Ezekiel 36, and Romans 1-3 and Ephesians 2:1-3.

Unconditional Election - God's election of particular sinners is unconditional. It is not based upon man's desire or will or even effort, but on the choice of God for his glory alone. This being said, it needs to be stated that 1. it is after the elect are regenerated or become spiritually alive by the working of the Holy Spirit when they actually repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus "those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ." As someone once said where the arminian says he owes his election to his faith, the Calvinist says he owes his faith to his election. Romans 8 and 9, Ephesians 1 and 2

Limited Atonement - Probably one of the most confused and misunderstood doctrines amongst many Christians is this. Christ death was a Substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin on behalf of particular sinners chosen by God for his own glory alone. Where in the doctrine of the election God chooses a particular people, in Limited atonement, Christ actually wins salvation for those whom God foreknew first and predestined. Romans 5, and Hebrews 9

Irresistible Grace - The Grace of God is effectual and irresistible, meaning that when the gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit is active in such a way in the persons heart, the person cannot reject it. Those whom are Elect will be saved and those who are not elect will not be saved. This being said it must be noted that the word preached once to a sinner and rejected does not necessarily mean he is part of the repobate. It may take months and years till the Spirit brings the sinner to salvation. "He is not limited by man's will or dependent upon man's cooperation for success." Acts 9 -Pauls conversion.

Perservance of the Saints - Those who are saved will never lose their salvation. In other words, "all who were chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved." Those who apparently move away from the faith can be said to have never actually been saved at all. It is a working of God that one is saved and not a working of the human will. "This doctrine does not maintain that all who profess the Christ faith are certain of heaven. many who profess belief and then 'fall away' do not fall from grace; they were never in grace. True believers fall into various temptations and commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or seperate them from Christ." Romans 8 and Jude 24-25