Calvinism

John Calvin

Background Christianity St. Augustine The Reformation Calvinism is a system of Christian theology and an approach to Christian life and thought within the Protestant tradition articulated by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and subsequently by successors, associates, followers and admirers of Calvin, his interpretation of Scripture, and perspective on Christian life and... From [1], in the public domain This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and was a central developer of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. ... This article is becoming very long. ... For the first Archbishop of Canterbury, see Saint Augustine of Canterbury. ... The Protestant Reformation, also referred to as the Protestant Revolution, Protestant Revolt,or theLutheran Reformation, was a movement in the 16th century to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. ...

Distinctives Calvin's Institutes Five Solas Five Points (TULIP) Regulative principle Confessions of faith Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvins seminal work on Protestant theology. ... The Five Solas are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers basic beliefs and emphasis in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. ... Calvinist theology is often identified in the popular mind as the so-called five points of Calvinism (remembered in the English-speaking world with the mnemonic TULIP), which are a summation of the judgments (or canons) rendered by the Synod of Dordt and which were published in the Quinquarticular Controversy... The regulative principle of worship is a Christian theological doctrine teaching that the public worship of God should include those and only those elements that are instituted, commanded, or appointed by command or example in the Bible; that God institutes in Scripture everything he requires for worship in the Church... The Reformed churches express their consensus of faith in various creeds. ...

Influences Theodore Beza Synod of Dort Puritan theology Jonathan Edwards Princeton theologians Karl Barth To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... xxx cciiiox The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618/19, by the Dutch Reformed Church, in order to settle a serious controversy in the Dutch churches initiated by the rise of Arminianism. ... The Puritans were members of a group of radical Protestants which developed in England after the Reformation. ... Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703 — March 22, 1758) was a colonial American Congregational preacher, theologian, and missionary to Native Americans. ... The Princeton theology is a tradition of conservative, Christian, Reformed and Presbyterian theology at Princeton Seminary, in Princeton, New Jersey. ... Karl Barth (May 10, 1886–December 10, 1968) (pronounced Bart) was an influential Swiss Reformed Christian theologian. ...

Churches Reformed Presbyterian Congregationalist Reformed Baptist The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine, which first arose especially in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli, but soon afterward appeared in nations throughout Western Europe. ... Presbyterianism is a form of Protestant Christianity, primarily in the Reformed branch of Western Christendom, as well as a particular form of church government. ... Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct Christian denomination, but instead is a description of the churchs theological leaning. ...

Peoples Afrikaner Calvinists Huguenots Pilgrims Puritans Afrikaner Calvinism is a unique cultural development that combined the Calvinist religion with the political aspirations of the white Afrikaans speaking people of South Africa. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, or historically as the French Calvinists. ... Pilgrims is the name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony. ... This article describes a highly specialized aspect of its subject. ... This box: view • talk • edit

Perseverance of the saints (or preservation of the saints or eternal security) is a controversial Christian doctrine which maintains that none who are truly saved can be condemned for their sins or finally fall away from the faith. The doctrine appears in two different forms: (1) the traditional Calvinist doctrine found in the Reformed Christian confessions of faith, and (2) the non-traditional doctrine found in some Baptist and other evangelical churches. In a sense, both can describe Christian believers as "once saved, always saved", but the two forms attach a different meaning to the word saved — namely, whether or not it necessarily involves sanctification, the process of becoming holy by rejecting sin and obeying God's commands. Because of this difference, traditional Calvinist Christians tend to prefer the historical term "perseverance of the saints", which is one of the five points of Calvinism, and advocates of the non-traditional doctrine usually prefer the less technical terms "eternal security", "unconditional assurance", and "once saved, always saved" to characterize their teaching. A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as the Christ. ... Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ... For other uses, see Salvation (disambiguation). ... Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral code of conduct or the state of having committed such a violation. ... Calvinism is a system of Christian theology and an approach to Christian life and thought within the Protestant tradition articulated by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and subsequently by successors, associates, followers and admirers of Calvin, his interpretation of Scripture, and perspective on Christian life and... The Reformed churches express their consensus of faith in various creeds. ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church or any follower of Jesus Christ who believes that baptism is administered by the full immersion of a confessing Christian. ... The word evangelicalism usually refers to religious practices and traditions which are found in conservative, almost always Protestant, Christianity. ... Sanctification or in its verb form, sanctify, literally means to set apart for special use or purpose, that is to make holy or sacred (compare Latin sanctus holy). Therefore sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i. ... Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral code of conduct or the state of having committed such a violation. ... Calvinist theology is often identified in the popular mind as the so-called five points of Calvinism (remembered in the English-speaking world with the mnemonic TULIP), which are a summation of the judgments (or canons) rendered by the Synod of Dordt and which were published in the Quinquarticular Controversy...

The two views are similar and are often confused, and though they reach the same end (namely, eternal security in salvation), they reach it by different paths. Non-traditionalists seek to moderate the perceived harshness of Calvinism as it is found in the Reformed confessions, whereas traditional Calvinists insist that the non-traditional doctrine ignores certain key Bible passages and would be rejected by Calvin and the Reformed churches, which have both firmly advocated the necessity of good works and with which non-traditionalists seek to align themselves historically to some degree. Other Christians such as Roman Catholics and Arminians reject both versions of the doctrine. The word Bible refers to the canonical collections of sacred writings of Judaism and Christianity. ... John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and was a central developer of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine, which first arose especially in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli, but soon afterward appeared in nations throughout Western Europe. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Arminianism is a Protestant Christian theology founded by the Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius. ...

The traditional doctrine

The Reformed tradition has consistently seen the doctrine of perseverance as a natural consequence to its general scheme of predestination in which God has chosen some men and women unto salvation and has cleared them of their guilty status by atoning for their sins through Jesus's sacrifice. According to these Calvinists, God has irresistibly drawn the elect to put their faith in himself for salvation by regenerating their hearts and convincing them of their need. Therefore, they continue, since God has made satisfaction for the sins of the elect, they can no longer be condemned for them, and through the help of the Holy Spirit, they must necessarily persevere as Christians and in the end be saved. Predestination is a religious idea, under which the relationship between the beginning of things and the destiny of things is discussed. ... Predestination is a religious idea, under which the relationship between the beginning of things and the destiny of things is discussed. ... For other uses, see Atonement (disambiguation). ... Jesus (8–2 BC/BCE to 29–36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... Marcus Aurelius and members of the Imperial family offer sacrifice in gratitude for success against Germanic tribes: contemporary bas-relief, Capitoline Museum, Rome Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning to make sacred, from Old French, from Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) is commonly known as the... Irresistible Grace (or efficacious grace) is a doctrine in Christian theology particularly associated with Calvinism which teaches that the saving grace of God is effectually applied to those whom he has determined to save (the elect) and, in Gods timing, overcomes their resistance to obeying the call of the... Faith is commonly known as a belief, trust, or confidence, not based merely on Logic, Reason, or empirical data, but based fundamentally on volition often associated with a transpersonal relationship with God, a higher power, a person, elements of nature, and/or a perception of the human race as a... In biology, regeneration is the ability to recreate lost or damaged tissues, organs and limbs. ... In various religions, most notably Trinitarian Christianity, the Holy Spirit (in Hebrew רוח הקודש Ruah haqodesh; also called the Holy Ghost) is the third consubstantial Person of the Holy Trinity. ...

Traditional Calvinists also believe that all who are born again and justified before God necessarily and inexorably proceed to sanctification. Indeed, failure to proceed to sanctification in their view is evidence that the person in question was not truly saved to begin with. Proponents of this doctrine distinguish between an action and the consequences of an action, and suggest that after God has regenerated someone, the person's will cannot reverse its course. It is argued that God has changed that person in ways that are outside of his or her own ability to alter fundamentally, and he or she will therefore persevere in the faith. Born again is a term used originally and mainly in Christianity, where it is associated with salvation, conversion and spiritual rebirth. ... In Christian theology, justification is Gods act of making or declaring a sinner righteous before God. ... Sanctification or in its verb form, sanctify, literally means to set apart for special use or purpose, that is to make holy or sacred (compare Latin sanctus holy). Therefore sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i. ... // will power redirects here. ...

Theologian Charles Hodge summarizes the thrust of the Calvinist doctrine (Systematic Theology, 3.16.8): Charles Hodge Charles Hodge (1797-1878) was the principal of Princeton Theological Seminary between 1851 and 1878. ...

Perseverance...is due to the purpose of God [in saving men and thereby bringing glory to his name], to the work of Christ [in cancelling men's debt and earning their righteousness ], to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit [in sealing men in salvation and leading them in God's ways], and to the primal source of all, the infinite, mysterious, and immutable love of God.

On a practical level, Calvinists do not claim to know who is elect and who is not, and the only guide they have are the verbal testimony and good works (or "fruit") of each individual. Any who "fall away" (that is, do not persevere unto death) must not have been truly converted to begin with, though Calvinists don't claim to know with certainty who did and who did not persevere. For other uses, see Debt (disambiguation). ... Righteousness is an important concept in the theology of Judaism and Christianity. ... In various religions, most notably Trinitarian Christianity, the Holy Spirit (in Hebrew רוח הקודש Ruah haqodesh; also called the Holy Ghost) is the third consubstantial Person of the Holy Trinity. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Love Look up love in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The non-traditional doctrine

The non-traditional doctrine has been espoused by Charles Stanley, Norman Geisler, Zane Hodges, Bill Bright, and others. This view, like the traditional Calvinist view, emphasizes that people are saved purely by an act of divine grace that does not depend at all on the deeds of the individual, and for that reason, advocates insist that nothing the person can do can affect his or her salvation. The non-traditional doctrine views the person's character and life after receiving the gift of salvation as independent from the gift itself, which is the main point of differentiation from the traditional view, or, in other words, it asserts that justification (that is, being declared righteous before God on account of Christ) does not necessarily result in sanctification (that is, a progressively more righteous life). There have been several people called Charles Stanley: Charles Stanley (chess player), US chess player Charles Stanley (Lord of Man), Lord of the Isle of Man 1660_1672 Charles Stanley (Governor of the Isle of Man), Governor of the Isle of Man 1702-03 and 1715 Charles Stanley (radio evangelist), US... Dr. Norman L. Geisler is a scholar, contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, and the author or coauthor of some sixty books defending the Christian faith. ... Bill and Vonette Bright, 1951 Dr. William R. Bill Bright (October 19, 1921 _ July 19, 2003) was an American evangelist. ... In Christianity, divine grace refers to the sovereign favor of God for humankind, as manifest in the blessings bestowed upon all —irrespective of actions (deeds), earned worth, or proven goodness. ...

The doctrine sees the work of salvation as wholely monergistic, which is to say that God alone performs it and man has no part in the process beyond receiving it, and therefore, proponents argue that man cannot undo what they believe God has done, even by denying the very existence of that God. By comparison, in traditional Calvinism, people, who are otherwise unable to follow God, are enabled by regeneration to cooperate with him, and so the traditionalists see themselves as mediating between the total monergism of the non-traditional view and the synergism of the Wesleyan, Arminian, and Roman Catholic views in which even unregenerate man can choose to cooperate with God in salvation. This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Evangelical criticism

Proponents of the non-traditional view sometimes label themselves as moderate Calvinists, by which they usually mean they drop at least one of the five points of Calvinism (usually, limited atonement) and make some other modifications to the Calvinistic system. In this context, the modification they advocate is that a person's status before God does not necessarily influence his or her life, a belief which is sometimes referred to as carnal Christianity. Calvinist theology is often identified in the popular mind as the so-called five points of Calvinism (remembered in the English-speaking world with the mnemonic TULIP), which are a summation of the judgments (or canons) rendered by the Synod of Dordt and which were published in the Quinquarticular Controversy... Limited atonement (or definite atonement or particular redemption) is a controversial doctrine in Christian theology which is particularly associated with Calvinism and is one of the so-called five points of Calvinism. ...

Traditional Calvinism has uniformly asserted that "no man is a Christian who does not feel some special love for righteousness" (Institutes 3.6) and has rejected carnal Christianity as a form antinomianism. Thus, these Calvinists claim that the moderationists deviate too widely from Calvin and the accepted Reformed doctrine to be called Calvinists at all. Arminianism has likewise rejected the non-tranditional Calvinist view for the opposite reason: namely, that the view denies the Arminian doctrine that true Christians can lose their salvation. Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvins seminal work on Protestant theology. ... Antinomianism (Koine Greek αντι, against, νομος, law), or lawlessness (ανομια), in theology is the idea that members of a particular religious group are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality as presented by religious authorities. ...

History of the doctrine

Main article: History of Calvinist-Arminian debate

The traditional doctrine is one of the five points of Calvinism that were defined at the Synod of Dordrecht during the Quinquarticular Controversy with the Arminian Remonstrants, who objected to the general predestinarian scheme of Calvinism. Wesleyanism agrees with Arminianism that true Christians can fall away, but they disagree over whether or not such fallen Christians can return again to salvation (Wesleyans believe they can, and Arminians deny that they can). The history of the Calvinist-Arminian debate arguably extends back to the first century church but was not formulated until the fifth century. ... Calvinist theology is often identified in the popular mind as the so-called five points of Calvinism (remembered in the English-speaking world with the mnemonic TULIP), which are a summation of the judgments (or canons) rendered by the Synod of Dordt and which were published in the Quinquarticular Controversy... The Synod of Dort met in the city of Dordrecht in 1618-1619, as a national assembly of the Dutch Reformed Church, to which were invited representatives from the Reformed churches in eight foreign countries. ... Quinquarticular Controversy refers to the theological Calvinist-Arminian controversy that was addressed by Dutch Reformed churches at the Synod of Dort in 1618–1619. ... // For the Armenian nationality, see Armenia or the Armenian language. ... Remonstrants, the name given to those Dutch Protestants who, after the death of Arminius, maintained the views associated with his name, and in 1610 presented to the states of Holland and Friesland a remonstrance in five articles formulating their points of departure from stricter Calvinism. ...

The traditional doctrine of perseverance is articulated in the Canons of Dordrecht (chapter 5), the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter XVII), the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (Chapter 17), and may also be found in other Reformed Confessions. Nonetheless, the doctrine is most often mentioned in connection with other salvific schemes and is not a major locus of Reformed systematic theology (for instance, it does not even get a subheading in the three volume Systematic Theology by Hodge). It is, however, seen by many as the necessary consequence of Calvinism and of trusting in the promises of God. The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands, is the judgment of the National Synod held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in 1618 / 19. ... The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. ... The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith was written by Calvinistic Baptists in England to give a formal expression of the Reformed and Protestant Christian faith with an obvious Baptist perspective. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Traditional Calvinism voiced its opposition to carnal Christianity and the non-traditional doctrine in the recent controversy over "Lordship salvation". Lordship salvation is a controversial teaching in Christian theology which maintains that good works are a necessary consequence of being justified before God. ...

Biblical evidence for the doctrine

In addition to fitting neatly in the over-arching Calvinist soteriology, traditionalists and non-traditionalists alike find specific support for the doctrine in various passages from the Bible (all quotations are from the ESV): In Christianity, salvation is arguably the most important spiritual concept, second only to the divinity of Jesus. ... English Standard Version The English Standard Version (ESV) is an English translation of the Holy Bible, published in the United States by Crossway Books, and in the United Kingdom by Harper-Collins UK. The first edition was completed in 2001. ...

• John 5:24: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."
• John 6:37-40: "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 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. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."
• John 10:28-29: "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."
• Romans 5:9-10: "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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."
• Romans 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Some later manuscripts append "[and] who walk not according to the flesh (but according to the Spirit)")
• Romans 8:31-39: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
• Romans 11:29: "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
• 1 Corinthians 1:4-9: "I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge--even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you--so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 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."
• Ephesians 4:30: "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
• Philippians 1:6: "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."
• Hebrews 7:25: "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."
• Hebrews 13:5: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
• 1 Peter 1:5: "[the elect] by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
• Jude 1:24: "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,"

Also, arguing a fortiori, traditional Calvinists support their doctrine with Romans 8:32: "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" That is, they ask, if God did the hard work providing a way for salvation, can he not also keep men in it to the end? The Gospel of John is the fourth gospel in the canon of the New Testament, traditionally ascribed to John the Evangelist. ... The Gospel of John is the fourth gospel in the canon of the New Testament, traditionally ascribed to John the Evangelist. ... The Gospel of John is the fourth gospel in the canon of the New Testament, traditionally ascribed to John the Evangelist. ... The Epistle to the Romans is one of the epistles, or letters, included in the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible. ... The Epistle to the Romans is one of the epistles, or letters, included in the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible. ... A manuscript (Latin manu scriptus, written by hand), strictly speaking, is any written document that is put down by hand, in contrast to being printed or reproduced some other way. ... The Epistle to the Romans is one of the epistles, or letters, included in the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible. ... The Epistle to the Romans is one of the epistles, or letters, included in the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible. ... The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. ... The Epistle to the Ephesians is one of the books of the Bible in the New Testament. ... Philippians redirects here. ... The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr. ... The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr. ... In Christianity, the First Epistle of Peter is a book of the New Testament. ... The brief Epistle of Jude is a book in the Christian New Testament canon. ... This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. ...

Difficult passages

Calvinists freely admit that their interpretation is not without difficulties. One apparent consequence is that not all who "have shared in the Holy Spirit" (Acts 10:44-48) are necessarily regenerate. This is a consequence Calvinists are willing to accept since the Bible also says that King Saul had the "Spirit of God" in some sense and even prophesied by it (1 Samuel 19:23-24; 11:6; etc.) but was not a follower of God. The Acts of the Apostles (Greek Praxeis Apostolon) is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. ... Saul (שאול המלך) (or Shaul) (Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, Standard Tiberian  ; asked for or borrowed) is a figure identified in the Books of Samuel as having been the first king of the ancient Kingdom of Israel. ... For prophecy in the context of revealed religions see Prophet. ... The Books of Samuel (Hebrew: Sefer Shmuel ספר שמואל), are part of the Tanakh (part of Judaisms Hebrew Bible) and also of the Old Testament (of Christianity). ...

A central (and somewhat controversial) passage that is said by opponents to contradict this doctrine is Hebrews 6:1-12, which says that "those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come" can "fall away." Calvinists suggest that the passage never states the people in question were regenerate (or "true Christians"), and thus, they may well have been part of the church community and had the advantages concomitant with that membership (citing the benefits of being a member of the covenant community in the Old Testament mentioned in Romans 3:1-4; 9:4-5) without being truly "saved" — as with King Saul. In an effort to corroborate this interpretation, they also cite such passages as I John 2:19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr. ... A community usually refers to a group of people who interact and share certain things as a group, but it can refer to various collections of living things sharing an environment, plant or animal. ... Covenant, in its most general sense, is a word for a solemn promise or similar undertaking. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... The First Epistle of John is a book of the Bible New Testament. ...

Some other passages put forth against the Calvinist doctrine include:

• 1 Corinthians 9:25-27: "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So...I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
• Hebrews 3:12-14: "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.... For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end."
• 2 Peter 2:20: "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first."
• Colossians 1:21-23: "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...if indeed you continue in the faith."
• Revelation 3:2-5: "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.... Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels."

In general, proponents of the doctrine interpret those passages, which that encourage the church community to persevere in the faith but seem to indicate that some members of the community might fall away, as hortatory rather than objective in character. That is, they view the prophets and apostles as writing "from the human perspective," in which the members of the elect are unknowable and all should "work out [their] own salvation" (Philippians 2:12) and "make [their] calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10), rather than "from the divine perspective," in which those who will persevere, according to Calvinism, are well known. The primary objection to this approach is that it might equally be said that these difficult passages bear the objective meaning while the passages urged to support this doctrine of perseverance are hortatory in a positive sense, revealing God's perpetual grace towards believers. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. ... The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr. ... The Second Epistle of Peter is a book of the New Testament of the Bible. ... The Epistle to the Colossians is a book of the Bible New Testament. ... God is victorious! Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... Philippians redirects here. ...

Objections to the doctrine

The primary objection lodged against the doctrine is that such teaching will lead to license. That is, objectors contend that if people know they can never lose their salvation they will feel free to sin without fear of eternal consequences.

Traditional Calvinists contend that this charge is justly leveled against the non-tradition doctrine, which doesn't see sanctification as a necessary component of salvation, and in the controversy over Lordship salvation, traditional Calvinists themselves argued against the proponents of the non-traditional doctrine. Traditional Calvinists themselves, and many other non-Calvinist evangelicals, posit that a truly converted heart will necessarily follow after God and live in accordance with his precepts, though perfection is not achievable, struggles with sin will continue, and some temporary "backsliding" may occur. Lordship salvation is a controversial teaching in Christian theology which maintains that good works are a necessary consequence of being justified before God. ...

The Arminian View

Main article: Conditional preservation of the saints

The central tenet of the Arminian view is that believers are preserved from all external forces that might attempt to separate them from God but that these same believers can themselves willingly repudiate their faith. Thus, their salvation is conditional on remaining faithful. The term Conditional Preservation of the Saints is used to describe the belief that a Christians salvation can be lost. ...

Traditional Calvinists do not dispute that salvation requires faithfulness, and the point of difference between these Calvinists and Arminians is over whether God allows true Christians to fall away. Non-traditional Calvinists agree with traditional Calvinists that salvation cannot be lost but with the Arminians that true Christians can finally repudiate their faith.

The Roman Catholic view

Calvinists, in common with most other Protestant groups, rely on sola scriptura, a doctrine which sees the authority of tradition as derivative and secondary, rather than on par, with that of the Bible, whereas the Roman Catholic interpretation of the Bible rests on the teaching of the Magisterium. Thus, Catholics often argue against the doctrine of perseverance because it seems to originate outside the received tradition of the Church. During the Counter-Reformation, Jansenist Catholics put forth an alternate understanding of the accepted tradition and especially of St. Augustine's doctrines of original sin and predestination, but the Jansenist interpretation of the scriptures and tradition, which naturally results in a doctrine of perseverance similar to the Calvinist's, was ultimately rejected by the Church. Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Sola scriptura (Latin By Scripture alone) is one of five important slogans of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. ... The word Bible refers to the canonical collections of sacred writings of Judaism and Christianity. ... Magisterium (from the Latin magister: master) is a technical ecclesiastical term in Catholicism referring to the Pope and those Bishops who are directly under his supervision. ... The Counter-Reformation or the Catholic Reformation was a strong reaffirmation of the doctrine and structure of the Catholic Church, climaxing at the Council of Trent, partly in reaction to the growth of Protestantism. ... Jansenism was a branch of Catholic thought tracing itself back to Cornelius Otto Jansen (1585 – 1638), a Flemish theologian. ... For the first Archbishop of Canterbury, see Saint Augustine of Canterbury. ... Michelangelos painting of the sin of Adam and Eve (the Fall) According to Christian tradition, original sin is the general condition of sinfulness (lack of holiness) into which human beings are born (Psalm 51:5[1]). Original sin is also called hereditary sin, birth sin, or person sin. ... Predestination is a religious idea, under which the relationship between the beginning of things and the destiny of things is discussed. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ...

The twenty-second Canon of the Decree Concerning Justification of the Council of Trent (Sixth Session, 13 January 1547) has this to say regarding perseverance: "If anyone says that the one justified either can without the special help of God persevere in the justice received, or that with that help he cannot, let him be anathema." The Catholic Encyclopedia describes the doctrine as synergistic (rather than monergistic): "[T]he power of perseverance is neither in the human will alone nor in God's grace solely, but in the combination of both, i.e., Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace." The Council of Trent is the Nineteenth Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. ... The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by The Encyclopedia Press. ...

The Catholic view differs from that of the Calvinists less than it may first appear, for Calvinists claim that they do not reduce man to a volitionless puppet and can thus agree that, after regeneration, divine grace aids human will and human will cooperates with that grace (compare Phil. 2:12b-13). The point of distinction is in whether God permits men to "fall away." Roman Catholics affirm that they can, and Calvinists, as described above, deny that they can if they are truly regenerate because, it is claimed, God keeps them from it.

References

Traditional Calvinist view

• Thomas R. Schreiner & Ardel B. Caneday (2001). The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance. Inter-Varsity Press. (ISBN 0-8308-1555-4)
• D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Romans 8:17-39: The Final Perseverance of the Saints. Banner of Truth Trust. ISBN 0-85151-231-3
• A. W. Pink (2001). Eternal Security. Sovereign Grace Pub. ISBN 1-58960-195-5

The Banner of Truth Trust is an evangelical and Reformed Christian publishing house founded in 1957 by Iain Murray and Jack Cullum. ...

Non-traditional Calvinist view

• Charles Stanley (1990). Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?. Nelson Books. ISBN 0-8407-9095-3
• Robert N. Wilkin (2005). Secure and Sure: Grasping the Promises of God. Grace Evangelical Society. ISBN 0-9641392-7-8
• Joseph C. Dillow (1992). The Reign of the Servant Kings: A Study of Eternal Security and the Final Significance of Man. Schoettle Publishing Co. ISBN 1-56453-095-7

Arminian view

• Fidelis Nwaka. The Absurdity of Eternal Security Doctrine. ISBN 1-4134-0452-9
• Timothy Williams. Bad Fruit: The Result of Once Saved Always Saved. ISBN 1-57921-556-4
• Daniel Corner. The Believer's Conditional Security: Eternal Security Refuted. ISBN 0-9639076-8-9
• Daniel Corner. The Myth of Eternal Security. ISBN 0-9639076-6-2
• Benny Prince. Once Saved, Always?: The False Doctrine Of Eternal Security. ISBN 1-4184-9855-6

Multiple views

• J. Matthew Pinson, ed. (2002). Four Views on Eternal Security. Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-23439-5

External links

Traditional Calvinist view

• "The Perseverance of the Saints", chapter 14 from The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination by Loraine Boettner
• "The Perseverance of the Saints" by Michael Bremmer
• "The Perseverance of The Saints" by Gise J. Van Baren
• "Perseverance of the Saints" by GotQuestions.org
• "Perseverance of the Saints" by Arthur C. Custance
• "The Perseverance of the Saints" - an article from Affirmation and Critique: A Journal of Christian Thought, published by Living Stream Ministry, showing the differences and similarities between Arminian and Calvinist viewpoints on the perseverance of the saints while arguing for assurance of salvation.

Loraine Boettner (1901-03-07 to 1990-01-03) was an anti-Catholic American theologian who wrote books on Predestination, Roman Catholicism, the Trinity, Postmillennialism and Reformed Theology. ... Living Stream Ministry (LSM), founded in 1968, is a non-profit publisher of the works of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and is a member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (since 2002) and the Christian Booksellers Association (since 1981). ...

Non-traditional Calvinist view

• "Eternal Security" by Charles Stanley
• "Eternal Security" by Frederick E. Lewis (in PDF format)
• "Eternal Security" by George Groce

There have been several people called Charles Stanley: Charles Stanley (chess player), US chess player Charles Stanley (Lord of Man), Lord of the Isle of Man 1660_1672 Charles Stanley (Governor of the Isle of Man), Governor of the Isle of Man 1702-03 and 1715 Charles Stanley (radio evangelist), US... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ...

Arminian view

• Sermon #46: "The Wilderness State" by John Wesley
• Sermon #86: "A Call to Backsliders" by John Wesley
• Is Perseverance in Faith Necessary to Obtain Final Salvation? by Steve Witzki
• The Inadequate Historical Precedent for "Once Saved, Always Saved" by Steve Witzki