The Five Points of Calvinism or the Doctrines of the Reformed Faith.
These five points did not originate with John Calvin; he only emphasized teachings as written in the Holy Bible.
The Doctrines of the Reformed Faith were actually issued by the Synod of Dort, Holland. This synod was held during 1618 and 1619 (54 years after John Calvin's death) to answer the false teachings promulgated by Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch theologian, who advocated the supremacy of human free will; that a person's response of God's offer is the ultimate determining factor in receiving salvation.
This belief contradicts Biblical teachings that a person's will is bound by their sinfulness and that the salvation process from the beginning to end was the product of God's grace alone, not of human works or free will.
Since Arminius' teachings were listed in 5 points, the Synod of Dort responded with a point by point rejection. The Five Points of Calvinism or the Doctrines of the Reformed Faith are also known by the acronym TULIP:
Total Depravity – "As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 3:10-18
Because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, (the original sin) a person is unable by themself to believe the Gospel. The sinner is dead, blind and deaf to the things of God; their heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. Their will is not free; it is in bondage to their evil nature; therefore, they will not--rather cannot--choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently it takes regeneration, by which the Holy Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives them a new nature. Faith is not something a person contributes to salvation, but is itself a part of God's gift of salvation; it is God's gift to the sinner, not the sinner's gift to God. (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; Jeremiah 13:23; Psalm 51:5).
Unconditional Election – "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:44.
"For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will -- to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves." Ephesians 1:4-6.
God's choice of certain individuals to salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response of obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause, of God's choice. Election therefore was not determined by or conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Holy Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus God's choice of the sinner--not the sinner's choice of Christ--is the ultimate cause of salvation. (Acts 13:48; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 9:10-18; Titus.3:4-7; Romans 11:4-7; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29; Romans 8:28-29; John 10:26-27; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31; 1 Corinthians 4:7; John 6:65; Romans 9:6-7,16,22-24; Philippians 1:28-29).
Limited Atonement – "Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." John 10:25-29.
Christ's redeeming work was intended to save the elect only, and actually secured salvation for them. His death was the substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to washing away the sins of His people, Christ's redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation; including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Holy Spirit to all for whom Christ died, therefore guaranteeing their salvation. (Luke 19:10 note to save, not to make possible; Isaiah 53:8; John 10:10-11,14-18; Mark 10:45; Luke 1:68; Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:28; Galatians 1:3-4; Matthew 1:21; Acts 20:28).
Irresistible Grace – "For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." Romans 9:15-16.
In addition to the outward general call to salvation (which is made to everyone who hears the Gospel), the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be--and often is--rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call, the Holy Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man's will, nor is He dependent upon man's cooperation for success. The Holy Spirit causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God's grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended. (Romans 9:16; Philippians 2:12-13; James 1:18; 1Corinthians 1:1-2,23-29; Romans 8:30; John 6:37,44-45,64-65; Acts 13:48).
Perseverance of the Saints – "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." 1 Corinthians 1:7-9
All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Holy Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end. (Matthew 4:24; Mark 13:22; John 6:47; Romans 8:1,29-32,35,37-39; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 10:14; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 2:19; Philippians 1:6; Jude 24-25).
According to this doctrine articulated by John Calvin as written in the Holy Bible, salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the triune God: the Father chose His people, the Son died for them, and the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance and causing them to willingly obey the Gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by His grace alone. It is God, not people that determine who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.
Presbyterians believe that at the second advent of Christ, He is personally and visibly going to return to earth again (Acts 1:11) for the purpose of judging the living and the dead and for perfecting the salvation of His people. (1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; John 5:22,27; Romans 2:26; 2 Timothy 4:1; Philippians 3:20; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2:1-12; Titus 2:13-14, 2 Peter 3:10-13).
