The Doctrines of Grace in Scripture

The Doctrines of Grace in Scripture

by Robert Tuttle
The Doctrines of Grace, also known as The Five Points of Calvinism, or simply the acronym
T.U.L.I.P., are what many people consider to be the basis of Calvinism, or Reformed Theology. And
while it is true that Reformed Theology does contain these doctrines, there is so much more to it than
just T.U.L.I.P. But for the purposes of this article, we are only concerned with those five particular
doctrines.
It is important to burst some bubbles here, and note that contrary to arguments made by the anti-
Calvinists (or more accurately the anti-John Calvin crowd), It was not John Calvin who came up with
T.U.L.I.P. In fact, the acronym itself and the doctrinal titles associated with it were not even used prior
to the twentieth century, having been pinpointed to about 1905; and, the Doctrines of Grace themselves
were not developed until the Canons of Dort in 1618-1619. But they’re all based on Calvin’s teaching,
right? Well, maybe, and maybe not. Although Calvin would certainly agree with them, and they can be
discerned within his writings; he never blatantly stated these were his beliefs.
We know that Calvin shared a lot of his teachings with other Protestant leaders such as Martin
Luther, while at the same time each of them holding many differing beliefs on various doctrines. And
one last bubble, it was not John Calvin who started Reformed theology. That particular honor goes to a
pair of what can be called proto-reformers, John Wycliffe (1330-1384) and Jan Hus (1370-1415).
Many people have a profound hatred of these five doctrines, primarily because they hate John
Calvin and "Calvinism." Such hatred, however, is actually quite irrational since all five of these
doctrines are clearly taught in Scripture, as we will soon see.
The five doctrines, which we will examine here, are, 1. Total Depravity (or Total Inability), 2.
Unconditional Election, 3. Limited Atonement (or Particular Redemption), 4. Irresistible Grace (or
Effectual Grace/Effectual Call), and 5. Perseverance/Preservation of the Saints.

Total Depravity / Total Inability

Total Depravity does not mean that all human beings are as wicked as they can possibly be. It also
does not mean that human beings are incapable of doing something good. It means that the fall was so
serious that it affects the whole person. It means that everything we say, think, and do is tainted with
sin and so we are incapable of producing one completely pure, wholesome, and good thing that will be
acceptable to God. Nothing coming from us will ever meet God’s standard of goodness. This is the
result of original sin, the sin of Adam. Although there are some who contend that original sin was
covered at the cross for all of mankind, the simple fact that everything degrades, decays, and dies is
proof positive that original sin is still inherent in everything. Scripture reiterates this over and over
again.
Genesis 6:5 John 14:17
Psalm 14:2-3 John 15:5
Psalm 51:5,10 Romans 1:18-21
Psalm 58:3 Romans 3:9-18, 23-24
Ecclesiastes 7:29 Romans 5:6,14-19
Isaiah 48:8 Romans 6:16-20
Isaiah 64:6 Romans 7:14-19

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Isaiah 65:12
Romans 8:7-8
Jeremiah 12:23
Ephesians 2:1-6
Jeremiah 13:23
Colossians 2:13-14
Jeremiah 17:9
Titus 1:15
Mark 7:21-23
1 John 1:8
John 8:31-38

Unconditional Election
Unconditional Election is the decision God freely makes, based on His own sovereign will, for His
glory and for no other reason, to save us from eternal damnation in hell, which is what our sin
demands. It is not based on anything we do, or are able to do, or will do at some point in the future.
God does not “look down the corridor of time and see that we will accept the gospel” and thus based
on our future decision choose to elect us to salvation. Our election to salvation is completely
unmerited, and was determined by God before the foundation of the world.

Exodus 6:7
1 Corinthians 1:18,24
Deuteronomy 7:6
1 Corinthians 2:7,14
Deuteronomy 10:14-15
2 Corinthians 2:15
Psalms 65:4
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 cf 3:14-15
Isaiah 43:10-11, 20-21
Galatians 1:15
Malachi 3:16-18
Ephesians 1:4-5,11
Matthew 22:14
2 Thessalonians 2:13
John 6:37-40
2 Timothy 1:9
John 10:14-16,26-29
Titus 1:1-2
John 10:26-29, cf John 6:37-40
Titus 2:14
John 17:1-3,9,24
James 1:18
John 15:16
Hebrews 2:13
Acts 2:38-39
1 Peter 2:6-9
Acts 13:48
2 Peter 1:3-4
Romans 8:29-30, 33-34
Revelation 13:8
Romans 9:11-12,15-18
Revelation 17:8
Romans 11:5-7 (8-10)

Limited Atonement / Particular Redemption

Limited atonement, also known as particular redemption, is the biblical teaching that Jesus died a
propitiatory death and atoned only for the elect (those chosen for salvation by God) and not for every
person that has ever lived or will live. For if Jesus atoned for everyone, then no one would be in hell
and everyone goes to heaven (Universalism). If He atoned for everyone, and any are in hell being
punished for, or “working off” their sins (as some Universalists and Romanists believe), then His

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atonement is insufficient for all and He failed. Therefore, only the doctrine of Limited Atonement is
actually in agreement with the Word of God.

Matthew 1:21
John 17:2,9-10
Matthew 11:27
Acts 15:14
John 3:16-18
Hebrews 7:25-16
John 10:11,14-18,26-29
Isaiah 53:8
John 14:21-24
John 6:35-40
John 17:6,9
John 1:12
Acts 3:48
John 12:37-40
Titus 2:14
Acts 10:40-41
Psalm 85:2
Romans 11:7
John 5:21
Revelation 5:9
Mark 14:24
Ephesians 5:25-26
Acts 20:28

Irresistible Grace / Effectual Grace / Effectual Call

Irresistible grace does not mean that God’s grace is incapable of being resisted. Indeed, we are
capable of resisting God’s grace, and we do resist it. The idea is that God’s grace is so powerful that it
has the capacity to overcome our natural resistance to it. It is not that the Holy Spirit drags people
kicking and screaming to Christ against their wills. The Holy Spirit changes the inclination and
disposition of our wills, so that whereas we were previously unwilling to embrace Christ, now we are
willing, and more than willing. Indeed, we aren’t dragged to Christ, we run to Christ, and we embrace
Him joyfully because the Spirit has changed our hearts.

Psalm 65:4
Philippians 1:6,29
John 6:37-39,44-46,65
Isaiah 55:11
Romans 11:5-6
John 1:12-13
Romans 8:14,28,30
Romans 9:15-18
Ephesians 2:1-5,8-10
Hebrews 9:15
1 Corinthians 6:11
Philippians 2:13
1 Peter 1:2-3
Acts 11:17-18
2 Timothy 1:9-10
Acts 13:48
Ezekiel 36:26-27
Acts 18:27
John 3:6
Colossians 2:13
John 5:21
Luke 14:23
Galatians 1:15-16

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Perseverance / Preservation of the Saints

There are two aspects of this doctrine. The first is that God preserves His children. He will ensure that
each one of them endures till the end and enters heaven. The other is that each true believer must
persevere until the end. They cannot simply sit by and wait on God to deliver them into the Kingdom of
Heaven. They must each endure through loving obedience to God. He will preserve, we must persevere.

Psalm 20:6
1 Corinthians 10:13
Psalm 34:22
1 Corinthians 15:10
Psalm 37:23-24,28
2 Corinthians 1:22
Psalm 94:14
2 Corinthians 5:5
Psalm 121:1-8
Ephesians 1:13-14
Ecclesiastes 3:14
Ephesians 2:4-6
Isaiah 46:3-4
Ephesians 4:30
Jeremiah 32:39-40 cf 2 Sam.
23:5; Luke 22:20
Ephesians 5:25
Jeremiah 50:20 Philippians 1:6 cf Psalm
138:8
Matthew 24:24
Philippians 3:20-21
Mark 13:22
Colossians 1:13
John 3:18
1 Thessalonians 5:9
John 3:36
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
John 5:24
2 Thessalonians 3:3
John 6:35-40,44,51
2 Timothy 1:9,12
John 10:27-29
2 Timothy 4:18
John 14:19
Hebrews 6:17-19
John 17:2,6,9,11-12,24
Hebrews 7:25
Romans 4:8
Hebrews 10:10,14
Romans 5:9
Hebrews 12:2
Romans 6:14
Hebrews 13:5
Romans 8:1, 28-39
Hebrews 13:20-21
Romans 9:6-8
1 Peter 1:3-5
Romans 9:22-23
1 John 3:9
Romans 11:29
1 John 5:4-5
Romans 14:4
1 John 5:11-13
Romans 16:25
Jude 1:1,24
1 Corinthians 1:6-8

Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the
Savior of the body.” If the Christian can be lost, then Christ would be without His wife. Does Christ
then authorize divorce, so that He can divorce His bride?

Ephesians 5:30, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” If the Christian
can be lost, then Christ would be in eternity with a mutilated body.

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John 14:16, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with
you forever” Does God abide with the Christian who becomes lost and thus an unbeliever? Does
God abide with an unbeliever?
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Now, some critics of the Doctrines of Grace, will inevitable counter by claiming I am just cherry
picking. The definition of cherry picking is using only specific verses to support a belief or doctrine,
while ignoring other verses that are clearly teaching the opposite. However, there are no clear or
explicit passages anywhere in Scripture that refute the Doctrines of Grace. None. It is true there are
some unclear passages that seem to refute them, that seem to teach an Arminian position, but in these
instances we must remember one of the cardinal rules of Bible interpretation: Scripture interprets
Scripture! This means we use the clear and explicit passages to interpret the unclear passages, or
passages that seem to imply an opposite understanding than the explicit understanding found in the
clear passages. In many (if not most) cases, when the unclear passage is read in its full context, it then
becomes clear that it is in line with the clear passages found elsewhere.
I hope you have found this brief essay helpful in developing a better understanding of the Doctrines
of Grace, and that it will help you to defend them against the ever growing onslaught against them.