The Sovereignty of God.

“T.U.L.I.P.” (Introduction)

Our study on the Sovereign Grace of God now brings us to the most hated five letter of the alphabet to ever be studied and it is called by most “The Five Points of Sovereign Grace” some call it “Calvinism” after the pastor that systemized these five point. John Calvin lived 1509 – 1564 and is credited with two great accomplishments (1.) systemizing T.U.L.I.P. and (2.) starting the Presbyterian Church. Calvin was (to my understanding) was never a Baptist but did teach many Baptist doctrine. We do know that Calvin was part of the reformation from Catholicism which did not include the Baptist, however many but not all that exited Catholicism in the years of reformation did believe in the Sovereign Grace of God at one time, in fact if one would go back just one hundred years ago you will find many denominations believing and teaching it in their churches. The Wesley Brother believed it, Charles Spurgeon believed it, John Gill believed it, and Albert Barns believed it, as did most of the old time commentators. If you are a member of a church that does not believe and teach this doctrine chances are your Pastor studies all of these men that did believe and teach it. T.U.L.I.P. is not a new doctrine that the Baptist pulled out of the air as most biblical teaching in churches today are teaching, but rather it has been around since Jesus taught all five point in John 6:32 – 71 and His teaching was rejected then also. John 6:61 “When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?” Because Jesus has just told them “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44

The five letter that make up T.U.L.I.P. are defined as follows “T” is Total Depravity – “U” is Unconditional Election - “L” is Limited Atonement – “I” is Irresistible Grace – and the “P” is Perseverance of the Saints. These are not new teachings but rather are as old as Jesus is. I know there are a lot of men that will claim these teachings are old and untrue but they are scriptural, which is more than we can say about the teachings being taught in most churches today. Each of the letters has a great lesson to be learned and teaches us so much about the Sovereign Grace of God. So as we look at each letter please take note of all of the scripture references that I give and learn about so much that you very well may not know about today. I understand that the two most rejected and most despised are the “L” Limited Atonement and the “I” Irresistible Grace because they cancel out the Arminian teachings of today of “salvation is all up to you”, “you control your own destiny”, “it is your choice”, which all of these are non-scriptural based making them mans doctrine and not Gods. God never promise to save all mankind and God never promised to love all people, but He did promise to save some and to forever love them that He chose to save before the foundation of the world. Next week we will began our study with “T” - Total Depravity - Everyone is born in a state of corruption as a result of original sin. And - Humankind's entire nature, including its reason, is corrupt or sinful as a result of the fall and that people are therefore completely dependent on God for regeneration. – Mankind will never on their own seek to choose God over sin; neither will they on their own ever seek to decide to be saved. Romans 3:11 - 12 “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12.) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”