I don't know how good that book is. I was looking for an image that represented the Calvinist Caste System and a picture of that book came up.
Calvinism is Gospel !
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brightfame52
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To ‘preach’ Christ, but not make mention of those for whom He died, the elect of God who have been entrusted to Him, is to be silent about what exactly Christ has done in and through His death. THE MERE MENTION OF CHRIST’S DEATH OBLIGATES THE PREACHER TO STATE WHO HE DIED FOR. A statement like ‘He died for sinners’ will not cut it, because a person can think that this means He died for everyone. Saying, ‘His death atoned for sin’, also falls well short of the mark of what it is to preach Christ and Him crucified—what Christ has done by His death—because it can leave the hearer to think that Christ has atoned for everyone’s sins and that salvation cannot take place unless a person makes his choice for Christ. The proper and only way to preach Christ aright is to state clearly that He died for the elect of God, that He paid the penalty for their sins that were imputed to Him, and that His Righteousness is/will be imputed to them. Anything short of this is to NOT preach Christ!https://www.godsonlygospel.com/the-doctrines-of-the-gospel-part-5
brightfame52
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A Short Explanation and Defense of the Doctrines of Grace
(Also Known As Calvinism)
(05/08/97)
by Grover Gunn
GRACE AND SALVATION
What is the grace of God? The Greek word translated grace has as its root idea the concept of bringing joy and gladness through gifts. The Apostle Paul uses this word to refer to the unmerited and freely given favor and mercy, which God bestows upon the sinner in salvation. Through this grace, the sinner is delivered from sin and judgment. This grace, though freely given, is precious and costly, for its basis is the saving work of Jesus Christ. A salvation that is received by grace is the very opposite of a salvation that is earned by working or by obeying the law of God. A person who is saved by grace has no basis for boasting in his salvation for he has done nothing to earn or merit it. The gospel of grace is the only true gospel. Those who teach a salvation that is earned or merited through obedience of any sort have to some degree fallen from the teachings of grace into legalism.
What is the relationship of God's grace to salvation? There are three possible answers to this question. A few argue that there is no grace in salvation. Some maintain that salvation is mostly of grace. And others say that salvation is all of grace.
The position that salvation is not at all a gracious gift from God but a human achievement based on personal goodness and moral self-effort is characteristic of pagan religion and philosophy. Early in church history, a British monk named Pelagius tried to teach pagan moralism as Christian doctrine. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic, and his system was labeled Pelagianism. In Pelagianism, the saving work of Christ is not necessary; a man can save himself by leading a good and moral life. Yet even the Pelagian claims to teach a salvation by grace. According to the Pelagian, it is only by the grace of God that he was created as a man, a noble creature with the moral ability to earn heaven, and not as a frog or a rock. When the Pelagian speaks of the grace associated with salvation, he is referring to the grace of creation which is common to all men. When the orthodox Christian talks about salvation by grace, he is referring to the special grace of God which is based upon the work of Christ and which saves undeserving sinners.
There are many systems that teach that salvation is mostly of grace but not all of grace. The most common of these are semi-pelagianism and Arminianism. What is common to all these systems is the idea that the work of Christ has only made salvation a possibility for all but not a finished reality for any. God has done His part, and now those who are willing to do their part will be saved. In these systems, although God has the major role in salvation, it is the human contribution to salvation that turns the point and makes the difference between heaven and hell. Where these various systems differ is in defining the human contribution that results in salvation. It can be one or any combination of a number of spiritual acts and attitudes, such as nonresistance to the Holy Spirit, cooperation with the Holy Spirit, faith, works, obedience, perseverance, baptism, church membership, etc. In these systems, the saving work of Christ is necessary for salvation but not sufficient. The sinner must supplement the work of Christ to obtain salvation.
The doctrines of grace are the teaching that salvation is all of grace. The saving work of Christ is both necessary and sufficient to save sinners. In this system, it is the cross of Christ without compromise which makes the difference between heaven and hell. There is no room for any boasting whatsoever. The Calvinist looks at others who have rejected Jesus Christ and who remain in bondage to sin and says, "There but for the grace of God go I." The Calvinist recognizes that he did not turn the point in his salvation. He did not respond to the gospel in faith because of any natural goodness or wisdom which sets him apart from others. All the glory goes to Jesus Christ, for He has done it all. Even the ability to come to Christ in saving faith is a gift based upon the cross of Calvary. At the cross, Christ purchased for His people deliverance from the spirit of unbelief. Through His resurrection, He secured for His people the spiritual life which enables them to savingly believe. When a sinner is converted in response to the preaching of the gospel, it is because Christ has poured out His Holy Spirit upon him to apply to his heart the saving power of Christ's death and resurrection.
The doctrines of grace are the teaching that Jesus came into this world to save sinners. Jesus saves sinners. It is not that Jesus saves sinners when given the proper help. Jesus and only Jesus does the work of salvation. Jesus saves sinners. It is not that Jesus potentially saves or makes salvation possible. Jesus actually saves and completely saves. His work is a finished work that needs no rounding out or filling in. Jesus saves sinners. It is not that Jesus has made salvation a possibility for all but a finished accomplishment for no one. Jesus came to earth to make salvation a reality for specific individual sinners.
The doctrines of grace are usually discussed in terms of five separate doctrines which are called the five points of Calvinism. There is independent Scriptural support for each of the five points, and the five points are logically related such than any one of them implies the other four. The five points are easily remembered with the help of the acronym TULIP: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace and Perseverance of the saints. https://www.scionofzion.com/grace3.htm
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The moment a man or woman repents and believed the gospel, not some acronym, their standing before God is completely changed forever. They are justified by faith and have obtained peace with God. As the Scriptures declare, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
Well what about the chosen?
The chosen are obviously among the invited, but the invited are not always chosen. Those chosen are those who have humbled themselves and obeyed through faith the gospel of God. It is God's will to choose those of faith who follow His commandment of the gospel.
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Revelation 17:14
In Revelation 17:14, you can see clearly what confirms your salvation. You were the called, and you accepted the call and thus were the chosen of God. You confirmed your acceptance of the invitation by being faithful to the end.
Using klesis (the call), kletos (the called/the invited), and eklektos (the chosen) would look like this:
The call of God has gone out to all men, but not all except the call; they are the invited to receive the promises of God, but not all except the invitation. The faithful are His chosen who will presently obtain the inheritance.
Well what about the chosen?
The chosen are obviously among the invited, but the invited are not always chosen. Those chosen are those who have humbled themselves and obeyed through faith the gospel of God. It is God's will to choose those of faith who follow His commandment of the gospel.
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Revelation 17:14
In Revelation 17:14, you can see clearly what confirms your salvation. You were the called, and you accepted the call and thus were the chosen of God. You confirmed your acceptance of the invitation by being faithful to the end.
Using klesis (the call), kletos (the called/the invited), and eklektos (the chosen) would look like this:
The call of God has gone out to all men, but not all except the call; they are the invited to receive the promises of God, but not all except the invitation. The faithful are His chosen who will presently obtain the inheritance.
brightfame52
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That acronym happens to be another gospel.
The Bible says, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed”. Galatians 1:6–8
When we choose to believe in Jesus Christ His election becomes our election. In as much as the ability to believe the gospel is a gift, we have been given the GRACE to choose to believe when we have been confronted with the truth.
We as believers are steward of the gospel message, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, God calls upon us to guard this treasure that has been entrusted to us. If we are to be faithful stewards, we must be absorbed in the study of the real gospel, take great pains to understand its truths, and pledge ourselves to guard its contents. In doing so, we will ensure salvation both for ourselves and for those who hear us.
By faith, God puts us in union with Christ. We are baptized into Christ by God's will, not our own will. God has elected to choose those of faith to be in Christ, and thus be covered with Christ and His work. Christ is the Elect One, and those who have obeyed the gospel are His body, and are “elect” because we are in Him. When we are joined to Christ by the work of the Father, through our faith.
The Bible says, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed”. Galatians 1:6–8
When we choose to believe in Jesus Christ His election becomes our election. In as much as the ability to believe the gospel is a gift, we have been given the GRACE to choose to believe when we have been confronted with the truth.
We as believers are steward of the gospel message, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, God calls upon us to guard this treasure that has been entrusted to us. If we are to be faithful stewards, we must be absorbed in the study of the real gospel, take great pains to understand its truths, and pledge ourselves to guard its contents. In doing so, we will ensure salvation both for ourselves and for those who hear us.
By faith, God puts us in union with Christ. We are baptized into Christ by God's will, not our own will. God has elected to choose those of faith to be in Christ, and thus be covered with Christ and His work. Christ is the Elect One, and those who have obeyed the gospel are His body, and are “elect” because we are in Him. When we are joined to Christ by the work of the Father, through our faith.
brightfame52
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Calvinism makes claims that cannot hold the weight of biblical evidence and so must make readjustments to their false claims. One of the readjustments is asserting a different gospel. But the counterevidence does not go away just because the Calvinist asserts a different kind of gospel.
Calvinism is not the Gospel.
Calvinism is not the Gospel.
brightfame52
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T.U.L.I.P.
By David N. Steele & Curtis C. ThomasThe Five Points of Calvinism
Total Depravity
Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature; therefore, he will not–indeed he cannot–choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ–it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man 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.
(Genesis 2:15-17, Romans 5:12, Psalm 51:5, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 3:10-18, Jeremiah 17:9, John 6:44, Ephesians 2:1-10) https://reformedbaptistdaily.wordpress.com/t-u-l-i-p/
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