Calvinism: Introduction

Knowing God

In knowing God, each of us also knows himself.

So begins the French version of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion (1560).  We are meant to know God, and in so doing, we can know ourselves.  Paschal went a little further: 

Apart from Jesus Christ, we do not know what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves.

The reverse is certainly not true.  We do not come to know God merely by introspection.  His point is not that man exactly knows God when he knows himself, as if man is divine.  His point is that once a person knows himself, he can begin to desire and seek the knowledge of Someone higher, that is, God.  Calvin phrases the Latin version of 1559 this way (obviously in translation):

Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God.

His point is that knowledge of self and knowledge of God are "interrelated".  "Thus, from the feeling of our own ignorance, vanity, poverty, infirmity, and--what is more--depravity and corruption, we recognize that the true light of the wisdom, sound virtue, full abundance of every good work, and purity of righteousness rest in the Lord alone. To this extent we are prompted by our own ills to contemplate the good things of God: and we cannot seriously aspire to him before we begin to become displeased with ourselves." [pp.36-37]

If Greek educational philosophy began with the Delphian oracle's prophecy "Know thyself", it must be concluded in the Biblical prophecy, "Ye shall all know the Lord!" [Hosea 2:20]  For I believe self-knowledge is usually the quickest route to depression and misery.  However, to know God is life and peace.  "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." [Rom 8:6  KJV]

God's Sovereignty

Many have argued that there is quite a lot more to Calvinism than the "Five Points".  Probably the most often mentioned doctrine Calvin stressed that is omitted from the 5 "T-U-L-I-P" points is the sovereignty of God, for which some have changed the acronym from TULIP to TULIPS.  STULIP is proposed by James White (I believe), because he argues that God's sovereignty is the leading, underlying, over-arching, and governing doctrine.

The  Five Points of Calvinism

The so-called "five points of Calvinism" were the response to the teachings of Jacob Arminius, who had studied in Geneva under Calvin's successor, Theodore Beza. In 1610 Arminius and 45 other ministers published a so-called Remonstranc, which essentially stated the opposite of the 5 points of Calvinism.  As a reminder, they are:

Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement)
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints (once saved always saved)

What the Remonstance states is, in sum [1]:

Article 1:  Conditional election:  This article rejects the concept that election into Christ is unconditional. Rather, this article asserts that election is conditional upon faith in Christ, and that God elects to salvation those He knows beforehand will have faith in Him.

Article 2:  Unlimited atonement:  This article rejects the concept of limited atonement, which asserts that Christ only died for those God chooses to be saved. This article assert that Christ died for all, but that salvation is limited to those who believe in Christ.

Article 3:  Total depravity:  This article affirms the total depravity of man, that man is unable to do the will of God, and cannot save himself, apart from the grace of God. [2]

Article 4:  Prevenient grace:  This article rejects the concept of irresistible grace, contending that mankind has the free will to resist to the prevenient grace of God.

Article 5:  Conditional preservation of the saints:  This article rather than outright rejecting the notion of perseverance of the saints, argues that it may be conditional upon the believer remaining in Christ. The writers explicitly stated that they were not sure on this point, and that further study was needed. However, sometime between 1610, and the official proceeding of the Synod of Dort (1618), the Remonstrants became fully persuaded in their minds that the Scriptures taught that a true believer was capable of falling away from faith and perishing eternally as an unbeliever.

The Remonstrants submitted their views to the Dutch National Synod, and it was rejected at the Synod of Dort in 1618.

The next sections will summarize the Sovereignty of God, and the Five Points, in that order. 

Further Study

The best way to study Calvinism is to read Calvin.  Most people don't have the time for such an undertaking. My copy of his Institutes comprises over 1500 pages.  I have not read it all, but only a few chapters.

The second-best way to study Calvinism is to listen to preachers who adhere to Reformed Doctrine, such as Martyn Lloyd-Jones, or to read writers who understand Calvin, such as James White and R.C. Sproul.

[1] From Wikipedia article Five Articles of Remonstrance.
[2] The view of Total Depravity held by Calvinists and Arminians differs due to the disparities between irresistible grace and prevenient grace.