Doctrines of Grace Acrostic from Roger Nicole, 6 Points

   WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

Grace -                                      God has freely given us His love and has powerfully drawn us to Himself; when we deserve His punishment for our sin.  We are saved because He bestowed His loving favor on us, giving us the opposite of what we deserve.

Original Sin -                             (or Omnipresent Depravity) Depravity is Radical and Pervasive.  It has affected all of man's body and soul, including his will, mind, and emotions.

Sovereign Selection -                God has selected some people out of the sea of lost humanity from every people group, this choice being based only on His own good pleasure, glory, and His Sovereign will.  See Abstract of Principles, # 5.

Particular Redemption -            (Definite Redemption) Christ's Substitutionary death was particularly intended and planned for His people.  It actually accomplished the full redemption of everyone who will trust in Christ.  His death paid the price in full for all our sins, past, present, and future, including our unbelief.

Effectual Grace -                       Everyone whom the Holy Spirit draws to Christ, comes to Him.  It is Grace that works every time and can not fail.  The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to the people of God.

Lasting Grace -                         God’s people are kept by the power of God from departing from Him.  Furthermore, He will not abandon us at any time or for any reason.  God is the One who perseveres, His grace lasts forever.  Everyone who has been chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and drawn by the Holy Spirit will persevere to the end.   
              

These beliefs drive one to be involved in evangelism and missions.

 adapted from a message by Dr. Roger Nicole

TULIPER 7 Points of Calvinism - Richard P. Belcher, SR.

TULIP-ER

Total Depravity (or total inability): The unbeliever is in bondage to Satan and is incapable of exercising his will freely to turn to Christ. Man is beyond all self—help because he is ‘dead in his trespasses and sin.̓ (This is not absolute depravity as everyone could be worse.) Man is “as bad off” spiritually as he can be and is naturally in rebellion against God.

Unconditional Election: Before the foundation of the world, God chose certain individuals out of His free grace and love and by His sovereign will. His choice was not based on any foreseen response, obedience, faith, repentance, or any condition, but according to His unchangeable purpose, secret counsel, and the good pleasure of His will.

Limited Atonement (definite atonement or particular redemption): “Christ died to save particular persons who were given Him by the Father in eternity past. His death was, therefore, a one hundred percent success, in that all for whom He died will be saved, and all for whom He did not die will receive 'justice' from God when they are cast into hell.” (D. E. Spencer) The intention of the atonement was for the elect and it actually obtained salvation for them.

Irresistible Grace (or effectual call): Salvation is based on God̓s free will and because God is all—powerful (omnipotent),, His grace cannot be resisted. “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” (made to anyone) “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.” (Loraine Boettner)

Perseverance of the Saints: Every individual who was chosen by Cod, redeemed by Christ, regenerated and given faith by the Holy Spirit will persevere to the end. Once truly believing, always persevering. Their assurance and trust will remain in Christ̓s finished work and in the promise that ‘salvation is of the Lord.̓ God will keep His sheep that He brings into His fold. His sheep have a love for the Savior, a hatred of sin, and a growth in holiness.

Evangelism: All believers must share the Gospel with the lost. We are commissioned by Christ to bring the gospel to everyone in our world. All people groups must be discipled. God ordains both the means and the ends. The people of God and the Word of God are key means to spreading the gospel to every people group on the earth and establishing a church among each people group to further the work of the gospel. Missions must be our heartbeat and it is not optional.

Responsibility: The Bible holds all men responsible to repent, believe, and turn from their rebellion to the Lord Christ. All people are without excuse for ignoring general revelations and special revelation. Believers are responsible to follow Jesus fully, including to be witnesses for Him to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Several Older Baptist Confessions on the Doctrine of Election

 Abstract of Principles, 1858 Southern Seminary

V.  Election

Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life — not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ — in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, adopted in 1744 as the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, latter adopted as the Charleston Association Confession of Faith in SC.

1. God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever come to pass; ¹ yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;² nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; ³ in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.⁴

1. Isa. 46:10; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 6:17; Rom. 9:15, 18.

2. Jas. 1:13; 1 John 1:5.

3. Acts 4:27-28; John 19:11.

4. Num. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5.

2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions,⁵ yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.⁶

5. Acts 15:18.

6. Rom. 9:11, 13, 16, 18.

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestined, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ,⁷ to the praise of His glorious grace;⁸ others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.⁹

7. 1 Tim. 5:21; Mt 25:34.

8. Eph. 1:5-6.

9. Rom. 9:22-23; Jude 4.

4. These angels and men thus predestined and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.¹⁰

10. 2 Tim. 2:19; John 13:18.

5. Those of mankind that are predestined to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love,¹¹ without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto. ¹²

11. Eph 1:4, 9, 11; Rom. 8:30; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 Thes. 5:9.

12. Rom. 9:13, 16; Eph 2:5, 12.

6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so He hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto; ¹³ wherefore they who are elect, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,¹⁴ are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,¹⁵ and kept by His power through faith unto salvation;¹⁶ neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.¹⁷

13. 1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Thes. 2:13.

14. 1 Thes. 5:9-10.

15. Rom. 8:30; 2 Thes. 2:13.

16. 1 Pet. 1:5.

17. John 10:26; 17:9; 6:64.

7. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election;¹⁸ so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,¹⁹ reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,²⁰ diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.²¹

18. 1 Thes. 1:4-5; 2 Pet. 1:10.

19. Eph. 1:6; Rom. 11:33.

20. Rom. 11:5-6, 20.

21. Lk 10:20.