By Corey Richardson
You have most likely encountered this teaching without even knowing it. Calvinism is taught throughout the Southern Baptist Denomination which is the largest protestant denomination in the United States. It is also taught in the Presbyterian denomination and the Reformed Baptist Denominations. Many popular Bible teachers and authors adhere to this teaching including men like: John Piper, John MacArthur, D. James Kennedy, James White, Paul Washer, R.C. Sproul, Wayne Grudem, Voddie Baucham, Tim Keller, Alistair Begg, and many others. Calvinism is a theological framework that was first introduced by Augustine of Hippo in the fifth century, and then popularized during the Reformation with the writings of John Calvin and others. It was codified into a system described by the acrostic, TULIP. It stands for Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Many refer to this system as Reformed Theology. Calvinism has waxed and waned in popularity down through the centuries and has had an effect on most Christians, often even without knowing it. Some churches who adhere to this teaching are up front about it, but many pastors are not and teach it subtly. It is an extremely important topic to understand since it deals with such question as: Does God love everyone? Did Christ die for everyone? Can anyone be saved? Does God determine every thought, deed, and action of every person for all time? Are we truly able to make real choices? Do we have free will? Can a believer have assurance of their salvation? The practical ramifications of whether or not you hold to Calvinism in your Christian life are numerous. Like all doctrine, if it is true we should believe it and if it is false we should avoid it. Join us in this series of studies as we look into one of the most impactful ideas in all of church history.
PDF files of the powerpoint used for each lesson available for download on the lesson’s page..
