In Calvinism there are five points that make up the acronym T.U.L.I.P. The “I” in T.U.L.I.P. stands for irresistible grace. The thought behind irresistible grace is that God’s grace is so irresistible that those that are chosen by God to receive salvation are incapable of resisting His grace. This says that if you are not saved then you were not chosen by God for salvation. Only the elect feel the effects of irresistible grace and those who are not the elect will live their lives without feeling God’s grace in their lives. “To put it simply, irresistible grace refers to the Scriptural truth that whatever God decrees to happen will surely happen, including the salvation of individuals. The Holy Spirit will work in the lives of the elect so that they will unavoidably come to faith in Christ.”(1. Jeffrey D. Hagan TULIP: IRRESISTIBLE GRACE) In Calvinism this is one of the most easily understood point in T.U.L.I.P. Most Calvinists have debates about the other points but almost all believe in irresistible grace.
The Calvinist belief in irresistible grace is that God sent His Son to die for the elect, and only they will feel the mighty power of His grace. They use verses from scripture to help prove and emphasize their point. They use John 6:37,39: "All that the Father gives me will come to me.... And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given me, but raise it up on the last day." to help them explain that God saves the elect. “A Calvinist, Loraine Boettner, says, "A man is not saved because he believes in Christ; he believes in Christ because he is saved," says Gene Taylor”But in the Bible, salvation always follows belief, faith always precedes salvation.”(2. Calvinism V: Irresistible Grac...
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...se people have for His grace.” (5http://www.truthmagazine.com/calvinism-iv-irresistible-grace, Calvinism (IV) Irresistible Grace) This is saying that GOd never gave us free will when it comes to salvation, but He just decides who. Irresistible grace does not stand up when tested by actual biblical research. If irresistible grace were real then there is no reason for us to live any different from the rest of the world.
Works Cited
1. Hagan, Jeffery. TULIP: IRRESISTIBLE GRACE (Part 5 of 6). Website: Booksie.com, 2014
2. Gene Taylor. Calvinism V: Irresistible Grace. http://www.centervilleroad.com/articles/calvinism-5.html
3. R.L.Dabney. The Five Points of Calvinism, http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/dabney/5points.htm#i
4. Irresistible Grace, http://www.gospeloutreach.net/irresistible_grace.html
5. Harry E. Ozment, “Calvinism (IV) Irresistible Grace,” June 13, 1974
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