Calvinism is a system of theology that actually developed over many centuries. We must go back to the time of Augustine for a well rounded background. Augustine is given the credit of forming the ideas of irresistible grace, total depravity, and predestination. Although it must be pointed out that his ideas were exaggerated in Calvinism.

1. Augustine, early in life "abandoned himself to vicious excesses; being hurried away, to use a metaphor, by the violence of his appetites and passions." (Albert Taylor Bledsoe, A Theodicy; Or Vindication of the Divine Glory, New York: Nelson & Phillips, 1853, p. 176).

2. One day his feelings suddenly changed. He knew he could not do it by himself, so it must have been God. "Holiness, according to him, consists of a feeling of love to God. He knows this is derived from the divine agency: and hence he concludes, that the whole work of conversion is due to God, and no part of it is performed by himself." (Theodicy, p. 177).

Basically, what John Calvin did was to take the kernel that had been given by Augustine and develop that into a complete "system" of religion. It will be seen that this system MUST be complete - if any one part fails, then the system fails. The classic idea of Calvinism has best been presented in the TULIP acrostic.

T = total depravity.

U = Unconditional salvation.

L = limited atonement.

I = irresistible grace.

P = perseverance of the saints (once saved always...)

Starting with the idea that men are born sinners, totally depraved and opposed to all good, we then have a problem of how to save him. If there are conditions, he cannot meet them - for you see he is TOTALLY depraved. Hence - salvation must be UNCONDITIONAL. If it is unconditional then all men are saved - right? Wrong - for Jesus did NOT die for ALL men - but rather only for the elect, that is, the atonement is limited to those that God chose to save. It is a LIMITED ATONEMENT. How can we be sure though that those who were chosen for salvation will believe? Answer = since they are totally depraved they, as all men, are incapable of belief. Therefore God send the Holy Spirit who converts them and such work of the Spirit is irresistible. So there, we now have them all "saved" - but what if they should fail to be faithful? They cannot fail to be faithful - for God has seen fit to guarantee that the SAINTS WILL PERSEVERE.

Simple, isn't it! This is what we want to study. In the introduction to Calvin's "Institutes, liii," one writer said: "Calvin's clarity of expression may at first lead the reader to suppose that his thought is easy to grasp. Actually, he lays heavy demands upon the mind, and some of those best versed in his writings have confessed the difficulty of explaining some elements of his thought... Calvin's treatment of the natural in relation to his doctrine of grace has been much controverted." We must admit that there will be scriptures that can be made to sound as if they teach the above - obviously people would try to prove their theology by the Bible! We hasten to add, as Dr. Mosheim stated: "the controversy about Calvinistic election, particular redemption, special Calvinistic operations of the Spirit before faith, and in order to produce faith, total depravity and final perseverance 'were absolutely unknown in the first ages of the Christian church." (Mill. Har., Vol. II, pp. 360). It is our job to "try the spirits" - we need to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.