The video above is a podcast style conversation discussing the papers claims that the TULIP as presented by Calvinist and Reformed soteriology’s are interdependent components of one central truth statement and are not meant to stand as independent claims.
Introduction
Reformed soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, is summarized by the acronym TULIP: Total Depravity (T), Unconditional Election (U), Limited Atonement (L), Irresistible Grace (I), and Perseverance of the Saints (P). Developed in the 20th century to distill the Canons of Dort’s (1618–1619) response to Arminianism, TULIP reflects the ordo salutis—the logical order of salvation, from election to glorification. This paper defends two positions: (1) One cannot affirm a portion of TULIP without embracing the whole, as its points form a singular truth claim within the Reformed ordo salutis; and (2) Selective affirmation rejects Calvinism entirely, rendering the system incoherent.
Position 1: TULIP as a Unified Truth Claim, Not Independent Assertions
TULIP is not a set of detachable doctrines but a narrative framework mirroring the ordo salutis, the logical sequence of God’s saving work. Total Depravity establishes humanity’s inability to respond to God without divine initiative (John 6:44), necessitating Unconditional Election—God’s sovereign choice independent of foreseen merit. This election demands Limited Atonement, as Christ’s redemptive work is particular and efficacious for the elect (Hebrews 9:28), ensuring its sufficiency without universal inefficiency. Irresistible Grace applies this atonement, overcoming depravity, while Perseverance of the Saints guarantees the elect’s endurance, grounded in God’s decree.
This sequence forms a single truth claim: salvation is monergistic, God’s work alone, contrasting Arminian synergism. The five points “all logically go together,” forming a cohesive system where severing one link unravels the chain. TULIP, though a pedagogical tool, presupposes this unity, as seen in Romans 8:29–30, where predestination flows to glorification. Some cite texts like John 3:16 to suggest universal atonement, but Reformed theology interprets these within God’s sovereign election (Ephesians 1:4–5), ensuring TULIP’s coherence. Partial endorsement misrepresents this system, treating symptoms (e.g., assurance) without the sovereign cause. Having established TULIP’s unity, we now turn to why partial affirmation rejects Calvinism itself.
Position 2: Selective Affirmation Constitutes Rejection of Calvinism
Isolating TULIP points fragments the system and rejects Calvinism, as the doctrines’ mutual implications expose contradictions in partial schemes. Consider “four-point Calvinism,” which often rejects Limited Atonement. If Total Depravity renders humans incapable of faith, and Unconditional Election selects some, then Irresistible Grace must apply a particular atonement; otherwise, Christ’s death becomes hypothetical, undermining divine efficacy. This “reduces to this proposition: Man is incapable of choosing Christ, but at the same time he is capable,” a self-defeating stance. Some argue rejecting Limited Atonement allows a broader atonement while remaining Reformed, but this implies a fallible grace, aligning with Arminianism’s hypothetical universalism.
Affirming only Election and Perseverance without Limited Atonement or Irresistible Grace collapses into universalism or Pelagianism, implying resistible grace that contradicts Depravity. It is impossible to divide TULIP without the structure collapsing, leaving adherents as “no-point Calvinists.” The Synod of Dort treated deviations as threats to the gospel, excommunicating partial adherents. Modern partial Calvinists echo the Remonstrants’ errors, prioritizing individual tenets over systemic fidelity, nullifying Calvinism’s monergistic core.
Conclusion
TULIP’s elegance lies in its unity: a mnemonic unveiling the ordo salutis as one sovereign act of grace. Affirming portions treats interdependent truths as modular, while selective endorsement—exemplified in four-point schemes—exposes fatal inconsistencies, equating to Calvinism’s denial. While Calvinism encompasses broader doctrines like union with Christ, TULIP remains its soteriological core, as affirmed by Dort and Reformed confessions. As Ephesians 1:3–14 weaves election, atonement, and sealing into undivided praise, so must we uphold soteriology’s seamless garment, lest we unravel the gospel’s coherence for a patchwork of human preference.
References
Calvin, J. (1559). Institutes of the Christian Religion (Book III, Chapters 21–24).
Canons of Dort (1619). The Canons and Decrees of the Synod of Dort.
Banner of Truth. (2003). The Inconsistency of Four-Point Calvinism.
A Puritan’s Mind. (n.d.). Ordo Salutis – The Order of Salvation.
Heidelblog. (n.d.). TULIP and the Doctrines of Grace.
Ligonier Ministries. (2017). TULIP and Reformed Theology: An Introduction.
Nick Voss. (2012). Men Who Think They Are Four-Point Calvinists Are Actually No-Point Calvinists.
Reformed Journal. (2011). The Problem with TULIP.
The Two Cities. (2013). TULIP as Narrative.
What Does the Word Say. (2020). TULIP.
Understanding Eternal Life: Soteriology or Christology
Does Free Grace Theology Correctly Interpret Eternal Life?
The Eternal Life of Jesus and the Gift of a Life That Never Ends
Eternal life is a concept often explored in Christian theology, yet its origins and implications can sometimes be misunderstood. While many believe that eternal life is granted to believers, scripture suggests that eternal life is an inherent quality of Jesus, and humans receive a life that never ends through Him. This article delves into the scriptural basis for understanding eternal life as a divine attribute of Christ, and the unending life offered to believers as a gift.
Jesus as the Source of Life
The Gospel of John offers a foundational perspective on Jesus as the source of life. John 1:4 declares, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Similarly, in John 14:6, Jesus asserts, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” These verses emphasize that Jesus possesses life inherently—He is the wellspring from which all life flows. His divine nature allows Him to embody and bestow life to others.
Eternal Life Defined Through Relationship
Eternal life is uniquely tied to Jesus and the relationship believers have with Him. John 17:3 defines eternal life: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” This passage underscores that eternal life is not an independent quality given to humanity but is deeply rooted in a relational knowledge of Jesus and the Father. It is through knowing Him that believers partake in the life He embodies.
The Life That Never Ends
Scripture provides clarity on what believers receive through Jesus. In John 10:28, Jesus promises, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Additionally, 1 John 5:11-12 states, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” These verses reveal that eternal life is not an intrinsic quality of humans but is a gift imparted through union with Jesus. It is His eternal nature that enables believers to experience a life without end.
Eternal Life: A Component of Christology, Not Soteriology
In contrast to the perspective held by proponents of Free Grace Theology, such as those in the Grace Evangelical Society (GES), eternal life is not the essence of saving faith. GES often places eternal life at the core of soteriology, viewing it as the decisive component of salvation. However, a closer examination of scripture reveals that eternal life is not merely a transactional outcome of faith but a foundational attribute of Christ Himself.
Eternal life belongs to the realm of Christology—the study of Christ’s divine nature and work. Jesus declares in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.” His statement highlights that eternal life is inseparable from His identity as the Son of God. While saving faith brings believers into relationship with Jesus and the life He gives, the essence of salvation lies in the forgiveness of sins, justification by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and reconciliation with God through Christ. The life that believers receive is an outcome of salvation, not its defining element.
By understanding eternal life as a component of Christology rather than soteriology, we preserve the biblical emphasis on Jesus as the life-giving source. This perspective safeguards against reducing salvation to a mere acquisition of benefits, focusing instead on the transformative power of a relationship with the eternal Son of God.
The Necessity of a Created and Sustained Cosmos
To further illustrate our dependence on Jesus, consider the reality that human existence—both now and after the resurrection—requires a world, or cosmos, to inhabit. Life cannot exist in isolation; it needs an environment designed to support and sustain it. This truth is evident in Jesus’ promise in John 14:2-3: “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”
This passage reveals that even after the resurrection, believers will dwell in a place specifically prepared by Jesus. The eternal life given to us is not an autonomous existence but one that relies on Jesus’ provision. Only He, as Creator, can provide the cosmos and all that is necessary for life to flourish eternally. This dependency underscores the fact that eternal life is not something Jesus gives us as an independent attribute. If He did, it would also require granting us the divine ability to create and sustain life and the cosmos—a power that belongs solely to Him as the eternal Son of God.
The continued existence of creation, sustained by Jesus, emphasizes our eternal reliance on Him. Colossians 1:17 declares, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” This truth extends to the new heavens and new earth, which will be the eternal dwelling place of the redeemed. It is through Jesus’ sustaining power that believers can live forever in His presence.
Jesus’ Divine Eternity
The eternal quality of Jesus is highlighted in Revelation 1:8, where He declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” This proclamation affirms that Jesus exists outside time and possesses eternal life as a natural attribute of His divinity. Humans, on the other hand, are temporal beings who are given a share in His unending life through their connection to Him.
Conclusion
Through scripture, it is evident that eternal life is a divine quality of Jesus Christ, not a characteristic that humans possess on their own. Instead, believers receive a life that never ends—a precious gift made possible by their relationship with Jesus. Furthermore, the very cosmos in which believers live eternally is sustained and provided by Jesus Himself, reaffirming our dependence on Him. This understanding highlights the unique and transformative power of union with Christ, through whom the promise of life everlasting is fulfilled.
by Devin Andres
Salvation without Repentance – Dr. Wayne Grudem – Video Presentation
Salvation without repentance from Sin: A Critique of the Free Grace Gospel.
In this presentation Dr. Wayne Grudem presents five elements of Free Grace Theology that serve to diminished the gospel. Grudem discusses how the application of a diminished gospel can serve to falsely assure people of a salvation they have not been gifted.
The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur emphasizes the true nature of salvation and the call to genuine discipleship. MacArthur argues that a biblical understanding of the Gospel requires repentance, faith, and a commitment to obeying Christ’s teachings. He critiques a superficial “easy-believism” approach and emphasizes the transformative power of Christ’s lordship in the believer’s life. Overall, the book seeks to present a biblically grounded perspective on salvation and the life of a true follower of Jesus.
What is authentic faith?
The Gospel According to Jesus challenges Christians to re-evaluate their commitment to Christ by examining their fruits. MacArthur asks, “What does it really mean to be saved?” He urges readers to understand that their conversion was more than a mere point in time, that, by definition, it includes a lifetime of obedience.
John MacArthur tackles the error of “easy-believism” by addressing these questions:
Is it possible to accept Jesus as Savior while refusing him as Lord?
Can someone truly believe without actually repenting?
How do obedience, commitment to Christ, and turning from sin fit together with the truth that we are saved by grace through faith alone?
The Gospel According to Jesus is just as powerful today as it was more than two decades ago. It is a Scripture-based clarion call for a rejection of the watered-down message that has gained popularity in the church and a return to the gospel Jesus preached. This 20th anniversary edition adds a powerful new chapter to the complete text of the original classic, reinforcing the book’s timeless message—that Jesus demands to be both Savior and Lord to all who believe. This book is compulsory reading for Christians from all walks of life and will help guide you into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Disagreements Breaks fellowship Between GES & FGA Members.
Throughout church history, the importance of repentance as an integral component of saving faith has been a significant theological and practical consideration. While different periods and theological traditions have emphasized various aspects of repentance, its connection to genuine saving faith has remained a consistent theme. Here’s an overview of the role of repentance in saving faith throughout church history:
Early Church Fathers: The early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, emphasized the necessity of repentance as a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. Augustine’s teachings on grace and salvation underscored the transformative nature of repentance, viewing it as an essential response to God’s initiative in salvation.
Medieval Period: During the medieval period, the Roman Catholic Church stressed the sacrament of penance as a means of obtaining forgiveness. This led to a complex understanding of repentance that included acts of contrition, confession, and satisfaction. While the sacramental system had its theological challenges, it still recognized the importance of acknowledging and turning from sin.
Reformation Era: The Protestant Reformation, led by figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin, emphasized the biblical concept of repentance in light of salvation by grace through faith alone. Luther argued that repentance involves a continual turning away from self-reliance and a reliance on God’s grace for salvation. Both Luther and Calvin maintained that repentance is inseparable from genuine faith, as true faith leads to a change of heart and a desire to live in accordance with God’s will.
Post-Reformation and Modern Periods: Throughout subsequent centuries, various theological traditions within Protestantism have grappled with the relationship between repentance and saving faith. Some traditions have emphasized the ongoing need for believers to practice repentance as part of their sanctification process, while others have placed greater emphasis on the initial act of repentance and conversion.
Contemporary Perspectives: In recent times, there has been a resurgence of interest in the concept of repentance as an essential aspect of saving faith. Many evangelical theologians stress the importance of genuine repentance as a response to the gospel, involving a change of mind, heart, and direction.
In summary, church history reflects a consistent recognition of the significance of repentance as an integral component of saving faith. While theological emphases and nuances have evolved over time, the overarching understanding is that true saving faith involves a genuine turning from sin and a wholehearted turning toward God, acknowledging our need for His grace and forgiveness.
Historic View of The Content of Saving Faith
According to Martin Luther’s theological perspective, saving faith in Christianity is a profound and transformative trust in Jesus Christ as the sole means of salvation. Luther’s teachings on saving faith played a crucial role in the Protestant Reformation and continue to influence Christian theology today. Here are key elements of Luther’s understanding of saving faith:
Trust in Christ Alone: Luther emphasized that saving faith involves complete reliance on the person and work of Jesus Christ for salvation. It is a confidence that Christ’s atoning death and resurrection provide forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God.
Justification by Faith Alone: Central to Luther’s theology was the doctrine of justification by faith alone. He believed that humans are declared righteous before God not because of their own works or merit, but solely by placing their faith in Christ. This faith results in an imputed righteousness from Christ to the believer.
Sola Fide: Luther’s famous motto “sola fide” (faith alone) encapsulates his belief that faith is the exclusive means by which individuals are justified and receive God’s gift of salvation. Good works, while important, are a fruit of genuine faith rather than a means to earn salvation.
Assurance of Salvation: Luther emphasized the assurance that comes through faith. Believers can be confident in their salvation because it is grounded in the unchanging promises of God and the finished work of Christ.
Heartfelt Trust and Surrender: Saving faith, according to Luther, is not merely intellectual assent but a heartfelt trust and surrender to Christ as Savior and Lord. It involves a turning away from self-reliance and a recognition of human inability to earn salvation.
Freedom from Works-based Righteousness: Luther vehemently opposed the idea that salvation could be achieved through human effort or adherence to religious rituals. Saving faith rejects any notion of self-righteousness and places full confidence in Christ’s righteousness.
Luther’s emphasis on saving faith and justification by faith alone challenged the prevailing medieval Catholic understanding of salvation and played a pivotal role in shaping the Protestant movement. His teachings paved the way for a renewed focus on the grace of God as the foundation of salvation, leading to profound theological and ecclesiastical changes.
Should we embrace “free grace” theology? Wayne Grudem says “No!”
Recently I entered the men’s room at our seminary and discovered that someone had left a box of packages, wrapped in brown paper, marked “For astudent.” One parcel had someone’s name on it, so, thinking that that person had left their box on the shelf, I went on without
disturbing things. Several days later, another colleague retrieved the box that had been left, seemingly abandoned. He opened one of the packages to discover that each parcel contained a pair of books—Absolutely Free (reprint ed.) by Zane Hodges and The Ten Most Misunderstood Words in the Bible by Robert Wilkin. It seems that someone surreptitiously deposited said box in the men’s room thinking that some of our students would rightly assume the packages were for them and help themselves. Upon discussing the situation with the administration, it seems that someone (likely the same person) also left copies of the magazine of the Grace Theological Society at strategic spots around the campus and hung small posters in the men’s room promoting the Free Grace movement. These had been removed by the time I spotted the books.
At Central, we are always glad to pass on free books to our students, even books that contain error. Students should read widely and examine for themselves the issues against the Scriptures. As a matter of fact, none of us on the faculty espouse a Free Grace position, but no matter, we’d have gladly seen to it that the books went to where they were intended, though it would have been nice to have been asked before the literature was disseminated.
Now, I tell this story as it juxtaposes with a new book that I read recently on Free Grace theology. I had already agreed to review it for Credo when the secretive “free gracer” struck. It seems that the Free Grace movement is alive and well, at least in our area. For this reason, I am happy to have discovered Grudem’s helpful summary of Free Grace problems: “Free Grace” Theology: Five Ways It Diminishes the Gospel(Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016).
Grudem’s book is a small work of less than 150 pages. It provides limited historical development of the Free Grace movement and there is really minimal interaction with the literature of the movement as a whole. This is not to suggest Grudem doesn’t get it right. Aucontare, the relatively few works that Grudem interacts with are from main purveyors of this theology—Zane Hodges, Charles Bing, Joseph Dillow, Bob Wilkin and Dave Anderson; Dallas men everyone. A history of the movement might well be titled, Dallas Against the World, although as Grudem recognizes, it was a minority view even there.
As such, Grudem’s book is not a full-throated engagement with Free Grace theology. Nor is it an interaction with the Lordship salvation debate directly as Grudem feels that the terminology here is misleading. Instead, he prefers to call his view the “historic Protestant” view and focuses his attention on five key deficiencies of Free Grace theology. His tone is irenic and he assures his readership of his appreciation for the Free Grace proponents as Christian brothers despite their faulty theology.
First, Free Grace writers misunderstand the Reformation principle of sola fide—justification by faith alone. Free Grace is akin to old Sandemanianism—“the bare belief of the bare truth,” with no thought about attending evidences. This leads to Grudem’s second concern—Free Grace’s rejection of the need of repentance as a condition for salvation. In Grudem’s mind, this rejection of repentance produces not a false gospel but a weak gospel (74). It is not a false gospel as people who hear the Free Grace offer do savingly believe and some actually do repent in their hearts to some extent, even if they fail to realize this is what they are doing.
But lack of repentance is a major problem for many as it leads to Grudem’s third major issue with Free Grace theology—a false assurance. A salvation lacking repentance is no salvation at all and any assurance offered is false if no repentance preceded it. Since it is the case that some may have professed faith without repentance, “they are still lacking in a component of genuine saving faith” (78). In other words, they are still lost. At the end of the book, Grudem pleads with some who may have this false assurance to savingly repent and believe.
Fourth, the Free Grace theology fails to fully appreciate the person and work of Christ. “Mental agreement with facts about Christ without personal trust in Christ is not saving faith” (107). In arguing this section, Grudem relies heavily on the thought of B. B. Warfield.
The final section is given to discussing some strained interpretative decisions that Free Grace proponents are forced to make to sustain their view. In twenty pages, Grudem summarizes the principle teachings of Free Grace regarding eleven key texts such as James 2:14-17 and James 2:26. “Faith ‘without works’ is exactly the kind that indicates that a person is not genuinely saved” (136). Grudem summarizes the general way in which Free Grace proponents handle the text. In many cases, their interpretation is little more than “special pleading.” Some interpretative choices are so unique so as to fail to be found in any of the “standard commentaries because no serious interpreter in the history [sic] of the church has held these interpretations” (120).
As Grudem concludes his book, he mentions several topics he purposefully avoided. Again, the issue of Lordship is raised and dismissed as are the kinds of faith the New Testament discusses and the issue of the so-called “carnal Christian.” He also omitted a discussion of Reformed vs. Arminian theology, since Free Grace is often at variance with both views. In the end, Wayne Grudem is to be thanked for a brief but helpful summary of the deficiencies of Free Grace theology. His irenic tone should allow for a wide read and hopefully some who have been caught up in this unfortunate error may be persuaded to embrace a more robust understanding of the amazing grace of God.
Jeff Straub
Jeff Straub (Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
Jody (Joseph) Dillow
Jody (Joseph) Dillow came to Christ while majoring in Electrical Engineering at Oregon State University in 1963. Upon graduation, he went to Dallas Theological Seminary, where he majored in New Testament Greek and received his ThD in Systematic Theology in 1978. While there, he directed the Campus Crusade work at SMU and later at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. In 1977, he served briefly as a visiting professor in systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. In 1978, God led Jody and his wife, Linda, to Vienna, Austria, where they were used by God to found and direct the ministry which is now known as BEE World (Biblical Education by Extension World). For 14 years, they ministered behind the Iron Curtain, and then they moved to Hong Kong in 1992 to launch BEE in China, South Korea, and Vietnam. BEE’s mission is to provide extension biblical training in closed countries to those who might not otherwise have access to it. In 1995, they returned to the United States, where they are carrying on the same ministry today. For information about BEE World, visit beeworld.org.
Dr. Dillow is the author of several books including The Reign of the Servant Kings: A Study of Eternal Security and the Final Destiny of Man; The Pre-Flood Vapor Canopy, Speaking in Tongues, Solomon on Sex, and with his wife Linda and Dr. Pete and Lorraine Pintus – Intimacy Ignited. The Dillows live in Monument, Colorado. They have four grown children and ten grandchildren.
Zane C. Hodges
Zane C. Hodges (1932–2008) was a significant figure in the development and promotion of Free Grace Theology, a theological perspective within evangelical Christianity that emphasizes salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from works or ongoing commitments. Hodges is often associated with his contributions to this theological framework, particularly his views on the nature of saving faith and the assurance of salvation.
Hodges was a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and a co-founder of the Grace Evangelical Society (GES), an organization dedicated to promoting and defending Free Grace Theology. His influence on Free Grace Theology can be seen in the following ways:
View on Saving Faith: Hodges is known for his distinction between “belief in Christ” and “commitment to Christ.” He argued that a person can believe in the deity and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ for salvation without necessarily committing to a life of discipleship. This view emphasizes that eternal life is received through faith alone and that good works are not a necessary condition for salvation.
Assurance of Salvation: Hodges emphasized the concept of “eternal security,” asserting that once a person genuinely believes in Christ, they are eternally secure in their salvation, regardless of subsequent behavior. This perspective provides believers with strong assurance of their salvation.
Grace-Centered Focus: Hodges, along with others in the Free Grace movement, stressed the centrality of God’s grace in salvation. He advocated for a clear distinction between God’s gift of salvation and the believer’s subsequent growth and sanctification.
Author and Speaker: Hodges authored several books and articles that articulated and defended Free Grace Theology. His writings, which included titles like “The Gospel Under Siege” and “Absolutely Free!,” contributed to the dissemination of Free Grace ideas and led to further discussions within evangelical circles.
GES Co-Founder: As a co-founder of the Grace Evangelical Society, Hodges played a role in creating a platform for theologians and believers to engage with Free Grace Theology and its implications for various aspects of Christian life and ministry.
Zane Hodges’ contributions and teachings have had a lasting impact on the Free Grace movement, shaping its theological framework and influencing discussions about salvation, faith, and assurance within evangelical Christianity.
