What Does TULIP in Calvinism Mean? - by Wyatt Graham

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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The author undertakes to correct errors related to perceptions of Calvinism, but we have to read nearly to the end before we find a Scripture quote. It continually mystifies us as to how someone can teach the Bible while barely quoting it.

Ultimately, the author doesn't explain TULIP. Nor does he tell us why it's important. Really, why is TULIP so critical? None of it comes to bear on living a more holy life, being more obedient, a better worshiper, or a better servant. 

The whole thing is nothing more than a fruitless intellectual exercise.)

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I recently came across a social media post that described the Calvinist TULIP in the following way:

T= everyone hates God with all their heart even from the womb

U = for a mysterious reason God only loves and “elects” a few and damns the rest

L = Contrary to scripture, Jesus only died for some

I = God forces a few to love Jesus

P = irrelevant in light of Evanescent Grace

I have heard similar mischaracterizations before. However, comments under this post from Calvinists(!) attempted to defend TULIP without correcting this mischaracterization!

I am not that surprised. For years, I have heard Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike make odd claims about Calvinism and TULIP.

This post and its comments provide a useful teaching moment about what TULIP means.

 
Total Depravity

Total depravity means that each faculty within a human has been corrupted: intellect, will, etc. It does not mean we hate God with our whole heart. It means every (total) faculty of a human being is depraved, corrupted. (This is very odd. The author takes issue with the idea of the depraved being God haters, claiming that the doctrine of Total Depravity doesn't include it. But if every part of a human being is corrupted, then wouldn't that manifest as hatred of God? 

Further, the Bible teaches that the depraved do actually hate God:

Ro. 1:29-30 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters... 

Mt. 6:24 “No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 

Lk. 19:14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, `We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 

Jn. 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.

Jn. 15:23 He who hates me hates my Father as well.

Why is it important to the author? Is this some sort of critical aspect of Calvinism?)

Unconditional Election

God calls all people to repentance, (True.)

and those who believe do so because they respond to the grace of God in Jesus Christ. (True.)

By this electing grace, dead hearts awaken to new life. (??? What is "electing grace?" The author is writing to correct errors regarding TULIP, but in the process of explaining he tosses out this mystery phrase, something that seems key to understanding his refutation.) 

The distinction between secondary causality—our choice and the regular order of reality—and God’s first order causality is not one of cause and effect as we understand it. (What does this mean? No one writes like this except people who want to appear super smart.)

 
God’s causality is beyond space, time, change—or anything within created reality. It’s not possible for us to conceive of it. (Well, that's certainly true, but it doesn't explain anything. The author is defending a doctrine, remember? If the doctrine is that important, one cannot simply appeal to the "otherness" of God and think that does the job. 

Opponents of Calvinism are at liberty to do the exact same thing: "God *mumble mumble* first order reality *cough* as we understand it *ahem* as it were, mysterious, you see...")

And it ensures that we have genuine freedom of choice. (How? The author is supposed to be explaining. And, do Calvinists actually believe in freedom of choice while simultaneously asserting that God's grace is irresistible?)

And yes: apart from God’s grace, our hearts cannot will to believe or do works of condign merit (??? "Condign merit?" Again, the author is supposed to be explaining, not blowing smoke.)

since we choose evil, darkness over God. In this sense, our will is bound and not free. God frees our will. (How? How does this happen? Is the author going to explain anything?)

Limited Atonement

The Synod of Dordt (What is this? Why does the author appeal to it?)

allows for the affirmation that God died for all, as Scripture affirms. (Which Scriptures?)

It’s called hypothetical universalism, and I will let the theology nerds battle this one out. (Having set out to correct errors regarding TULIP, The author now punts.) 

Purchase Michael Lynch’s monograph on the subject by clicking here.

 
Irresistible Grace

God loves everyone, (Ro. 9:13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”)

even Calvin said that God leaves in every human something to love. (Calvin said this, but what does the Bible say?)

Nobody is forced to love Jesus. They choose to. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of first and second order causality to say that because some believe, they are forced to do so. No, they choose to. (This is a "fundamental misunderstanding." Ok, well, explain this if it's so fundamental. How is it that God's grace is irresistible but no one is forced to love Jesus? How do people choose something they cannot resist? Explain it, sir, from the Bible - that's what this article is supposed to do.)

Yes, their hearts needed freedom from the servitude to sin. And yes this happens according to God’s inscrutable will, the First Cause—which is again, an order of causality impossible for us to conceive of since we exist in time, place, and change. (Ok, the author trots out his excuse again. Apparently another tenet of Calvinism cannot be explained because God is inscrutable. This is simply a dodge.)

Perseverance of the Saints

The Spirit indwells us and perfects the work of God in us through the work of God in our hearts and our spirit-driven efforts. As Paul says, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13) and “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). (Finally. The author gets around to quoting the Bible, but not to explain. Apparently there is a tension between these two verses, but the author doesn't bother to discuss it.)

Both statements are true.

At base, the fundamental misunderstanding that I often see is that people assume that God’s level of causality is the same as ours, as if God is just Zeus in heaven and not the Immortal, Invisible, Simple, Spirit—the true God. (Yet another "fundamental misunderstanding." Now for the third time the author uses causality as an excuse. This means that 60% of TULIP is attributed to things about God the author cannot explain. These things are true he assures us, even though God is so mysterious, but he cannot tell us why, or where in the Bible they're found.)

I have seen comments like OP frequently by both Calvinists and non-Calvinists. In fact, if one goes on Twitter to see the original post, you will see many a Calvinist attempting to affirm the very points that this poster makes—even though they do not represent Calvinism!

And yes: the contexts where I have seen such arguments have usually been in Baptistic spaces, given my background. Apologies to the Presbyterians whose confessions protect against this silliness (actually, they don’t always!).