What Ultimately Determines A Person's Salvation?

 Most modern evangelicals believe salvation is based on a decision made by a person and this decision is the final cause of salvation.  They hold that the free will of man determines the final result of salvation.  What if I told you the Bible disagrees with this view?  

(John 1:12-13)"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (ESV) 

From this passage we see plainly that salvation is not determined by blood, the will of the flesh, or the will of man.  Believers are instead born of God.  This is talking about regeneration or being born again.  Being born of God precedes receiving and believing in Christ.  If this were not the case it would make no sense for John to have said it is not of the will of man.  We see that God is the cause of someone's salvation.  

(Romans 9:16)"So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." (ESV) 

We see plainly from this verse that salvation is not determined by the free will or efforts of man.  It depends on God's will and mercy.  It is not based on the choice or actions of humans.  We see that salvation is ultimately determined by God.  

(Romans 9:18)"So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills." (ESV) 

God elects some people to salvation and he passes over other people according to his will. No one deserves salvation, it is received by the elect because of God's mercy and grace. 

God is sovereign over all things including salvation.  A person's salvation is ultimately determined by God and not man.  A person will respond with faith and repentance only after he is regenerated or born again.  Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9) and repentance is granted by God (Acts 11:18).  Salvation is the work of God alone.  It is not God and man working together.  To God alone belongs the glory.     

Does God Woo People To Salvation? (John 6:44)

 Many modern evangelicals say that God is simply wooing all people, trying to save them.  This is how they interpret John 6:44.  But is this view actually correct?   

(John 6:44)"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day."  (ESV) 

Modern evangelicals under the influence of Arminian theology say the word "draw" in this verse means to woo.  The Greek word (elko) actually means to compel.  This same Greek word is even translated as drag in Acts 16:19 and James 2:6.  

"No one can come to me" means that no one is able to come to Christ, a person does not will or desire to come to him.  God the Father must draw him to Christ.  God has to give a person the will to believe.  All those that the Father draws to Christ will be raised on the last day to eternal life (see John 6:40).  

Since all that the Father draws are raised to eternal life, it cannot be that God is drawing or wooing all people.  If that were the case you would have universalism (all people would be saved).  Instead God draws all those he has chosen, that is the elect, and they will be raised up to eternal life. 

(John 6:37)"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (ESV) 

All that the Father has chosen will respond with faith in Christ alone for salvation.  It is plain that God is sovereign even in salvation.  It is the work of God alone, not the work of man.  The final determiner of a person's salvation is God and not man.  To God alone be the glory.  

1 Timothy 2:3-6 (A Calvinist Defense)

 (1 Timothy 2:3-6)"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."  (ESV) 

We see the phrases, God desires all people to be saved and Christ gave himself as a ransom for all.  But Calvinism or Reformed theology teaches that God has chosen some people to be saved but not all people.  And it teaches that Christ died only for the sins of the elect, not for the sins of all people.  So is this passage a refutation of Calvinism?  

At issue in this passage is the meaning of the word "all."  In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Paul gives instruction to pray for all people including kings and those in high position that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life.  It seems unlikely that the Apostle Paul is giving instruction to pray for every single person in the world.  Instead he means to pray for all kinds of people including government officials who might even persecute Christians.  A similar use of "all" is found in Titus 2:11 with the phrase, "bringing salvation to all people."  It is clear that Paul is not saying that all people will be saved but that all kinds of people will be saved.  

So this same meaning of "all" continues throughout this passage.  When we read that God desires all people to be saved, we understand it refers to all kinds of people, such as Jews and Gentiles.  When it says that Christ gave himself as a ransom for all we see that it again means all sorts of people, not every single person.  For further evidence we refer to Matthew 20:28 & Mark 10:45 which say that Christ gave his life as a ransom for many.  Also Hebrews 9:28 says Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  

So we see that this passage does not contradict the teaching of Calvinism after all.  God is not trying to save all people and failing to do so.  He is actually saving the elect and accomplishing his purpose.  The death of Jesus on the cross did not just make salvation possible for all people, instead it accomplished salvation for the elect.  God is sovereign even in salvation.  

National Tulip Day

Did you know that January 20 is National Tulip Day?  Mars Hill Examiner is celebrating it and I hope that you will too.  In honor of National Tulip Day we will take a brief look at the tulip.  

Of course TULIP is an acrostic representing profound Biblical truth known as the Doctrines of Grace.  

T-Total Depravity
This does not mean that man is as bad as he can possible be, but that he is sinful in his entire being.  We are born sinners and our very nature is therefore sinful.  Man is dead in his sins and unable to choose God.  He will freely choose to reject God because his will is in bondage to sin.  Because of our sin we are under God's wrath and on the road to hell.  (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:9-12, Ephesians 2:1-3) 

U-Unconditional Election
Since we are not capable of choosing God because we are dead in our sins, by his grace God has chosen to save a people for himself, the elect.  God chooses to save people based on his will and purpose.  It is not based on anything the human being does or will do.  God chooses his elect solely by his grace.  God freely chooses whom he will save.  (Acts 13:48, Romans 9:11-16, Ephesians 1:4-5,11-12) 

L-Limited Atonement
This could also be called definite atonement. Jesus came to save his people from their sins.  Christ died to pay for the sins of believers only, he did not pay for the sins of all people.  If he paid for the sins of all people then no one would still have to pay for their sins.  All people would then be saved, that is universalism.  Christ actually accomplished salvation for his people, he did not just make it possible for all people.  (Matthew 1:21, John 10:11,14-15,24-26, Ephesians 5:25-27)  

I-Irresistible Grace
Since we are dead in our sins and unable to choose God we can only come to him by his grace.  He must make us alive or regenerate us.  God must draw us to himself.  After God causes us to be born again we will respond in faith and repentance.  Once we have gone from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive we will freely choose God.  All people God chooses to save will respond to him with saving faith because he always accomplishes his purpose.  (John 6:37,44,63-66, Acts 11:18, Ephesians 2:1-9)

P-Perseverance Of The Saints
God preserves his people and none of them will fall away.  True Christians will not fall away because salvation is the work of God from beginning to end.  This does not mean that anyone who makes a decision for Christ is once saved always saved.  Only true Christians are eternally secure and they will persevere to the end.  Anyone who falls away was never a true Christian to begin with. (John 6;37,39, John 10:27-29, Romans 8:29-39)

Salvation is totally the work of God from beginning to end.  It is by his grace alone. If salvation was dependent upon the human being at any point it would no longer be by grace.  It is not God and man working together to accomplish salvation but the work of God alone.  Therefore the glory belongs to God alone.  God does not try to save all people and fail to do so.  He saves all he has chosen and always accomplishes his purpose.   

Who would have thought that there would be a national day celebrating the Doctrines of Grace?  

The Chain Of Salvation

Romans 8:29-30  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.  (ESV)


The word foreknew in the passage does not just refer to knowing what will happen in the future.  In the Old Testament the word know referred to God's special choice of his people.  The word foreknew is basically the same as the word chosen.  Predestined means to determine beforehand.  Those God chose he predetermined to be like Christ.  

The chain that starts with foreknew continues on in the passage.  Those God foreknew or chose he predestined.  Those he predestined he also called.  The word call refers to God's effectual call of his people through the gospel.  Those who are called are also justified or declared righteous, they are made right with God.  

All who hear the gospel are not justified so the calling in this passage does not refer to a general call of all people but to God's effectual call of his chosen people.  The term effectual means that the desired result is brought about.  The effectual call refers to God drawing his chosen people to himself.  And those who are justified will be glorified.  They will receive resurrection bodies on the last day and be in heaven.  

The Chain
Foreknew
Predestined
Called
Justified
Glorified

The chain cannot be broken, they all go together.  From this passage it should be obvious that God is not trying to save all people.  He actually saves his chosen people, the elect.  The outcome is never in doubt because God is sovereign even in salvation. 

For Whom Did Jesus Die?

Did Jesus die for all people or for believers only?  What did his death on the cross actually accomplish?  Did he make salvation possible for all people or did he accomplish salvation for his people, the elect?  

Most Christians today would say that Christ died for all people to make salvation possible for everyone.  This position is known as unlimited atonement.  Others of us who hold to limited atonement would say that Christ died for believers only, his elect, actually accomplishing their salvation.  

If Christ paid for the sins of all people how could anyone still have to pay the penalty for his sins?  If Christ did indeed pay for the sins of all people then this would logically lead to universalism (the doctrine that all people will eventually be saved).  All orthodox Christians deny the doctrine of universalism.  Those holding this position of unlimited atonement will then say that a person has to believe to make Christ's death effectual.  But this runs into other problems.  If this is the case then Christ's death paid for all sins except the sin of unbelief.  Salvation is ultimately determined by the person and not by God, denying his sovereignty.    

Those holding to unlimited atonement will have to say that Christ died to make salvation possible for all people, he did not actually accomplish salvation for anyone.  If salvation is determined by man then it is no longer by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone.  The unlimited atonement advocates run back into the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.  It is God and man working together to accomplish salvation.  If Jesus is trying to save all people then it is obvious that his mission has not been accomplished because many die in unbelief.  

Actually Jesus came to save his people from their sins.  He paid for the sins of believers only, his elect.  The atonement was sufficient for all but efficient for the elect only.  This is the doctrine of limited atonement which could be better described as definite atonement.  Christ accomplished salvation for his people.  He did not just make salvation possible for all people.  His mission was accomplished because all that he died for will respond in repentance and faith in him.  Salvation is totally the work of God, he is sovereign even in salvation.  On the cross Jesus said it is finished not it is started.  Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone.   

But wait a minute doesn't 1 Timothy 2:6 say Christ died a ransom for all?  As Irenaeus (A.D. 180) said, "He came to save all, all I say who through Him are born again unto God."
All in the verse does not mean each and every person as shown by the use of the word all in many other passages.  

The position of limited atonement is actually the Biblical position, as controversial as it may be.  Jesus actually saves, he does not just make it possible for people to be saved.  Christ accomplished his mission to save his people from their sins.  As Anselm (around A.D. 1100) said, "If you die in unbelief, Christ did not die for you." 

Some Key Scripture Passages
(Matthew 1:21) Jesus will save his people from their sins
(1 Timothy 1:15) Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
(Matthew 20:28) Jesus gave his life as ransom for many
(John 10:11,15) Jesus lays down his life for the sheep
(Ephesians 5:25) Jesus gave himself up for the church
(Hebrews 9:28) Christ was sacrificed once to bear the sins of many

Who Will Come To Jesus? (Part 3)

(John 6:65) "And he said, This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."  (ESV)

In the preceding verses Jesus has just presented some hard teaching to his disciples.  As a result many of them have turned away from him.  In response Jesus says the reason for this, is that no one can come to him unless it is granted by the Father.  As in John 6:37 & John 6:44 Jesus stresses the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.  Those who are false disciples will respond in unbelief while true disciples will respond in belief.  The reason why some respond in unbelief is that they have not been chosen by God.  

Only those chosen by the Father will come to Jesus.  They have been predestined for salvation in Christ (see Ephesians 1).  It is clear that not all people are granted the ability to believe.  The reason why some respond in unbelief is that they do not have the ability to believe.  People are dead in their sins and must be made alive by God in order to believe (see Ephesians 2).  

Our wills are not free but in bondage to sin.  This is contrary to what is usually taught in the modern church but it is the truth.  Left to ourselves we would never choose God, we would only continue in rebellion against him.  We only choose God after he has chosen us and brought us from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive.  Those not chosen by God, who are not of the elect will continue in unbelief.  We see the reason why some people believe and others do not.  God chooses some for salvation while passing over others.  Salvation is totally by grace and is not dependent on man's decision, will, or effort.  

It must be pointed out that people are still responsible for believing in Christ or rejecting him.  All people are commanded to repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ alone for salvation.  But if God is absolutely sovereign how can man still be responsible?  They seem to be contradictory but the Bible teaches them both.  We finite humans are incapable of fully understanding the infinite God.  

 

Who Will Come To Jesus? (Part 2)

(John 6:44) "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day."  (ESV)


So who will come to Jesus?  Only those the Father draws to him.  No one can come to Christ unless God the Father draws him.  When Jesus says no one can come to me, it means that no one is able to come to him.  

People do not have the ability to come to Christ on their own.  All people are enslaved to sin, their will is in bondage to sin (total depravity).  People do not have the desire or inclination to come to Christ, they are unable to believe.  The Father must draw them and give them the desire and inclination to come to Jesus and trust in him.  God has to change people in order for them to become willing to believe.   

It is obvious that God does not draw all people to Christ to be saved.  All that he draws, he will raise up on the last day.  Only believers receive the resurrection to life.  All that the Father draws to Christ will be raised up on the last day.  Only those chosen by God will be saved.  Those not chosen or drawn by God will not be saved.  

Whoever wills to come to God can, but only those made willing by the Father will come to him and believe.  God chooses those whom he will save (unconditional election).  Those he chooses will come to him (irresistible grace).  It is efficacious grace, that is it brings about the desired result.  All those chosen by God the Father will believe in Christ.  They have been predestined to salvation by God who is absolutely sovereign.   

Who Will Come To Jesus? (Part 1)

(John 6:37) "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out."  (ESV) 

Jesus states in this verse that all the Father gives him will come to him.  In other words those chosen by God the Father will receive salvation in God the Son.  This contradicts much of the teaching in the modern church which puts the choice ultimately in the hands of man.  We are often taught that the person's decision is the ultimate determiner of salvation.  

But this verse emphasizes the sovereignty of God in salvation.  God chooses those who will be saved, he has predestined them for salvation (see Ephesians 1).  All those who are chosen by God will respond with repentance and faith in Christ.  God is not trying to save all people and then failing, unable to bring all to salvation.  God does not fail to accomplish his purpose.  His absolute sovereignty guarantees his purpose will be accomplished.  All those who are chosen by God will be saved.  

Also those who are chosen by God will never lose their salvation.  The perseverance of the saints is also guaranteed because of the absolute sovereignty of God.  God preserves them so they can never lose their salvation. If salvation was dependent on the decision of the person then one could lose his salvation.  Believers can be sure of their salvation because it is the work of God.  

While God is absolutely sovereign in all things including salvation, people still have personal responsibility.  People must respond in repentance and faith in Christ.  They must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man cannot be reconciled by the human mind.  Both are true despite seeming to be contradictory.    

Does 2 Peter 3:9 Disprove Calvinism?

( 2 Peter 3:9) "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."  (ESV)  

 This verse is often cited by those on the Arminian side to disprove Calvinism.  They say it teaches that God is trying to save every single person.  They say it is his will that every person be saved.  But is this what the verse really teaches?  

The passage deals with those scoffers who think that the day of judgment and the return of Christ will not happen.  They believe things will just continue to go on as they have.  But the Lord is not slow or late in returning as scoffers may think.  The judgment and return of Christ will happen in God's own time.  God views time in a different way than man does.  He operates outside of time.  A day is like a thousand years to him (2 Peter 3:8).  

The second part of the verse says God is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish.  We should ask who the word "you" is referring to.  To find out we should ask who Peter is writing to?  (2 Peter 1:1) tells us that he is writing to Christians.  So the word "you" in the verse refers to believers.  

The next part of the verse says God is not wishing that any should perish.  We have seen that Peter is writing to Christians so the word "any" also must apply to believers. It refers to the chosen people of God.  God does not wish or will that any believer perish.  The passage does not teach that God is trying to save all people.  Because the previous verses of the passage talk about the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly (2 Peter 3:7).  It is obvious that God is not waiting for all people to be saved.  Those who perish and go to hell are not God's people.  They have rejected Jesus who is the only way to heaven.  

The final part of the verse says, but that all should reach repentance.  As we have seen this refers to believers.  It refers to all the people of God.  God is patient waiting for the full number of his people to come to Christ.  He is giving them time to repent.  

This verse does not teach the Arminian view. God is not trying to save every person.  If he was trying to save all people but not accomplishing this, it would mean that he had failed.  All Christians know that God does not fail.  The verse is simply teaching that the Lord patiently waits for those he has chosen to come to him.  When we view the passage in context we see that the Reformed or Calvinist view holds up.   

Does John 3:16 Disprove Calvinism?

(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)


This verse if often cited by opponents of Calvinism as if it somehow disproves Calvinism.  I am astonished that so many Arminians think this. 

The word world does not refer to every single person in the world, but even if it did it would not disprove Calvinism.  To hear that God so loved the world would have been somewhat of a shocking statement for 1st century Jews.  The term world includes Gentiles as well as Jews. 

Arminians also seem to think that the phrase "whoever believes" somehow disproves the Reformed view.  But this could not be further from the truth.  No Reformed evangelical disagrees with the statement that whoever believes will be saved.  Calvinists agree whole heartily with what John 3:16 says. 

John 3:16 is basically just a summary of the gospel.  It does not say who will believe or why people will come to Christ.  John 3:3 tells us that one must be born again to see the kingdom of God.  John 6:37,6:44,6:65 all tell us who and why people will come to Jesus. 

Using this verse to try to disprove Calvinism is definitely an overreach by Arminians.  They try to make it say things it does not say.  Also they often distort the actual teachings of Reformed theology.  All true Christians agree that whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life.  Those who reject Jesus will perish at the judgment and spend eternity in hell. 

In Defense Of Calvinism

I agree with Charles Spurgeon who said that Calvinism is just a nickname for Biblical Christianity.  Calvinism is also known as Reformed theology.  It has it's roots in the Protestant Reformation, which was basically a recovery of Biblical Christianity.  Reformed theology is really the classic Protestant position.  Unfortunately many modern evangelicals reject it, leaning toward Arminianism.  Words like predestination, chosen, and the elect cause many to freak out. 

The typical description of Calvinism goes something like this.  God drags some people kicking and screaming to salvation against their will, while rejecting others who want to be saved.  God is unfair and man has no free will, makes no actual choices, and is just a mere puppet.  Evangelism is destroyed as well.  And this was all made up by a terrible monster named John Calvin.  There is just one problem with this description, it is not Calvinism. 

In the Reformed view no one is forced to be saved against his will and no one who truly believes is rejected.  Calvinism teaches that people are dead in their sins and cannot respond to God.  This is sometimes called the bondage of the will.  People who are dead in their sins have no desire or inclination for God.  Jonathan Edwards pointed out that people choose what they most desire.  When people are dead in their sins they will never choose God because they have no desire for him.  Their will is in bondage to sin.  They make real choices but the choices are never for God.  Dead men can't make themselves alive so they must be made alive by God.  When they are made alive by God or born again, they will respond to God.  When we go from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive, Jesus becomes irresistible to us. 

The Reformed view is also seen as unfair.  It just does not seem fair that some are chosen and predestined for salvation while others are not.  Behind this objection is the belief that we really deserve to go to heaven.  God actually owes it to us.  But this is not the case at all.  All people have sinned against God and deserve to face his wrath in hell for eternity.  If everyone got what they deserved, it would mean that everyone would go to hell.  God has the right to decree that some will receive salvation and others will not because he is God.  Salvation is totally by God's grace.  

Evangelism is not destroyed by Calvinism either.  Evangelism is the means God uses to bring his people to himself.  The elect are unknown so the gospel is proclaimed to all.  Only those chosen by God will respond with faith in Christ.  In the Reformed view God actually saves his people, he doesn't just make it possible.  In the Reformed view salvation is of the Lord, not dependent on man.  Some well known evangelists who were also Calvinists include:  Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield (prominent figures in the Great Awakening), Charles Spurgeon (the Prince of Preachers), and William Carey (considered the father of modern missions). 

Calvinism was also not made up by John Calvin and he was not a monster either.  R.C. Sproul points out that Martin Luther wrote more about predestination than John Calvin did.  One should read Luther's "The Bondage of the Will".  It was also the theology of the church father, Augustine.  And most importantly Reformed theology is taught throughout the Bible.  I do not know how anyone can read passages such as Romans 9 and Ephesians 1&2 and not adopt the Reformed view. 

The Arminian view has many problems itself.  In trying to save the freedom of man it actually limits the freedom of God.  It ends up denying his sovereignty.  If God is not sovereign he is not God.  Arminianism makes salvation dependent on man instead of God.  That adds works to salvation and it is no longer by grace.  God ends up sharing the glory with man in this view.  In the Arminian view Jesus doesn't actually save people he just makes it possible for them to be saved.  It ultimately depends on their decision.  The Arminian view also teaches that Jesus paid for the sins of all people.  This would mean universal salvation because no one would still have to pay the penalty for their sins if Jesus had already paid for them.  Another problem for Arminianism is that it has God trying to save all people but not succeeding.  The Bible clearly teaches that God does not fail, his will is never thwarted. 

Calvinism is rejected by many because it takes the control away from us.  It teaches that God is in control he is sovereign.  In the Reformed view it is to God alone be the glory.  Man does not get to share the glory.  This is not what we want to believe it goes against our natural human reason.  It has been said that all Christians are Calvinists when they pray and this is true.  Reformed theology is indeed Biblical Christianity. 

As John Calvin said, "Since no man is excluded from calling upon God the gate of salvation is open to all.  There is nothing else to hinder us from entering, but our own unbelief." 

Who's Afraid Of A Big Bad Calvinist?

In recent times there has been a resurgence of what is known as Calvinism or Reformed Theology.  It has caused great controversy across evangelicalism including the Southern Baptist Convention.  Some think it is a great threat and one of the worst things we have to fear.  Some claim it was invented by John Calvin and of course Calvin was a monster.  They also believe that Calvinism destroys evangelism and denies that man has responsibility for himself and his choices. 

But is all this true?  First of all it gets it's name from John Calvin but it was not invented by him.  What is believed by Calvinists has been believed throughout church history by many Christians.  And by the way John Calvin was not a monster, he was one of the greatest theologians in church history.  Reformed theology does not destroy evangelism either.  All mainstream Calvinists believe in evangelism.  And while Calvinist hold to the absolute sovereignty of God, they also believe man is responsible for his actions. 

So lets take a look at what Calvinism or Reformed theology actually is.  We will look at what is called the five points of Calvinism or the "Doctrines of Grace".   We will use the popular acrostic TULIP to do this. 

(T) (Total Depravity) This refers to man being utterly sinful in his entire being.  Man is not as bad as he could possible be, but his entire being is effected by sin.  He is not righteous, his will is enslaved by sin, he is spiritually dead and unable to respond to God. 
(Psalm 51:5, Is. 64:6, Jer. 17:9, Rom. 3:9-12, Eph. 2:1-5)

(U) (Unconditional Election)  This one refers to God choosing or electing some to salvation while passing over others.  It seems unfair to us but fairness would mean everyone would go to hell.  No one deserves salvation and if God did not choose some to be saved no one would ever choose to turn to God for salvation.  Salvation is totally by God's grace. 
(Jn.15:16, Acts 13:48, Rom. 8:28-30, Rom. 9:11-16, Eph. 1:4-5,11-12)

(L) (Limited Atonement)  This one means that Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of his people, the elect, but not all people.  If Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of all people then no one could still face the penalty for their sins, all people would be saved.  Calvinists believe Jesus actually saves his people, he does not just make salvation possible. 
(Mt. 1:21, Mt. 20:28, Jn. 10:11,14-15,24-26, Eph. 5:25-27, 1 Tim. 1:15)

(I) (Irresistible Grace) This one teaches that all who God chooses will come to him.  God changes the will of man and he willing turns to God.  Man is changed from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive.  No one is dragged kicking and screaming against their will. 
(Is. 65:1, Jn. 1:12-13, Jn. 6:29,37,44,63-66, Rom. 9:15-16, Eph. 2:1-9)

(P) (Perseverance  Of The Saints)  This one teaches that all true Christians are preserved by God and will not fall away.  They do not fall away because salvation is totally the work of God. God is in total control and will not let them fall away.
(Jn. 3:16, Jn. 6:37,39, Jn. 10:27-29, Rom. 8:29-39, 1 Jn. 2;19,25)

Calvinists believe that Scripture alone is authoritative and that to God alone belongs the glory.  Salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. 


Here are some notable modern day Calvinists:
Albert Mohler           Timothy Keller 
John MacArthur          David Platt
John Piper              Matt Chandler
Wayne Grudem            Mark Driscoll
R.C. Sproul
Michael Horton