It must also be made clear, in light of some popular unbiblical covenant theologies, that Unconditional Election does not equate to, mean, nor imply unconditional New Covenant membership.  Though it is only upon Christ’s merits that we stand in the New (or even Old) Covenant, the Covenant itself is by no means unconditional.  One must believe, repent, be baptized, and continue in these all the days of our lives, never turning back or abandoning the Faith. Again, these are consequent conditions—Christ’s merits alone justifying—but they are nevertheless true conditions. 

The doctrines summarized by the acronym “TULIP” have become to many the hallmark doctrines of the Reformed faith, even called the “Five Points of Calvinism” by some. In reality, this acronym is rarely heard in Reformed churches or found in Reformed literature.  To the Reformed, Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints are not the core of Christianity, nor even the core soteriology of Christianity, but rather five doctrinal clarifications produced by the Synod of Dordt in response to a group of Dutch ministers questioning important suppositions of the Heidelberg Catechism. While they are indeed very important truths, they do not eclipse the total system of doctrine as received in the Reformed Confessions.

But, as pervasive as this caricature of the Reformed Faith is, even more troubling is that these doctrines themselves are often presented as but poor caricatures of the actual Canons produced at Dordt—even by many who claim to profess them. I have thought it helpful here to write a few quick reminders of what TULIP is not, historically speaking.

Total Depravity does not mean that believers cannot do righteous deeds, cannot please God, cannot grow in righteousness, that all sins are equal, or that some saints are not more righteous than others. Isaiah 64:6, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags,” is not a statement about a Christian’s good works, but is rather about wicked unbelievers hypocritically offering sacrifices to God.  The truth is, when “we keep His commandments,” we are doing “those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 Jn. 3:22) and the offering up of our bodies is so far from “filthy,” that it is called “holy” and “acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1). Not only are we believers not on a flat line of perpetual filthy offerings to God throughout our lives, we are to give thanks always to God that by His grace we continue to grow in faith and love (2 Thess. 1:3).

And last, there are indeed greater and lesser sins, more and less wicked people, and degrees of righteousness.  Christ Himself speaks of righteous laws that must be kept, but also distinguishes “weightier matters of the Law” (Matt. 23:23).  The entire book of Proverbs distinguishes the fool from the righteous based upon their deeds, and we see throughout the New Testament varying rewards promised based upon works done in righteousness (e.g., Matt. 25:14-30; 1 Cor. 3:8-13; Rev. 22:12). On the opposite side, there are also clearly degrees of wickedness. Christ, e.g., speaks of greater punishment for those who have been given much (Lk. 12:48), and the Apostle Paul describes a downward spiral of sin, God in His wrath giving sinful rebels over to ever increasing wickedness as an expression of His wrath (Rom. 1:18-32).

My sense is that flattening the moral quality of every deed of man, treating them all as equally filthy, is at bottom a sinister way for our flesh to convince us to ignore the scriptures’ admonitions to live righteously; I mean, all our righteous deeds are as filthy rags anyhow, right? God forbid. Rather,

we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)

and

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col. 1:9-10)

Unconditional Election does not mean that God does not use means; in fact, He rather exclusively does. There is no Biblical evidence that it is even conceivable to have a class of elect who never hear the message of the Gospel, who do not choose to believe it, and who have no participation in the means of grace—including the Sacraments.

[T]he same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? […] faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:12-15, 16)

Just think, in order to bring salvation to a lone traveler from Ethiopia, God miraculously translated a preacher to him, to both explicate the Gospel from the Scripture and perform the introductory Sacrament of Baptism (Acts 8:26-40)!  God did not just regenerate him alone in his chariot on the way to Ethiopia, leaving him outside the Church and unsanctified by the Sacrament, simply because was elect without conditions.

It must also be made clear, in light of some popular unbiblical covenant theologies, that Unconditional Election does not equate to, mean, nor imply unconditional New Covenant membership.  Though it is only upon Christ’s merits that we stand in the New (or even Old) Covenant, the Covenant itself is by no means unconditional.  One must believe, repent, be baptized, and continue in these all the days of our lives, never turning back or abandoning the Faith. Again, these are consequent conditions—Christ’s merits alone justifying—but they are nevertheless true conditions.

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