T. U. L. l, P.

: A Docflrtne of Grace *
PestorRodol C. Crtuy
Prasented to tlg BFHCC Youth Nall-. I I , 2OOO

INTRODUCTION: "T.U.L.LP.", an wostic of distinctive doctrines of Reformed theolory, is a poprlar expressim of tbe teachings of the Canons of Dort. This ereed is the result of the intmatimal s1nd of Reformed chrncbes held in Dordrecht, the Netlredands io 1618-19. thi$ synod had to deal with the contoversy between Calvinists and Arminians. This controversy dealt with the !\ny in which believem receive the gnce of Christ The confrnverry reminds us of the cmtrovemy between Augus'tine and Pelagius. The Canons, are polemic in purpose, articulating Calvinists beliefs indirectrebuttal ofArminianim (ReformedPerryectives 19!)6,6)

Toal Depravity means "radieal corruption. " We must be careful to note the difference betrpeen total &pnwty ad utter depravity. To be utterly depraved is to be as wicked {rs one could pssibly be.Hitler was enhremely depraved, but he could have been wme than he was. (Sproul 1992, An" Peftaps rdical corruption is a better term to describe orn fallen condition than "total " "Pqrlieol'" not so much to mean "extretne, " but to lean more heevily m its original @oing from Latin - "/oot" w "core. " (Sproul 1992, 148) Onr pnoblem with sin is that it is rooted in the core af our being. It permeates mr hearts. It is because sin is at ow cse and not merely at the exterior of our lives that the Bible says in Romans 3:10-12 u/hich at the bottm-line explains lfut "there is nane righteaus, no, not one..,"
(Sproul 1992, 148). Ia Afun we aII siturcd. The Bible atrrmed rhis ia Rom. 3:23. We ue sireta.ls ,rd bwuse we sin rdhq, we sin b*awe we ffe sitteu." Thuso David laments, "sure$t I was sinful at birth, sinfulfrom the time ny mother conwived me " (Psalm 51:5, NIV). The *teme of the OId Testament is gnien Gernesis 5:1: "Ihis is tle fuoh af the gateotian of Adnr." The OT S.ves the history of "the Adse family" end it is a $ad hidory iadeed. God creatd man in his onm image , but m*n sinned - thug defling and defonning thtt irnage. Thenman brought forth chil&en "in his own likeness, afier his hnage" (Cn. 5:3). These ehildren proved themsehrcs to be sitrrerfl like their parents. No matier uihere you read in the youmeetsin andsimters. (Wiersbe 1989, l0) Bnt the Ne*' Testament is, "Thc fuo* of the gaerutiott of feflxs Chdst" (Mu" l:t)Jesus is tbe lastAdotn (I Cu. 15:45)., ad He eame to earth to save tb "generatians of Afun-" this made us Throrryh no chaice oloar ou,n,we were bom into ths generatims of Adam" sbmers. Butby a clnice affaith,we aan be born into the generation otJews Clrist md hecome the children of God! "And he died" is common in Crere.sie 5 genealog5r i[ustnating the tnfh that "the wages af sin is deart" (Ron 6:23). But u&en you trrn to the Nerr Testament tbat first emFhasizes "birth" ard nt>t death- The message of the New Testaeent is that "The is etertnl kfe through Jesus Christ our Inrd" (Romans 6:23). The Old Testament is Sitt of a hook af promise ulhile the Nen' TestameNrt ia a book offulfilhnent (Wiernbe 1989, pp. l0-l l)

T -TdalDqrwity It refem to the teaching that in Afun we oll shrned *rd ,hd tre ontotally ntwbleto do w nood&dinclindtowsds dlevil

se sinnerr tront

in

Ol

- UneondifbnnlEleion
re

of t

world. This is n

It refers to the teaching lhartrhe fuIievq is e"Ieded in Cfuiptfrom @orc tlnfonnMion Mion af *rrce, wt dqatfutt rymn the wiII of tnoll- (Eph. I :4)

L- LirrriftnAbnenent
It refefis to the teaching tfutthe fuIbet cut be surc thd tfu eonattant of Christ isfot him ot ha. Thse is no need ta fur.H. It is a &W slotwnm! sufftcient to Wy fot tln sins of slldn beliqa who se eld in Cbifi. Orfhodox Cbristianity has insisted that the Atmement involves wbstifrttion and satisfaction fu tnlcing God's cluse upon Himself, Je$rs sili{fien tbe denrands of God's holy justi"e . He received God's urrath fu us, saving us from the wrath that is to eome (I Thess. l: l0). A key phase fu the Bible regardiilg the Atonen ent is the phrase" "in belnlfolf " Jesus did not die for Himsef but for us. His suffering was vicarian; I{e was orr substitrte. He tonk our place in fulfiiling the role of the l^amb u&o takes away the sin of the world. (Sproul 1992,173174).

"Thottgh the acrostic is helpfulfor at&ng rtte menory , it un also ust eonfinion an the bemuse of the vay fiey are worded tofit the acrostic. Ihis is especiatly ttue af the ihirdpint,limilddonqtstt. Many, who style themselves 'four-pint" Cilvinisf', arewiilng to aSrm all but not ltmited atonement. Ihey brw* the L of TULIP." I prefer the term defn rtE atunement to the term limited atanement (though it turns TULIP inta TTJDIP). The doctrine of fufmlte donaunt foeasa on tln quesfion of the dsisn af Clui*'s donanenl It is concanrcdwilh Gd's tiltett in sending J*tts ro the &oss.,, ( Sproul lgg2,l75)

Mitps

ut

Itrefers to the tnaching thatlhongh a siwrs nuy fry, lE or slre cewot frrultv res/ist the sroe of God in Jgrlas Cbiil. Chrifi's sheqwill heu His voicc mdwill conp tu lfpn" A majs declaratim of the Reformation was sola gratia - salvation is St the grrce of M alone. Believers briog no merit of their oum before tU juAgnmt seat of Go4 but lest solely on God's mercy ad grace. (I fike Wiersbe's view of fiercy atd grace: "Ciod in His merql did not gove us wlnt we do desertte, and in His grae gave us wlnt we do not desewe.') Crace is tbe wtmerited favor of Crod, It is an action or disposition of God toward us. Gmce is not a substance tbat can inhabit our souls. We grow in grace, not by a quantative mea$ne of ssne subfltance in ru, b'ut by the merciful assistasce of the Holy Spirit who drvells within us, acting graciously toward us end upon us. The means of grace God gives to assist us in tbe Christian life include Scrlpfrrre, the sasanents, pnayq, fellowship, ard the rmrture of the

Inulstlblc Grace

clurch. (Sproul 1992, 195)

P

wsatse wfiil the qtd.

References:

- Psrevennu (ar Presuvation) af the fuirrts It refers to lhe teaching thattllriagh (mc omt bilclcsfrdefw avldle, a frae betievs M bre his sa slian Gd's strce. thtottgh ,In Wwd Md t re EaIy Spitit ,yill ,rrote him
(John 10:28; I John 2: 19)

C. (1992) Es*entialTraths ofthc Cllnistiart Foith. (1996) Refonnen Parytaives. Ildt, P. Wiersbe, W. (1989) TLe Bible Eryositian Conuttantoy lzol I.

Spoul,