John Chapter Three Verses One to Three.

 

Jesus and Nicodemus

 

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

 

From <https://biblehub.com/kjv/john/3.htm>

 

Nicodemus was a man of the Pharisees and a ruler of the Jews. He came to see Jesus at night, secretly, so that no one would know he was enquiring of the Savior. This was relatively early in Jesus ministry and already Nicodemus was wondering who was this man, this Rabbi, about whom he had heard so much? Nicodemus said "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher come from God for no one can do the miracles you do except God be with Him? Jesus vexed him even further saying "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.?

 

Even rulers of the Jews took Jesus seriously. You see Nicodemus suspected that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. He hoped Jesus was come to deliver Israel from the rule of the Romans but what he found was the Light of the World come to save fallen mankind from his sins. The only begotten Son of God come to save Nicodemus from his sins.

 

What about you, who do you say Jesus is? Are you weighed down by a load of sin? Do you need to be set free? You do you know? You need to believe on Jesus and just as Jesus said to Nicodemus. You need to be born again to see the Kingdom of God. Where will you spend your eternity?

Romans Chapter Six verses One through Twenty Three

 

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Just as the Law makes us sinners. Paul asks should we sin so that God’s grace may grow, more and more, to free us from sin. He answers “Certainly not.” Rather we are baptized into the death of Christ Jesus that we may participate in His resurrection unto the newness of life. We are to be dead to sin and become alive in Christ.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, as we are one with Christ Jesus in his death we are also one with Him in his resurrection. In Christ our flesh was crucified with Him. The result is that our fleshly sinful selves are done away with and we are enslaved to sin no longer. If we died with Christ we will live with Him. Therefore, being alive in Christ Jesus, sin no longer reigns over us. Christ has set us free as He is free from sin Himself having overcome it. So we must reckon ourselves dead to sin but alive to righteousness in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

We are then not to allow sin to reign in our bodies calling us to unrighteousness and dragging us away from God. Paul exhorts us to present ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. Sin no longer dominates over us because we are no longer under the law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace. May it never be. If we sin we are the slaves of sin and if we are obedient we are the slaves of righteousness in Christ Jesus. Believing on Christ Jesus we are delivered and set free from sin and lead our lives in His service unto righteousness and eternal life.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In our sins, we laboured unto death and the fruit of our labours was unrighteousness. Now in Christ, we are free from sin and have fruit unto righteousness and to eternal life. The wages that we should reap is death. The gift of God in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is Eternal life.

Calvinism - In Basis...

 

Calvinism

noun

Cal·​vin·​ism ˈkal-və-ˌni-zəm 

 

: the theological system of Calvin and his followers marked by strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, and the doctrine of predestination

 

From <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Calvinism>

 

Scriptures which underpin Calvinist precepts.

 

Those in Christ are predestined from the foundation of the world.

 

Ephesians 1:4-5 ESV 

 

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

 

We are predestined to election or to damnation though we were not born and had done neither good or bad.

 

Romans 9:11-13 ESV

 

Though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

 

The Father gives us to Christ Jesus and we will never be cast out. Everyone who looks on the Son should have eternal life and be raised on the last day.

 

John 6:37-40 ESV  

 

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

 

We are foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. We are also called, justified and glorified in Christ Jesus.

 

Romans 8:29-30 ESV 

 

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.

 

Our salvation is dependent on the mercy of God not our own will or works.

 

Romans 9:16-18 ESV 

 

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

 

We are called to a holy calling because of grace not our own works.

 

2 Timothy 1:9 ESV

 

Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

 

We are appointed to salvation.

 

Acts 13:48 ESV 

 

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

 

Christ Jesus chose us to bear fruit.

 

John 15:16 ESV

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

 

We are saved not by our righteous works but according to mercy, by the actions of the Holy Spirit.

 

Titus 3:5 ESV 

 

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

 

We are called to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession

 

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Philippians 1:29 ESV 

 

 

From <https://www.openbible.info/topics/scriptures_that_underpin_calvinism>

 

No comes to Jesus Christ unless the father draws him.

 

 John 6:44

English Standard Version

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

 

From <https://biblia.com/bible/esv/john/6/44> 

What Does TULIP Stand for?

The meaning of each letter is listed below, with further brief explanations from R. C. Sproul’s book, What is Reformed Theology?

T - Total depravity: Humanity’s radical corruption

U - Unconditional Election: God’s sovereign choice

L - Limited atonement: Christ’s purposeful atonement

I - Irresistible grace: The Spirit’s effective call

P – Perseverance of the saints: God’s preservation of the saints

Calvinism is indeed the theological system of Calvin and his followers marked by strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, and the doctrine of predestination. It has a strong basis in scripture as has been established by the scriptures reproduced above. The TULIP acronym stands as a representation of the thinking of those who hold Calvinism to be their truth. It declares the final result of predestination being individual salvation while accepting the depravity of mankind and our inability to save ourselves. At the same time it declares God's Sovereignty over our election, acknowledges that God is the authority over who is atoned for and God's Lordship in applying grace and preserving the elect.