What Did John Calvin Believe?
John Calvin was a Protestant reformer who believed in the sinfulness and depravity of man’s character. He believed that only through God’s intervention could one be saved.
According to Religious Tolerance, John Calvin’s set of beliefs laid the foundation for Reformed Theology within Christianity. Calvin’s beliefs, called Calvinism, are summarized using the acronym TULIP. It stands for: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace and Perseverance of the Saints. Total Depravity states that due to sin, the natural man cannot understand the Gospel message unless God intervenes. Unconditional Election states that God elected certain individuals to receive the good news of the Gospel and believe in it, while all those who are not elected are set to reject God and go to Hell for their sins. Limited Atonement defines the scope of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross; it states that Jesus only died for the sins of the elect. Irresistible Grace states that anyone whom God elects will come to a saving knowledge of God. Perseverance of the Saints states that those who are truly saved will not fall away; they will endure until the end.
