Paradox is inherent in Piper's TULIP. It is especially evident in his synopses of limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance. Piper's explanation of TULIP is well balanced because he has been refining it for many years as he has pursued good theology and devoted himself to a careful study of Scripture. I've heard other attempts at explaining TULIP that were so unbalanced you wanted to rent a tower crane and try to set them back up again.
Here is Piper's TULIP . . . no cranes needed:
We believe that these 5 truths are biblical and therefore true. We believe that they magnify God’s precious grace and give unspeakable joy to sinners who have despaired of saving themselves.
Total Depravity
Our sinful corruption is so deep and so strong as to make us slaves of sin and morally unable to overcome our own rebellion and blindness. This inability to save ourselves from ourselves is total. We are utterly dependent on God’s grace to overcome our rebellion, give us eyes to see, and effectively draw us to the Savior.
We were dead in our trespasses. (Ephesians 2:5)
The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8)
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Unconditional Election
God’s election is an unconditional act of free grace that was given through his Son Jesus before the world began. By this act, God chose, before the foundation of the world, those who would be delivered from bondage to sin and brought to repentance and saving faith in Jesus.
He chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).
As many as were appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (Romans 9:15-16)
God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. (1 Corinthians 1:27)
Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. (Romans 11:7; cf. 9:11-12; John 6:37)
My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me. (Isaiah 43:10)
Irresistible Grace
This means that the resistance that all human beings exert against God every day (Romans 3:10-12; Acts 7:51) is wonderfully overcome at the proper time by God’s saving grace for undeserving rebels whom he chooses freely to save.
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:5)
No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father. (John 6:65)
God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 2:25)
Limited Atonement
The atonement of Christ is sufficient for all humans and effective for those who trust him. The full, saving effectiveness of the atonement that Jesus accomplished is limited to those for whom that saving effect was prepared. The availability of the total sufficiency of the atonement is for all people. Whosoever will—whoever believes—will be covered by the blood of Christ. And there is a divine design in the death of Christ to accomplish the promises of the new covenant for the chosen bride of Christ. Thus Christ died for all, but not for all in the same way.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16; cf. Revelation 22:17).
This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:20)
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25)
I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:15)
I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. . . . And for their sake I consecrate myself [that is, prepare to die], that they also may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:9, 19)
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)
Perseverance of the Saints
We believe that all who are justified will win the fight of faith. They will persevere in faith and never surrender to the enemy of their souls. This perseverance is the promise of the new covenant, obtained by the blood of Christ, and worked in us by God himself, yet not so as to diminish, but only to empower and encourage, our vigilance; so that we may say in the end, I have fought the good fight, but it was not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)
I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Philippians 3:12)
Resting in Christ and reaching for the goal,
Pastor John
© Desiring God
I liked the definitions. That's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteDavid
David,
ReplyDeleteI wondered if you might comment on this, and I thought you would probably appreciate Piper's balance.
He's riding the rails fairly close to logical contradiction, but Piper is not averse to the concept of divine mystery and the limitedness of human understanding.
All of this doesn't lead him to uncertainty and theological murkiness, as some would expect. Rather, it propels him to a passionate exaltation of the glory of God and a ringing proclamation of the clearly revealed truths of Scripture.
And that's an example worth following. (I guess I'm just another "Piper puppet!")
Grace & peace,
Derek