TULIP
The Five Points of Calvinism

• T - Total depravity.
  
• U - Unconditional election
  
• L - Limited atonement
  
• I - Irresistible grace
  
• P - Perseverance of the saints

This acronym is the way they are most often presented. We have found, however, that people grasp these points more easily if we follow a presentation based on the order in which we experience them.

1. We experience first our depravity and need of salvation.
   
2. Then we experience the irresistible grace of God leading us toward faith.
   
3. Then we trust the sufficiency of the atoning death of Christ for our sins.
   
4. Then we discover that behind the work of God to atone for our sins and bring us to faith was the unconditional election of God.
   
5. And finally we rest in his electing grace to give us the strength and will to persevere to the end in faith.

We would like to spell out what we believe the Scripture teaches on these five points. Our great desire is to honor God by understanding and believing his truth revealed in Scripture. We are open to changing any of our ideas which can be shown to contradict the truth of Scripture. We do not have any vested interest in John Calvin himself, and we find some of what he taught to be wrong. But in general we are willing to let ourselves be called Calvinists on the five points, because we find the Calvinist position to be Biblical.

Read this booklet on Desiring God's website.