Thinking about the 'Five Points of Calvinism' today, and how they convey to us the Gospel:
The most common form of the '5 points'
Point 1- Total Depravity
Point 2- Unconditional Election
Point 3- Limited Atonement
Point 4- Irresistable Grace
Point 5- Perseverance of the Saints
A Summary of the '5 points' in only 3 points
Point 1- Man is Lost
Point 2- God saves man
Point 3- Man is Saved
The only distinction with these three points compared to the five is that Election, Atonment, and Irresistable Grace are compressed into one point, namely, that God saves (point 2). Consisdering this causes us to see that points 2, 3, and 4 (of the 5 points) are really the work of the Godhead. The Father elects (point 2), the Son atones (and mediates; point 3), and the Spirit draws through regeneration (point 4).
This to me is a quite amazing way of percieving 'the doctrines of grace'. The reality is this: they are a summarization of the Gospel, period. What other Gospel could we believe in that does not involve a lost sinner, a God who saves, and the result of the two, a found sheep. This is all the five points reveal to us. In fact, if we didn't make distinction in the Trinity of God (which by all means, we must, for the Scriptures do), we would only have three points of the doctrines of Grace, and the Glory of God in the redemption of sinners! Good news!
Here is another way of describing it
Point 1- Total Depravity (Man is Lost)
Point 2- Unconditional Election (The Father Saves)
Point 3- Limited Atonement (The Son Saves)
Point 4- Irresistable Grace (The Spirit Saves)
Point 5- Perseverance of the Saints (Man is Saved)
