Is Calvinism the good news about God’s salvation of men?It should be obvious that “Calvinism” in this second sense is squarely focused on the issues of salvation. In a very real sense, the Five Points of Calvinism are the Gospel of our salvation, for they carefully define man’s need of God’s grace, and summarize the great acts performed by the Triune God to save men from their sins.
The Arminian “gospel” redefines the gospel doctrines of depravity, election, redemption, regeneration, and grace.
Under the Arminian system, man is not so depraved that he cannot savingly believe in Christ. Thus, man’s need of salvation is greatly compromised by Arminianism.
Under the Arminian system, God chose certain men only because He foresaw that they would believe. Thus, God’s plan of salvation is greatly compromised by Arminianism. Indeed, this is a great denial of God’s freedom to help needy sinners, for those who most need His help are those who would never have believed apart from God’s Irresistible Grace.
Redemption under the Arminian system cannot save anyone unless man contributes his own faith. Thus, the price of our salvation and the worth of Christ’s blood to save guilty sinners is greatly compromised by Arminianism.
Under the Arminian system God cannot regenerate a man until he responds in faith to the Gospel (whereas Calvinism teaches that faith is a fruit and evidence of regeneration). Thus, God’s power and freedom to bring about our salvation is greatly compromised by Arminianism.
And Arminianism views “grace” merely as a universal provision of salvation for all men, who may then receive it or reject it as they choose. On the other hand, the Calvinistic concept of grace is that God does everything necessary for our salvation: choosing us (when we would not choose Him), redeeming us (effectually, with no restraining conditions) and powerfully regenerating us (thereby giving us a new heart which erupts forth in genuine, loving faith), when we were still dead in our sins and unbelief.
To suppose that the Gospel could have any sensible meaning in a theological vacuum is ludicrous. The “gospel” of Arminianism is but a man-centered, man-glorifying counterfeit of the Biblical gospel. The doctrines represented by the TULIP are not mere window dressing. They are nothing less than a precise, Biblical definition of what salvation is all about. In this sense, the TULIP is very much the Gospel.
https://www.the-highway.com/calvinism-gospel_Cervinka.html
