Tulips are pretty. Tuips are not.

I just spent 3.5 hours reading and writing about Limited Atonement.

My perspective:

I am not a Calvinist.

If you are going to be something, be it all the way. If you want to call yourself a Calvinist, I think you have to be a 5-point Calvinist... a TULIP.

For you uneducated, that's-

• Total Depravity
• Unconditional Election
• Limited Atonement
• Irresistible Grace
• Perseverance of the Saints.

Some "Calvinists," or "4-point Calvinists" do not believe in Limited Atonement. It scares a lot of people away. It scares me, although I can't say it's scared me away, since I'm still here.

Problem: 4-point Calvinism = TUIP. Pronounced "twip." And that's just not attractive.

Here's the problem... a lot of Calvinist theology is built on Limited Atonement. I can't tell you how many arguments in my Manual for Christian Doctrine book are built off of the assumption of Limited Atonement. How can you, then, call yourself Calvinist when you don't believe the middle of the 5 main points? It's still okay... just find yourself a different name. I do not call myself a Calvinist because I cannot adhere with certainty to their doctrine.

Now, for you who are wondering, "Uhhhh, what is this limited atonement thing?"

Copied and pasted from a wonderful website Google found me...

Jesus died only for the elect. Though Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for all, it was not efficacious for all. Jesus only bore the sins of the elect. Support for this position is drawn from such scriptures as Matt. 26:28 where Jesus died for ‘many'; John 10:11, 15 which say that Jesus died for the sheep (not the goats, per Matt. 25:32-33); John 17:9 where Jesus in prayer interceded for the ones given Him, not those of the entire world; Acts 20:28 and Eph. 5:25-27 which state that the Church was purchased by Christ, not all people; and Isaiah 53:12 which is a prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion where he would bore the sins of many (not all).

...I kind of think they might be starting to convert me. Scary thought, right? We'll save that talk for later.

Katie