Examining the Five Points of Calvinism
Through a Biblical Lens

Calvinism has shaped Protestant theology for five centuries — but does it hold up under careful biblical scrutiny? Beyond Tulip offers rigorous, accessible examinations of Reformed doctrine, equipping Christians to think biblically about God's character, human freedom, and the gospel.

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Start Here

New to the Calvinism debate? Begin with the curated introduction to the five points (TULIP), the key biblical texts at stake, and the alternative framework Beyond Tulip defends — a vision of God's genuine, universal love and human moral responsibility.

The Five Points

Total Depravity

Does Scripture teach that fallen humanity is incapable of any positive response to God, or does spiritual death describe…

Unconditional Election

Is election individual and unconditional — God choosing specific persons — or is it corporate, with God choosing a peopl…

Limited Atonement

Did Christ die for the sins of all humanity, or did He bear the punishment due for the sins of the elect alone? Does uni…

Irresistible Grace

Does God give selected individuals an inward saving call that necessarily changes their desires and infallibly produces …

Perseverance of the Saints

Does Scripture teach that God guarantees every genuine believer will continue in faith to the end, or do its warning pas…

Featured Article

Cornerstone

Limited Atonement and Universal Provision: For Whom Did Christ Die?

What Is Limited Atonement? Limited atonement — also called particular redemption or definite atonement — is the third point of the Calvinist TULIP. A fair definition, one informed Calvinists would…

February 16, 2025 · 22 min read

New Passage Studies

Recent studies expand Beyond Tulip beyond cornerstone essays into focused passage clusters on perseverance, election, inability, and resistible grace.

Hebrews 6:4-6: Were These Genuine Believers?

Hebrews 6:4–6 is one of the most important warning passages in the debate over perseverance. It describes people who……

Hebrews 10:26-39: Can Someone Sanctified by the Covenant Blood Fall Away?

Hebrews 10:26–39 intensifies the warning by speaking of deliberate sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth,……

Ephesians 1:4-13: Were Individuals Chosen to Believe or Were Believers Chosen in Christ?

Ephesians 1:4–13 is central to the election debate because it says believers were chosen in Christ before the……

Acts 13:48: Were Those Appointed to Eternal Life Predestined to Believe?

Acts 13:48 says that “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” It is one of the briefest and most contested……

Ephesians 2:1-5: Does “Dead in Sin” Mean Unable to Believe?

Ephesians 2:1–5 describes fallen people as dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the age, enslaved to……

Acts 7:51: What Does It Mean to Resist the Holy Spirit?

Acts 7:51 is one of the most direct texts in the debate over irresistible grace: Stephen tells his hearers, “You always……

Latest Articles

Romans 9: Election, Israel, and the Faithfulness of God

March 02, 2025 · Unconditional Election · 17 min read
The Question Paul Is Answering Romans 9 does not begin with an abstract discussion of predestination. It begins with anguish. Paul has just declared that nothing can separate…

Philippians 2:12–13 and Monergism: What Does It Mean to Work Out Salvation?

March 02, 2025 · Irresistible Grace · 12 min read
What Question Does the Passage Answer? Philippians 2:12–13 is one of the most frequently cited passages in debates about divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Paul writes:…

Romans 8:29: What Does It Mean That God Foreknew?

March 01, 2025 · Unconditional Election · 16 min read
Why Romans 8:29 Matters Romans 8:29–30 is one of the most discussed passages in the debate over divine election. Often called the "golden chain of redemption," it traces a…

James 1:18: Does New Birth Through the Word Require Faith Before Regeneration?

March 01, 2025 · Total Depravity · 17 min read
What James 1:18 Actually Says James 1:18 reads: "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." The verse is…

The Problem of Evil: Is Calvinism's God the Author of Sin?

February 16, 2025 · Total Depravity · 6 min read
The problem of evil is one of the most serious questions raised by Calvinist theology. Many Calvinists affirm exhaustive divine sovereignty, meticulous providence, and…

Ezekiel 36:26–27: What Does God Promise in the New Heart Passage?

February 16, 2025 · Irresistible Grace · 18 min read
Why Ezekiel 36 Matters Ezekiel 36:26–27 is one of the most powerful Old Testament promises of divine renewal. God declares through the prophet: "I will give you a new heart, and a…

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About the Author

ML

Marc LaClear

Marc LaClear examines Reformed theology through a biblical lens, writing for Christians who want to understand both sides of the Calvinism debate.

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