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AIMEIN, ALEEN SULLIVAN LES A Hello and welcome to Sociology 101.

Today we're going to answer a question from one of the listeners about three-point Calvinism.

As many of you know, I like to take time to engage with the audience and those who have questions.

And this was a question that was sent to me some time ago that I promised to get back to, and I have not done so, but I thought it would make a good episode.

Here's the question. My pastor calls himself a three-point Calvinist, but what does that mean? Is he really a Calvinist or not?

What points is he referring to exactly? Thanks.

Great question, and I want to try to engage this because this is common, especially among those

in my denomination of Southern Baptist. Southern Baptists tend to fall into this three-point

Calvinist camp. In fact, I heard Eric Hankins on the provisionist perspective the other day

referring to himself earlier in his ministry as a three-point Calvinist because he didn't know any better.

He repudiates that now, obviously, because he does know better. But many Baptists that are

normally holding to kind of a once saved, always saved kind of mentality,

that once we've been born again, that we will persevere because Christ is in us,

helping us to persevere.

And we believe in depravity, that men are sinful, and that we need a savior, and that God

doesn't elect based upon our good works.

But it's unconditional, and salvation is not conditioned upon our good works, but it's unconditional and salvation is not

conditioned upon our good deeds, but upon His grace. And they think that's Calvinism. Now, that's not

uniquely Calvinism, however, and that's part of the problem with this. Now, my guess is your pastor

probably is affirming the T, the U, and the P of the tulip, systematic.

Now, for those that don't know what tulip stands for, quick overview, T stands for total

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