PEC, as a Bible based local church, believes in, and preaches, what are known as “The Doctrines of Grace”, which are also sometimes referred to as “The Five Points of Calvinism”. Although these terms are not found in the Bible, the truths they refer to are. Those truths, in brief, are these,
Total Depravity:
God reveals in The Bible that people are not as bad as they could be, but nevertheless, sin affects every part of a person’s makeup, so that he, or she, is absolutely unable to please God, or to respond to Him. This is because every single thought, word and action is tainted, in some way, by rebellion against Him. (Genesis 8v21; Job 14v4)
Unconditional Election
God reveals in The Bible that salvation from sin, given by God to many, but not all, people, is not given because of some past, present or future merit in the individuals whom God saves, but in accordance with God’s free and sovereign choice. (Jonah 2v9; Titus 3v4-6)
Limited Atonement (or Particular Redemption)
God reveals in The Bible that when Christ died on the cross to fully and eternally save sinners, He suffered only for those whom God, in eternity past, had unconditionally elected to be the recipients of salvation. So the work of atonement, accomplished by the LORD Jesus Christ through His death, is only limited in extent, not in power, and certainly not in efficacy. (Isaiah 53v11; John 10v14,15)
Irresistible Grace
God reveals in The Bible that when He calls an individual, whom He has unconditionally elected to be the recipient of salvation, God the Holy Spirit works in that person all that is necessary for him, or her, to come to God with a repentant heart and faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. (Ezekiel 36v25-27;John 6v37)
Perseverance of the Saints
God reveals in The Bible that from that point in time when He saves a person, He works in that person’s life to make sure that he, or she, does not reject Him, but perseveres in his, or her, faith in Him, until the very end of his, or her, life on this earth. As a result, that person can never ever be eternally lost. (Psalm 138v8; Philippians 1v6)
These wonderful Biblical truths enrich the lives and empower the evangelism of all those who truly believe them. Come and rejoice in, be humbled by, be thankful for, and, if possible, help PEC to contend for, these glorious uplifting doctrines of God’s amazing grace!