Analyticalfaith.com

The following is a summary based primarily on the book “The Reformed Faith” by a well known Traditional Calvinist, Loraine Boettner. [My comments are in brackets.]

T = Total Inability [Now referred to as Total Depravity]

A human being is so depraved that he or she is unable to believe the Gospel, so God must regenerate the individual first, in order that they can repent and believe. [In other words, Calvinists are indicating that we are not actually saved by faith, we are saved by God regenerating us first–Regeneration is another term for being Born Again.]

U = Unconditional Election

God chose [elected] specific individuals before the foundation of the world to be saved based only on his Sovereign will and was not based on any foreseen response of obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. [They deny that those not chosen were chosen for damnation, but that’s just semantics, if God in their view is able to save everyone, but only chooses to save some, he has made the choice NOT to save the others]

L = Limited Atonement [also described as Particular Redemption]

Christ’s death only secures the Salvation of those he unconditionally elected.

I = Irresistible Grace

An internal call is given only to those unconditionally elected and cannot be rejected. The Spirit CAUSES the sinner to believe, who then comes willingly [?] to Christ. [If there was such a thing as a “love potion,” and you gave it to someone who despised you and then they came to you and loved you “willingly,” was it actually willingly?]

P = Perseverance of the Saints

All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. Those who are elected will absolutely persevere to the end because they are kept by the power of God. If the person seems to believe for a time, but later recants, they were not one of the elect and had evanescent faith. [Faith that fades away]. [By persevere, they mean that they need to continue to do good works, pursue holiness and still believe up to the second they die, that is the only way they will know for sure that they are saved. So there is no assurance of Salvation.]