Grace Recovered: How Reading the Bible Led me Away From TULIP

There is much to commend about the theological contributions of Calvinism and the ministries of people who adhere to it. The intention here is to not throw the entire belief system under the bus. However, no work of man is perfect and over the years I came to see that the Calvinist approach to salvation and sanctification is difficult to reconcile with the testimony of Scripture. The focus of this book is a discussion of my growing discomfort and eventual departure from the Calvinist doctrines represented by the acronym TULIP. But, it is of no help to anyone to just offer a critique without also offering an alternative. Grace Recovered does present another perspective on God’s gracious offer of salvation and sanctification as presented by Scripture. It is also a challenge to the reader to engage in personal Bible Study. There is a lot of evidence to support the idea that personal Bible study is a lost art. A visit to the local Christian bookstore and comparing the linear shelf space allocated to Bible reference material with that given to Christian fiction and self-improvement books strongly suggest we are reading about the Bible more than actually reading the Bible. I know that for many years I had fallen into that trap. What I have purposed with this book is to challenge the reader to undertake an audit of their belief structures through personal Bible study. Today my personal theology remains in a state of constant review as I continue to explore God’s Word. Having once fallen into the trap of believing I had it all figured out I do not want to blunder into that pit again.