Bro. Jeff,

T.U.L.I.P. acrostic is as follows:
T - Total depravity of man
U - Unconditional election by God
L - Limited atonement by Christ
I - Irresistible grace of the Holy Spirit
P - Perseverance of the believers in salvation

This philosophy does not match up with the Bible.

BUCK

Just because John Calvin and I believe some of the same things does not mean I am a Calvinist...

He believed the practice of the early church was to immerse believers. If I believe that does that make me a Calvinist? Obviously not.

I would urge Baptists to aviod calling themselves Calvinist because it associates us with protestants and a protestant heritage. This causes confusion and we loose our own Baptist Heritage.

This is taken from Iowabaptist's blog when he adressed reformed Baptists and it shows more of what I'm talking about,

Whether you realize it or not, the fact that you choose the name “Calvinist” shows you respect a heritage that slaughtered our Baptist forefathers. Even if I believed all of “Calvinism” I wouldn’t call it such, because it would not have originated with Calvin but with Christ. When we embrace names such as those of Calvin we confuse our future generations by blurring the lines of understanding about the importance of being a Baptist. But I truly believe that most Calvinistic Baptists hold high in esteem the person of John Calvin in the same level as our Baptist forefathers. AND, I don’t argue that many of our Baptist forefathers were “Calvinistic”. They weren’t perfect! But they are dead and I can’t discuss these doctrines with them. I WILL however, contend for the faith with those who are alive now. I treat those Calvinistic Baptists of old in the same way I do with my close modern day preacher friends. I try to learn from and honor what they do right and avoid what I don’t agree with them about. I don’t believe that you can’t be a Baptist and be a “Calvinist” at the same time. I just find it detramental to our Baptist Heritage to embrace such a title for these beliefs. Whether you realize it or not, this practice has made a negative impact on many Baptists understanding our heritage.

There is much in Baptist Heritage's post I agree with, but when a person embraces the tenents of Sovereign Grace Doctrine they leave the Baptist Heritage and cross over to protestant doctrine. It was too bad that so many Baptists embraced this doctrine.
Whether or not you are called Calvinist does not cause you to lose your Baptist Heritage, it is when you espouse and advocate the doctrines of Sovereign Grace. It is the catholic reformed position.

Generally speaking (again I know not all) the SG'ers will not be KJVO, they are VMO.

Just food for thought: The moniker "Fundamentalist" (as far as the Christian ideology) originated in the catholic reformed camp. That is why, now that I found out about it, I have a real hard time with it. I don't want to be associated with anything that has to do with the other side.
I am working on leaving behind anything that has to do with the Sovereign Grace position. That is going back to the Baptist position. That is going back to the Bible.

I forgot we are supposed to call them VMO! That's GREAT!

but when a person embraces the tenents of Sovereign Grace Doctrine they leave the Baptist Heritage and cross over to protestant doctrine.

What is this "sovereign grace" thing anyway?

Just food for thought: The moniker "Fundamentalist" (as far as the Christian ideology) originated in the catholic reformed camp. That is why, now that I found out about it, I have a real hard time with it. I don't want to be associated with anything that has to do with the other side.
I am working on leaving behind anything that has to do with the Sovereign Grace position. That is going back to the Baptist position. That is going back to the Bible.

Thanks for this wonderful thought. We have been opposed the the "fumblementalist" moniker for a while at our church (ever since we began to learn about our own heritage). The early fundamentalists were all about compromise and were not Baptists. Besides if you are a real Baptist you will believe what they call the "fundamentals" anyway.

The title "Sovereign Grace" is the name taken by many people who espouse the doctrine commonly called calvinism. They believe that God had predetermined by eternal decree certain specified circumstances. I know that this is a generalized statement and I want to say not all hold to this position. There are degrees (for the lack of a better term) of Sovereign Grace persons ranging from:
1) God had it all worked out and I still have my responsibility to preach, teach and evangelize........ to
2) God has it all worked out and I have nothing that I can do so I shouldn't do anything.

I have many friends who would consider themselves Sovereign Grace.

One of the best friends of my life was a man named Albert Witvoit, from south Chicago Heights. He was raised in the Primitive Baptist Church. He went through his life hoping that he was one of the elect. He never could tell me for sure. He was very humble and a giving, loving person. I learned alot from him before he died.

One of the best friends of my life was a man named Albert Witvoit, from south Chicago Heights. He was raised in the Primitive Baptist Church. He went through his life hoping that he was one of the elect. He never could tell me for sure. He was very humble and a giving, loving person. I learned alot from him before he died.

That is interesting. I have never met a Calvinist who did not consider themselves to be part of the elect.

BUCK

How do Calvinists know if they are part of the elect?

Innumerable hundreds of hundreds would say that they know the same way you know if you are saved. They consider the Word of God as fact to have faith in and have experienced salvation.
A few (a small few) consider experience as their foundation and lay it down there, but not many.

Albert would say that he knew the Lord was talking to him and he was convicted of his sinful position before God but was never assured of his salvation because he wasn't sure if he was one of the elect.