Many are ignorant in their history, when it comes to Five Points, they immediately think it’s Calvinism who brought up the Five Points, this is factually incorrect. It was the Arminianism who came up with the Five Points first and the Five Points of Calvinism was only a response to Arminian Five Points.
Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609), a Dutch theologian and professor, gave his name to what later became known as Arminianism. Though trained within the Reformed tradition, he gradually developed theological concerns regarding certain aspects of the doctrine of sovereign grace.
While teaching in a Reformed seminary, Arminius began to question key elements of Calvinistic theology—particularly unconditional election and irresistible grace—leading to a growing divergence from the prevailing confessional standards of his day.
After his death, his followers—known as the Remonstrants—systematized his views into a formal doctrinal statement known as the Five Articles of the Remonstrance (1610), which they presented to the civil authorities of the Netherlands. This document challenged the established teachings summarized in the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism.
In response, the Synod of Dort (1618–1619) was convened by the Dutch Reformed Church to examine these teachings in light of Scripture. Delegates from across Reformed Europe participated in what became one of the most significant doctrinal assemblies in church history.
After 154 sessions over approximately seven months, the Synod concluded that the teachings of the Remonstrants were contrary to the Word of God. Their positions were formally rejected, and what later became known as the “Five Points of Calvinism” were articulated in response.
The Five Points of the Remonstrance may be summarized as follows:
Arminianism teaches that although humanity is fallen, the effects of sin are not total. Through prevenient grace, God restores to all people the ability to cooperate with Him. Thus, man retains the capacity to choose Christ and believe the gospel by an act of his own free will.
Election is based upon God’s foreknowledge of who will believe. God chooses individuals for salvation because He foresees their faith in Christ. Therefore, faith is not the result of election, but the condition for it.
Christ died for all people without exception, making salvation possible for every individual. However, His death does not secure salvation for anyone in particular; rather, it provides the basis upon which anyone may be saved, provided they believe.
God graciously calls all people to salvation through the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. Yet this grace can be resisted. Man, exercising his free will, may reject the Spirit’s drawing and refuse to come to Christ.
Those who are truly saved can later fall away through persistent unbelief or sin and ultimately be lost. Perseverance in salvation is therefore not guaranteed but depends upon continued faith.
It should be noted that classical Arminianism affirms the necessity of grace at every stage of salvation. However, it differs from Reformed theology in asserting that this grace is not ultimately decisive, but contingent upon human response.