John Calvin
Martin Luther's successor
Main Ideas, Beliefs and Reforms
T: Total Depravity - man is born totally depraved (sinful) and in service to sin. Their natural instinct is to serve self and not to love nor follow God
U: Unconditional Election - God already predestined who will and will not receive eternal life, regardless of their actions, love, faith, or any other disposition
L: Limited Atonement - The atoning sacrifice by Jesus was only for those who God had elected and predestined. Thus, Christ's atoning sacrifice does not cover all people and all sins, only those who God had already predestined.
I: Irresistable Grace - That the individual can not resist God's grace. Those that are predestined will receive God's grace, those that are not predestined will not receive God's grace. Thus those that are predestined can not refuse (resist) God's grace.
P: Perseverance of the Saints - The saints (not overtly holy people like the Catholic saints) but the elect will always persevere in their faith. There is no falling away or turning to sin for those that God had predestined to be saved. If they turn away from the faith and fall into sin, it is asserted then that the person was never predestined to be saved anyway.