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Calvinism

Calvinism is most commonly defined in terms of the acronym TULIP:

Total Depravity – All humanity is dead in trespasses and sins. Man is unable to save himself or to think or do anything truly ‘good’

Unconditional Election – Because man is dead in sin, he is unable to initiate a relationship with God. Therefore, in eternity past, God elected certain people to salvation. Election and predestination are unconditional and are not based on man’s merits or response because man is unable to respond, nor does he want to.

Limited Atonement – Because God determined that certain people should be He determined that Christ should die for the elect alone. All whom God have elected and therefore for whom Christ died will be saved.

Irresistible Grace – Those whom God elected He draws to Himself through irresistible grace. God makes man willing to come to Him.

Perseverance of the Saints – The ones whom God has elected and drawn to Himself will persevere in faith. None whom God has elected will be lost.

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About Me

My name is Christopher Peppler and I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1947. While working in the financial sector I achieved a number of business qualifications from the Institute of Bankers, Damelin Management School, and The University of the Witwatersrand Business School. After over 20 years as a banker, I followed God’s calling and joined the ministry full time. After becoming a pastor of what is now a quite considerable church, I  earned an undergraduate theological qualification from the Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa and post-graduate degrees from two United States institutions. I was also awarded the Doctor of Theology in Systematic Theology from the University of Zululand in 2000.

Four years before that I established the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), which today is represented in over 70 countries and has more than 2 500 active students enrolled with it. I presently play an role supervising Masters and Doctoral students.

I am a passionate champion of the Christocentric or Christ-centred Principle, an approach to biblical interpretation and theological construction that emphasises the centrality of Jesus

I have been happily married to Patricia since the age of 20, have two children, Lance and Karen, a daughter-in-law Tracey, and granddaughters Jessica and Kirsten. I have now retired from both church and seminary leadership and devote my time to writing, discipling, and the classical guitar.

If you would like to read my testimony to Jesus then click HERE.