A timely and valuable post
Came across a link on Pastor Michael Jones' blog to a very valuable post for those who subscribe to Reformed theology, on the dangers of letting that Reformed label go wrong. The post is called "Truly reformed" and comes from Ray Ortlund.
I believe in the sovereignty of God, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Solas of the Reformation, I believe that grace precedes faith in regeneration. Theologically, I am Reformed. Sociologically, I am simply a Christian – or at least I want to be. The tricky thing about our hearts is that they can turn even a good thing into an engine of oppression. It happens when our theological distinctives make us aloof from other Christians. That’s when, functionally, we relocate ourselves outside the gospel and inside Galatianism.
Great sentiments. Being Reformed is not about shutting ourselves off from others. It is not throwing rotting fruit at Arminians, no matter how much they deserve it. It is about humbly submitting to the will of a sovereign God out of gratitude. The whole post is a wonderful read and has some stinging comments comparing some in the Reformed camp with the Judaizers of the Book of Galatians. If someone can make a comparison like that stick, and Ray does, you need to pay attention!
His closing paragraph has a real gem: "If your Reformed theology has morphed functionally into Galatian sociology, the remedy is not to abandon your Reformed theology. The remedy is to take your Reformed theology to a deeper level. Let it reduce you to Jesus only. Let it humble you."
If you are truly Reformed, you should be truly humbled by that knowledge. I know I have often said the word "Arminian" with a palpable sneer as if they are sub-human. But what do I have to brag about? That in spite of my gross and utter sin, God for no reason other than His good pleasure chose me before I was even born and despite the myriad of failings in my life His Son took upon Himself the penalty for my sins? Where is bragging in that? I am about as prideful a person as you are going to meet, but I understand all too well (especially over the last year) just how gracious His grace is to save a sinner like me.
Another great quote of this topic comes from Ligon Duncan, courtesy of the Pyromaniacs...
...and those who truly understand God's sovereign grace to them are people who are gracious to other people, and they are merciful to other people, because they know the mercy that has been shown to them undeservedly.
Being Reformed ought to make us all the more humble, not less. It is the Arminian, the semi-Pelagian who thinks that they had something to do with their salvation. We who are Reformed, as has been said before, ought be the most humble people on earth.
The idea of being "TR" or "Truly Reformed" is one that sticks in my craw. There are way too many people out there who have taken the Reformed label and turned it into a club. This person isn't reformed, that person isn't reformed, that book is not reformed enough, this conference doesn't have enough of the truly reformed speakers. Unless you walk in lockstep with my theology, holding to the Five Points, the Solas of the Reformed, sovereignty of God, etc are inadequate. Don't hold to every letter of the Westminster Confession? Not Reformed. Don't use real wine in the Lord's Supper? Not Reformed. Don't baptize infants? Well then you certainly can't be Reformed! Yes, I am talking about you R. Scott Clark.
There are plenty of genuine heretics out there. I am having a couple of mormon missionaries over tonight to witness to. My brother James Lee had a trio of Muslims in for tea and to share the Gospel. Within the orthodox church we can have our differences and we should discuss and debate issues that are important like baptism, the Lord's Supper, eschatology. We should even discuss them fervently! But being Reformed should not be a framework for excluding others or parading our superiority in front of them.
It is not too hard to go from:
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' (Luke 18:11-12)
To this:
The Truly Reformed guy, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, Arminians, dispensationalists, Pelagians, or even like this atheist. I read R.C. Sproul's books; I go to Together for the Gospel, I can draw a TULIP acrostic with the best of them.'
Let's remember that being Reformed is all about how right Christ is, not on how right we are.
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