Why is there a Resurgence of Reformed Theology?

[preacher4truth]

Why is this?

Looking back on my life, when I was saved, the stance of IFB, again, the shallow theology, never touching on God's Sovereignty but instead preaching topical sermons based on popular legalistic topics to garner amens took it's toll on my theological base, and showed me how utterly shallow it truly was.

I believe this to be a big reason many do not attend these churches as much, and why many are leaving them, and as to why not too many are attracted to this type of church. It's more of a hotbed religion out here anyways, than being truly evangelistic. God and Christ are simply not lifted up. It is way too simplistic of a theology. These things turned me away from IFB and dumbed-down theology.

Rightly so.

There was always something missing, and this had to do with their concept of the Godhead. It was typically addressed with pat answers. Sovereignty was never touched upon, unless it was said "God is Sovereign!!!" followed by 12 "amens!!!!" and then never delved into.

Looking back on my salvation, I see where God drew me to Him, how He alone, reached into my life, and lifted up His Son, and gave me new life. I always had a serious problem with the sinners prayer thing. Preachers do this "would you like to go to heaven?" pitch, stumble through a prayer, and wonder (and whine) why said persons have no interest in God, nor the things of God.

After beginning to study reformation theology, more and more light upon the Sovereignty and greatness of God has flooded in. I am at the very beginning, and I don't have a lot of answers, but God leads me through these things, and His glory has really been exalted through this in my life.

Anyhow, why is there a resurgence of Reformed Theology/calvinism? today

- Blessings

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Excellent testimony Pastor....welcome!

 

[kyredneck]

With me, recalling from my own experience, two options in the poll mainly applied: 'Dumbed-down shallow Theology is being rejected', and 'Dissatisfaction with the Theology I/we grew up with'. I was tempted to also choose 'An honest look back on ones own salvation experience leads them this way', but it wasn't until I was firmly ensconced in the doctrines of sovereign grace that I realized that mine was an old story indeed.

 

[preacher4truth]

Excellent testimony Pastor....welcome!

Thanks.

I am glad, and thankful to God for leading me out of the IFB's and into a better understanding of who He is in the process.

I also am glad He has led me to seek out another Bible version, has dealt with my guilt complex to do so /in doing so stemming from the guilt brought and laid upon others who use anything other that KJV, even showing me more of His Grace, and the liberty we have as Christians to not be bound to a system and trend, but instead to be bound to His Son, and His life in us.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

With me, recalling from my own experience, two options in the poll mainly applied: 'Dumbed-down shallow Theology is being rejected', and 'Dissatisfaction with the Theology I/we grew up with'. I was tempted to also choose 'An honest look back on ones own salvation experience leads them this way', but it wasn't until I was firmly ensconced in the doctrines of sovereign grace that I realized that mine was an old story indeed.

Yes this is a poll where you can easily select 2 of 3 points which are applicable (to me at least). good point.

 

[preacher4truth]

With me, recalling from my own experience, two options in the poll mainly applied: 'Dumbed-down shallow Theology is being rejected', and 'Dissatisfaction with the Theology I/we grew up with'. I was tempted to also choose 'An honest look back on ones own salvation experience leads them this way', but it wasn't until I was firmly ensconced in the doctrines of sovereign grace that I realized that mine was an old story indeed.

Thanks kyredneck. How long into your slavation experience were you when these doctrines began to be explored and/or embraced?

 

[menageriekeeper]

I voted "dissatisfaction" and I agree with first paragraph or two of the OP. And then we part ways.

Why? Because I'm not a Calvinist. In spite of all those things that could lead someone toward Calvinistic beliefs, from my perspective, most of it is people who are looking for "something different" and who haven't been taught how to handle the tension in scripture between "freewill" and "God's soverienity".

People have moved away from wanting a set of rules to live by, but they still want a simple structure for their beliefs that allows them not to think and not to have to learn to lean on the Holy Spirit. Calvin's TULIP gives them that. Very few "Calvinists" that I meet away from this board can give more than lip service to the ideas that Calvin put forth.

This isn't a problem with Calvin or his ideas, some of which have merit and should be studied in light of scripture and the Holy Spirit. This is a problem with lazy Christians who don't want to study the scripture for themselves but find themselves dissatisfied with their current belief system.

 

[BobinKy]

Post deleted by BobinKy.

PM sent to OP.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

My study of Reformed Theology is to deepen my understanding of Scripture, not to become lazy in it. Plus I also sincerely believe in the Sovereignty element of the Doctrines of Grace & in my own walk I also found myself inexplicably drawn to God. See I dont call it Calvinism.....thats just a name. To me its Pauline in its nature ..... and so I get buy with the name Reformed.

 

[preacher4truth]

I voted "dissatisfaction" and I agree with first paragraph or two of the OP. And then we part ways. Why? Because I'm not a Calvinist. In spite of all those things that could lead someone toward Calvinistic beliefs, from my perspective, most of it is people who are looking for "something different" and who haven't been taught how to handle the tension in scripture between "freewill" and "God's soverienity". People have moved away from wanting a set of rules to live by, but they still want a simple structure for their beliefs that allows them not to think and not to have to learn to lean on the Holy Spirit. Calvin's TULIP gives them that. Very few "Calvinists" that I meet away from this board can give more than lip service to the ideas that Calvin put forth. This isn't a problem with Calvin or his ideas, some of which have merit and should be studied in light of scripture and the Holy Spirit. This is a problem with lazy Christians who don't want to study the scripture for themselves but find themselves dissatisfied with their current belief system.

I don't believe that looking for something different is a problem, nor would it be wrong.

When the concepts of Calvin came into my life, it was not due to looking for something, but rather a rejection of dumbed-down theology. I began to look at the Scriptures to know more of my God and Savior and I began to notice these things in Scripture, wherein in times past they were passed over. I didn't rush out and buy puritan writings, but instead, began to delve into passages of Scripture that were not addressed. These issues and doctrines were simply not addressed. Romans 9 was never preached from. Election was simplified to nullify it. Sovereigny of God was believed, but when I asked preachers what it meant, they could not even answer this.

I personally believe people are frightend about Sovereignty, Election, Predestination. All of this. Why? Because they have never been taught what the Scriptures say concerning them. I have actually heard preachers mock foreknowledge, election, and predestination such as in Ephesians and other places, mocking those who believe these things, and belittling the teachings of it. People are plainly afraid of these teachings.

Also, on your point that very few calvinists can do more than give lip service to the concept, and that most Christians are Spiritually lazy, I agree. It also applies to many people in church who can only give lip service to their own personal salvation. And no, I am not implying they can't be saved if they don't embrace reformed theology. It's just a point that many within churches today are clueless about any theology, let alone how one is born-again.

Thanks for your views.

 

[psalms109:31]

Reformed

There was a man who wrote a letter that was being wide spread. It stated the main reason that he disagreed with the reformed theogy was that it was kept in a circle in the churches of the "Mature Christain". That a new believer could not take such a mesage at first. They hide with in the message, it was there. He said if this theolgy was true, they should bring it out in the open and people even infants should accept it.

I found after that letter the theolgy message had a comming out. I was just introduced to that theogy, through a universalist calvinist. I already was against it.

I don't know who wrote it or when. I praise God that it is out in th open.

I have grown to see it out of the universalist darkness, but it has never proven to me what God convinced me of in my youth that God loved the world. It is finished from God and now it is our turn to believe and enter the rest.

Pink version of world is what man sees not God.

 

[preacher4truth]

There was a man who wrote a letter that was being wide spread. It stated the main reason that he disagreed with the reformed theogy was that it was kept in a circle in the churches of the "Mature Christain". That a new believer could not take such a mesage at first. They hide with in the message, it was there. He said if this theolgy was true, they should bring it out in the open and people even infants should accept it.

I found after that letter the theolgy message had a comming out. I was just introduced to that theogy, through a universalist calvinist. I already was against it.

I don't know who wrote it or when. I praise God that it is out in th open.

I have grown to see it out of the universalist darkness, but it has never proven to me what God convinced me of in my youth that God loved the world. It is finished from God and now it is our turn to believe and enter the rest.

Pink version of world is what man sees not God.

I apologize, but I am having a really tough time understanding and following your statement.

 

[Robert Snow]

People will not endure sound doctrine, so they turn to Calvinism.

 

[psalms109:31]

Over

Here it is hope it is the best I can do with words.

There was a man who wrote a letter that was being wide spread. It stated the main reason that he disagreed with the reformed theogy was that it was kept in a circle in the churches of the "Mature Christain". That a new believer could not take such a mesage at first. They did hide the reformed theolgy with in the message, it was there. He said if the reformed theolgy was true, they should bring it out in the open and people even infants should accept it.

I found after that letter the reformed theolgy message had a comming out. I was just introduced to that reformed theolgy, through a universalist calvinist. So I already was against it.

I don't know who wrote the letter or when. I praise God that it is out in th open.

I do see reformed out of the universalist darkness, but it has never proven to me what God convinced me of in my youth that God loved the world. It is finished from God and now it is our turn to believe and enter the rest.

Pink version of world is what man sees not God.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

There was a man who wrote a letter that was being wide spread. It stated the main reason that he disagreed with the reformed theogy was that it was kept in a circle in the churches of the "Mature Christain". That a new believer could not take such a message at first. They hide with in the message, it was there. He said if this theolgy was true, they should bring it out in the open and people even infants should accept it.

I found after that letter the theolgy message had a coming out. I was just introduced to that theogy, through a universalist calvinist. I already was against it.

I don't know who wrote it or when. I praise God that it is out in th open.

I have grown to see it out of the universalist darkness, but it has never proven to me what God convinced me of in my youth that God loved the world. It is finished from God and now it is our turn to believe and enter the rest.

Pink version of world is what man sees not God.

Oh I disagree with you on your statement on many levels particularly your comment about Pink but I'm not going to belabor this either. I dont think its healthy for Brothers to fight, especially on issues of doctrine & theology. I could say much more but I will hold my tongue because this OP is not about your opinions on the Theology....rather its geared to folks who are moving in the direction of Reformed Thinking & whats put them there...pretty simple & well thought out I'm thinking.

 

[SolaSaint]

When I was saved in 1986 I had no idea what reformed theology was. I still didn't know until about 5 years agts o when God put in on my heart to study apologetics and the school I studied at leaned very much towards reformed doctrines. Also we hired a new pastor at our SBC church and he was reformed. I learned quickly that reformed theology is what I believed in although I never knew its doctrines. I wasn't saved in a "Follow me in this prayer" type moment. I truly was broken over being a sinner and far from God and I simply repented and turned to God and I believe this was when I was borbn again although at the time I couldn't explain thoroughly what had happened to me.

I feel many are saved this way and later God reveals to them the correct doctrines as they renew their minds in His word. AMEN,

 

[psalms109:31]

Forgive me

Oh I disagree with you on your statement on many levels particularly your comment about Pink but I'm not going to belabor this either. I dont think its healthy for Brothers to fight, especially on issues of doctrine & theology. I could say much more but I will hold my tongue because this OP is not about your opinions on the Theology....rather its geared to folks who are moving in the direction of Reformed Thinking & whats put them there...pretty simple & well thought out I'm thinking.

I do not want people to bring discord amoung their churches, this is a need to go to higher level.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I do not want people to bring discord amoung their churches, this is a need to go to higher level.

Let me see if I understand you brother......are you saying that moving in the direction of Reformed theology is an individuals inner spiritual need to develop to a higher level (and appreciation of) worship? I just want to see that we are on the same page. Please advise.

 

[psalms109:31]

Beyond

Let me see if I understand you brother......are you saying that moving in the direction of Reformed theology is an individuals inner spiritual need to develop to a higher level (and appreciation of) worship? I just want to see that we are on the same page. Please advise.

Calvinism is incomplete, just like anything that comes from man. There is so much more than me, calvin, and any man can reach, it can't be found in man, but in God and His word.

Man can not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God, i am sorry but it is not from man.

 

[preacher4truth]

Calvinism is incomplete, just like anything that comes from man. There is so much more than me, calvin, and any man can reach, it can't be found in man, but in God and His word.

Man can not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God, i am sorry but it is not from man.

Calvin is not the end all of theology. The system is not perfect.

Are you from the "ne'er (nary) a piece of literature" camp?

You read others theological books/works do you not? Are they (the authors thereof) also fallible? Or is it only Calvin?

I don't think anyone is arguing Calvin to be infallible, or more than a man, except possibly you.

Why do persons always eisegete a theology into those who embrace reformed theological views?

Stick to the facts and things that are said, not on assumptions.