I find it interesting that it is all of a sudden “cool” to be Reformed. What has now come to be a household word in many respects, was virtually unknown 15-20 years ago. Of that rare remnant who did know of it, most considered it a blasphemous heresy or, at the very least, something that corresponded to a vulgarity.
But, as they say, “times, they are a-changing.” To a great extent the notion of “being Reformed” has paralleled the rise of the internet. Approximately 10-15 years ago, Reformed theology was, like the internet, was a neat little idea played with by only a few. Then it experienced a boom, so that now it is virtually everywhere. Case in point is the Time magazine article that came out a few years ago. In 2009 Time magazine put out an issue that rated the top movements in America. Number three was what they termed the “Neo-Calvinist” movement. Unfortunately, the notion of a neo-Calvinist is a broad one, and perhaps has little to do with Calvin and/or Calvinism as such (i.e. the doctrines of Grace, otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism). It might have more to do with whether or not you carry an ESV Study Bible and attend a certain conference circuit. Nevertheless, suddenly it is cool to be a Calvinist, and seemingly everyone was calling themselves Reformed. Since being back in Ashland I’ve found that the word Reformed is bandied about rather frequently too. Perhaps it’s just the circles I run in now, but prior to my going off to college and coming to understand RT, it was virtually non-existent. While it is by no means dominant, there is a growing band of souls calling themselves reformed in this Anabaptist deluged area (which I find delightful, but extremely ironic). From my experience though, the trend in Ashland has followed the national scene. Few really understand the full import of Reformed theology. Most see it as a synonym for being a four (YIKES!) or five point Calvinist. That is why, for the next several months, this newsletter will be dedicated to filling out some of the overlooked girth of Reformed theology. I believe this will be useful for Providence church in particular too. Providence church as an organization officially adheres to the full orb of Reformed theology. That the church adheres to the London and Westminster Confessions testifies to this. Yet our membership is rather diverse in its makeup. Within our ranks we have those coming from fundamentalist Baptist, Methodist, Brethren, and Disciples of Christ backgrounds. It’s likely that many will benefit from such a study. What’s even better is that, after this study, you can be really cool when you “I’m Reformed” because you’ll actually know what it means.
0 Comments
Much of Ashland has been astir as of late due to the recent teen suicides that have occurred. That there has been a string of such incidents means that we should pause and consider the issue in light of biblical reflection.
I want to emphasize this point to: The best way to prevent suicide is to teach and embrace the truths presented in the Bible. Any other worldview will only help to enhance the tendency towards death. What motivated the series of suicides locally is unknown to me. I will not pretend to know what issues those particular souls struggled with. Neither will I say that all the guidelines below will prevent suicide altogether. Man is sinful at heart, and will carry out his evil designs. Nevertheless, there are serious issues of a worldview nature that ought to be considered so that these types of episodes are less likely to be repeated. The first issue regarding these questions of worldview is that of law and the public affirmation of what God has decreed in Scripture regarding murder. Doubtfully anyone will object to the fact that taking one’s life is against the sixth commandment’s prohibition on murder. Suicide is, after all, self murder. The Bible makes it clear that such an act is a gross violation of God’s law. Moreover, the implication of the law is that we have the opposite responsibility of seeing to the welfare of our persons and possessions. Teaching such a position then is helpful for it reinforces the notion of self preservation. Even if one does not believe in God per se, the active promotion of this commandment helps to restrain such actions (see The Restraint of Evil). Since God’s law is not advanced in our day by the schools and public officials the culture has devolved into a relativistic mindset. Without this absolute moral base kids do not have any legitimate reason to stave off their own deaths. The choice of suicide has become just as viable as the choice to have breakfast in the morning. What kids need now is to understand that there is a higher Lawgiver to whom they are accountable. In hearing this publicly proclaimed they will recognize that they are not the ones who determine right or wrong by their own accord. To be sure, the commandments of God promote life. These statues need to be taught because they will put in the minds of young people the understanding that they ought to do their best to safeguard their lives. [The above material is part 1 on how to help prevent further suicides locally] Our Sunday evening fellowship group would like to invite you to join us as we kick off our new series. We'll be watching and discussing That the World May Know: Faith Lessons from the Prophets & Kings. Ray VanderLaan is an expert in the land of Palestine, and in each video segment he brings new meaning and significance to a particular Bible passage by helping us understand the terrain and context of the day.
Time: Sunday's @ 6:30 pm Place: 1010 Chestnut St. If you'd like more information, feel free to contact me. "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." --C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory |
Kindled Fire is dedicated
to the preaching and teaching ministry of Matt Timmons. Matt is blessed to be a husband, father, and pastor in Ashland, Ohio. Got Problems?
Get Biblical Counsel Social Media
Join the conversation! Check Out
Matt's Original Hymns This is Matt's book. You should buy it.
Categories
All
Archives
November 2020
|