Is Reformed Back?

Welcome to BB. Most of the posters on BB have strong beliefs/opinions/paradigms on reformed theology. Shoot, most of the posters have strong beliefs on any theology.:laugh:

 

According to a poll by Lifeway, the numbers of those who embrace Calvinism are increasing. A growing number of seminary graduates hold to Reformed Theolgoy. This does not mean that these Baptists embrace all of Calvin's theology, nor do they embrace all of Reformed Theology (as Presbyterians do, for instance.)

As of now, Non-Calvinists still are in the majority in the Southern Baptist Convention. Some have labeled Calvinism a heresy and have attacked it with a vengeance. Others have adopted a more charitable stance, rejecting Calvinism but willing to work with Calvinists who share their zeal for missiions and evangelism.

Some fear that this issue may divide the SBC. I don't think it will. It's a family disagreement, but we're still family.

 

Why do you want a t-shirt to spread reformed theology? Why not concentrate on spreading the Gospel instead?

 

Reformed theology never left! But yes, there has for some time been a surge in interest in reformed theology.

 

Reformed Theology is the Gospel. R.T. = Calvinism= Gospel.

 

No the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus is the gospel - Reformed Theololgy is simply a view regarding a certan systematic approach to scripture and nothing more.

 

Simply saying that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the Gospel is rather truncated.Elaboration is needed.

I have given thumbnail sketches before, and I'll do so again. The Gospel is the Good News about the great salvation which Christ bought at great expense for His sinful people. His reconciles them to God the Father.
It's my understanding that the best expression of the Christian Faith is found in Calvinism.
The Triune God: God the Father chooses a people
The Son dies for them.
The Holy Spirit, by virtue of Christ's death brings the elect to faith and repentance.

 

And this is crux of matter. In your opinion you have concluded the best expression of the Christian faith is found in Calvinism.

That is fine and I encourage to hold fast that which you believe but still remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit if you are in error. I however have concluded the best expression of the Christian faith is not to be found in Calvinism. However this is not the gospel.

 

Welcome to the Baptist Board! I agree with Reformed Baptist when he said that reformed theology has never left. But, like him, I agree that there has been a surge of interest in it among baptists over recent decades. Regarding t-shirts, I wonder if if they are really a good way of making reformed theology (or any theology) known? But if you do want t-shirts like that, I came across this site: http://www.cafepress.com/buy/baptist It has over 2000 designs. Some of them are outrageous - the first one says "Kiss me - I'm a Pastor!" Some are not particularly "Reformed" in nature. But there are some that are. One says, "Sola Scriptura", another gives the 5 great "solas" of the Reformation, but what would they mean to the average person? One says, "Reformed Baptist - Authentic Faith". Sounds great, but how would that come across to someone seeing it on your t-shirt, who does not already know you? It seems as if you are proclaiming to all and sundry, "I'm right and you're wrong!"

 

I don't know what it means to be reformed (although I've heard of reformed alcoholics), but I know that Jesus said "Ye must be born again." He didn't say, "Ye must be reformed."

 

"Reformed" in this context means those biblical truths that were re-emphasized at the time of the Reformation, summed up in what have come to be known as "The Five Great Alones of the Reformation". Salvation is: 1. revealed in God's Word alone, 2. by Christ alone, 3. by grace alone, 4. through faith alone, and 5. for the glory of God alone. A more detailed summary is given at http://www.grace.org.uk/faith/index.html which includes the following:

All the churches and organisations that have placed information on this Web site firmly believe the truth revealed in the Bible that salvation is entirely the work of a gracious and loving God towards undeserving, indeed hell-deserving, sinners. They acknowledge that men and women are incapable of choosing to obey God's commands unless God himself works in their hearts to give new life, spiritual life, as a gift. They believe that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, containing all that is necessary for men and women to know in order to understand their need for salvation, how that salvation is to be found, and how to live for him both now and into eternity.

They also recognise the need to be obedient to the command of the Lord Jesus to "make disciples of all nations" through preaching and promoting the good news that the Son of God has taken upon himself the punishment deserved by guilty sinners, in order that they might receive forgiveness and the gift of his righteousness. God has ordained that his people will be saved and that it is primarily through the preaching of this gospel that they will be brought to trust in Christ for salvation.
Reformed Evangelical Christians hold to what are commonly called the Doctrines of Grace. These are often written down as a series of five points, and you can find out more about these doctrines by following the relevant link below. But within the Reformed world there are a variety of churches, each with perhaps their own emphases on secondary matters, for example on church government or baptism.


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Specifically on the subject of Reformed Baptists, the site: http://www.prbc.org/ReformedBaptist.htm gives a description.


You said that Jesus didn't say, "Ye must be reformed." True. But He didn't say, "You must believe in the Trinity" or "You must support missionary work." Yet the concepts represented by those English words are there. There are many things we rightly believe/do, even though the precise words we use for them are not found in the bible - engaging in missionary work, holding prayer meetings, the omniscience of God, the Incarnation, to name just a few.