"I'm unapologetically Reformed, but nine times out of ten I cannot stand the Reformed community. I don't want to be around them. I don't want to read their blogs. They can be cannibalistic, self-indulgent, non-missional, and angry. It's silly and sad at the same time. Reformed doctrine should lead to a deep sense of humility and patience with others. How it produces such arrogance baffles me."
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sadly True, But Changing I Think
Matt Chandler:
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4 comments:
this article came out in 2000 and I think that I've definitely noticed a change in the reformed community since then http://rq.rts.edu/summer00/mcguire.html
-Lew
I have definitely encountered what Chandler speaks of here in the blogosphere. Some Reformed people just seem to love arguing (not making careful, reasoned *arguments* for what they believe, but just *arguing*-- there's a difference).
This argumentative tendency seems to be especially prominent among those who have hyper-Calvinist tendencies (denying the concept of common grace, denying that the Gospel is to be "offered" to all people, saying that God has absolutely no love of any form for the non-elect, etc.).
Hyper-Calvinists, or people who have leanings in that direction, are not, at least in my personal experience, people who overflow with joy in the Gospel and who desire to show God's love to those "outside their fold."
I hope that these fringe tendencies do not overtake the "young Reformed resurgence." If so, it will not be good for this fairly new movement which has discovered the wonder and beauty of the doctrines of grace (TULIP, etc.).
I think it is changing, at least in my life.
Phil Johnson wrote about it in 2005
http://phillipjohnson.blogspot.com/2005/06/quick-and-dirty-calvinism.html
Frame dealt with the issue in "Machen's Warrior Children." which can be downloaded in MP3 format:
http://www.penseesfsu.com/audio/pensees091904
One of my ministers once told me not to call a Semi-Pelagian a Semi Pelagian. He said it was not constructive. I believe he was right.
Do you think Christ ever spoke like this? If anyone had room to speak this way, it would certainly be Christ. However, I don't see Christ speaking about other brothers and sisters in this way. The very fact that someone would say that they don't want to be around other believers or read their blogs shows that he is lacking humility and patience and being arrogant...the very things he is accusing these others of doing! It's like the Pharisee who thanked God that he wasn't like the tax collector next to him. Oh that we would be like the tax collector who said, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Who is the greatest sinner that you know?
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