by J.R. Ensey
One Sunday last month, a lady who has begun attending our church told me that her son, who has a troubled life, had been informed by a Calvinist (a strict Reformed Theology adherent) that he was doomed to hell because he was not one of the elect for whom Christ died. It totally crashed his world and weighed heavily upon his mother. Without hope, what do we really have?
Calvinism is cruel. Reformed theology, of which Calvinism is a vital part, is dangerous. Even the respected Christian counselor Jay Adams (Competent to Counsel and many other books) made this statement in the above mentioned book: “As a reformed Christian, the writer believes that counselors must not tell any unsaved counselee that Christ died for him, for they cannot say that. No man knows except Christ himself who are his elect for whom he died” (p. 70). That is heresy, you say. But that is Reformed Theology—the theology of Calvin, of R. C. Sproul, John Piper, and a host of other prolific authors. Arthur Pink’s affirmation that Christ does not love the non-elect reminds us of one minister’s view of hyper-Calvinism: “God hates you, He has a terrible plan for your life, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
I would not worry about any of this, heresies will come, said the apostle, but I regret that it is creeping into our own Pentecostal ranks. Only certain aspects of it will show up at first, but when the camel gets its head under the tent, the body won’t be far behind.
Why the sudden popularity of the Eastern Orthodox Church brand of Christianity? EO churches love ritual. I suppose some just like to sit and watch it all unfold. Strange.
And why the movement toward Reformed Theology (RT)? Some Evangelical types are becoming enthralled with the likes of R. C. Sproul (pictured), John Piper, Jerry Bridges and others who are stuck in the sixteenth century and can’t seem to progress into the current millennium. A number of “emerging” ministers have adopted a Reformed position. Even some Apostolics have fallen prey to their glib teachers and have cast their lot with John Calvin rather than John the Revelator. What’s going on?
Some may become snared before they really know what is happening. RTs publish books and Bible studies prolifically while we are busy prowling the suit shops, pricing the latest tech toy, and texting on our I-Phones. They have flooded the print and broadcast markets with their skewed views, particularly in the area of eschatology. When you hear someone question the Rapture, the reality of a future Tribulation and Millennium, suggest that the devil has already been bound, that the Book of Revelation is to be considered as allegorical or historical in some way, that Jesus “came” or “returned” in some fashion in A.D. 70, that there is no future for national Israel, that the church is destined to be “triumphant” in evangelizing the world and taking dominion of its societal segments, you might suspect that they have been reading and studying Reformed Theology. Or at least being influenced by those who have.
If you would like to know more about what RT teaches, here is a link that you might find helpful:advanceministries.org.
