A New Reformation

[agenes]

Our attempt is to resurrect polemical debate as a means to the end of waking up a decadent and grossly unfaithful church and helping it make its way forward toward a second Reformation. And at a time when most Americans who claim to be Bible-believing Christians cannot, according to major studies, even articulate the basic message of the Gospel, what could be more relevant? Nevertheless, sometimes there are casualties of "friendly fire." MICHAEL HORTON

Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

A New Reformation
As it was in the 16th Century, so it is today in the 21st Century. The Church has abandoned the purity of the Gospel of Christ for passing fads (Prayer of Jabez and the Purpose Driven Life, to name a few), for entertainment, The Church has replaced the Gospel of Christ with a gospel bereft of its power. The Church has replaced the Gospel of Christ with a perverted theology, which has led many down the slippery slope of damnable heresy.


Dispensationalism (in any form) has not been of assistance in preventing heresy and humanism from flooding into the Church. Dispensationalism has in reality been a substantial impediment in the Church’s pursuit of maintaining doctrinal purity and in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ with its power, which is unto salvation. With Dispensationalism’s false dichotomy between grace and law, the Gospel of Christ has been further diluted. This has led many to reject the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer (Perseverance of the Saints). This has resulted in theological Antinomianism. As we saw earlier, this has also led to the holding of heresy concerning the Old Testament saint’s security in Christ.

Luther’s and Calvin’s Apply Here
We must be in constant prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ would send the Church men like Martin Luther and John Calvin, to call for a reformation, to call us back to the Biblical Gospel and the Biblical doctrine of the catholic (universal) Church. We need to raise our voices in open protest against the Church being taken hostage by this theological novelty; Dispensationalism. We should not be afraid to openly and to formally debate Dispensationalists on matters of Ecclesiology and Soteriology. We should do all of this with the highest degree of respect and in fear (1 Peter 3:15), but we must also not compromise the truth for the sake of so called “unity.” It is high time we rise and begin the task of reforming the Church once again. In our time, the greatest hindrance to the Gospel of Christ is Modern Evangelicalism as it is inundated with the Dispensational mindset. Brothers and sisters, we need another reformation, but only God can bring it. Pray that He sends workers into the field. Let the will of the Lord be done. Amen.

A challenge: Let us truly be Bereans
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. (Act 17:10-12)

Those in Berea were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica were, but why? Those in Berea received the Word of God with great eagerness. They also examined the Scriptures daily (notice, every day) to determine whether the things spoken of by Paul and Silas were true or not. What Scriptures did the Bereans have, but the Old Testament Scriptures (most likely the Septuagint)? During the time this event occurred in Acts, the only New Testament writing circulating was the First epistle to the Thessalonians.
These Bereans searched the Old Testament Scriptures daily to determine if what Paul and Silas were saying was the gospel or not. For you see, because of the proclamation of the truth by Paul and Silas, many of the Bereans believed, along with a great number of the Greeks. This is the challenge to all who read this article: be true Bereans. Search the Old Testament daily to see if what your pastor is preaching is the truth or not. We understand this might be a novel concept for some of you, but it will greatly help you in drawing closer to the truth that you hold in your hands; the God Breathed Word (the Scriptures). Will you be like those most noble Bereans and search the Old Testament daily, with eagerness of mind, seeking to determine if what you have been taught and are being taught is the truth or not? This is our challenge to you. We pray you take us up on this challenge.

 

[TheScottsMen]

A New Reformation

Dispensationalism (in any form) has not been of assistance in preventing heresy and humanism from flooding into the Church. Dispensationalism has in reality been a substantial impediment in the Church’s pursuit of maintaining doctrinal purity and in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ with its power, which is unto salvation. With Dispensationalism’s false dichotomy between grace and law, the Gospel of Christ has been further diluted. This has led many to reject the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer (Perseverance of the Saints). This has resulted in theological Antinomianism. As we saw earlier, this has also led to the holding of heresy concerning the Old Testament saint’s security in Christ.

I suppose this would be true, if, well, it wasn't incorrect.


Luther’s and Calvin’s Apply Here
We must be in constant prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ would send the Church men like Martin Luther and John Calvin, to call for a reformation, to call us back to the Biblical Gospel and the Biblical doctrine of the catholic (universal) Church. We need to raise our voices in open protest against the Church being taken hostage by this theological novelty; Dispensationalism. We should not be afraid to openly and to formally debate Dispensationalists on matters of Ecclesiology and Soteriology. We should do all of this with the highest degree of respect and in fear (1 Peter 3:15), but we must also not compromise the truth for the sake of so called “unity.” It is high time we rise and begin the task of reforming the Church once again. In the 16th Century, the greatest hindrance to the Gospel of Christ was the Roman Catholic Church. In our time, the greatest hindrance to the Gospel of Christ is Modern Evangelicalism as it is inundated with the Dispensational mindset. Brothers and sisters, we need another reformation, but only God can bring it. Pray that He sends workers into the field. Let the will of the Lord be done. Amen.

A challenge: Let us truly be Bereans
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. (Act 17:10-12)

Those in Berea were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica were, but why? Those in Berea received the Word of God with great eagerness. They also examined the Scriptures daily (notice, every day) to determine whether the things spoken of by Paul and Silas were true or not. What Scriptures did the Bereans have, but the Old Testament Scriptures (most likely the Septuagint)? During the time this event occurred in Acts, the only New Testament writing circulating was the First epistle to the Thessalonians.
These Bereans searched the Old Testament Scriptures daily to determine if what Paul and Silas were saying was the gospel or not. For you see, because of the proclamation of the truth by Paul and Silas, many of the Bereans believed, along with a great number of the Greeks. This is the challenge to all who read this article: be true Bereans. Search the Old Testament daily to see if what your pastor is preaching is the truth or not. We understand this might be a novel concept for some of you, but it will greatly help you in drawing closer to the truth that you hold in your hands; the God Breathed Word (the Scriptures). Will you be like those most noble Bereans and search the Old Testament daily, with eagerness of mind, seeking to determine if what you have been taught and are being taught is the truth or not? This is our challenge to you. We pray you take us up on this challenge.

Other then the fact that whoever wrote that article didn't know apples from oranges about dispensationalism, have you studied it?

 

[Catholic Evangelist]

I still think the 1st reformation was rash.

 

[Iosias]

With Dispensationalism’s false dichotomy between grace and law, the Gospel of Christ has been further diluted.

And your evidence is...?

 

[Iosias]

Other then the fact that whoever wrote that article didn't know apples from oranges about dispensationalism, have you studied it?

If he had then he did not understand it.

 

[Koey]

I still think the 1st reformation was rash.

I don't think that either Protestant Reformation or the Catholic Reformation were rash enough. The traditions of men still overshadow the simplicity of the gospel.

However, full marks to both, because at least they made a stab at change. Full marks to Vatican II for the courage to change some major errors. Full marks to the Baptists for publicly acknowledging past racial sins. Full marks to any church that sees its errors and is willing to change.

A step forward is always good. We ought to have more of it.

 

[JohnJones]

If Protestants would actually put Sola Scriptura into practice like Christians do, rather than just pay it lip service, then there would be no need for a new reformation.

 

[2Timothy2]

We need no reformation. We do need doctrinal purity. We do need individual Christians to get into the Word themselves. We do need to reject false teachers and false prophets. We, individually, all need to take our relationship with Almighty God more seriously. But a reformation? I think that is absurd. The original reformation was, for one thing, because the Catholic church had abandoned the gospel. This hasn't happened whole scale. I can go to any city in the US and find a good church preaching the gospel accurately.

If Protestants would actually put Sola Scriptura into practice like Christians do, rather than just pay it lip service, then there would be no need for a new reformation.

Are you saying Protestants, like myself, are not Christians? That is how your post reads. I'll assume it is just poor wording, I certainly do that from time to time.

 

[Philip]

If Protestants would actually put Sola Scriptura into practice like Christians do, rather than just pay it lip service, then there would be no need for a new reformation.

How would you define Sola Scriptura?

Are you saying Protestants, like myself, are not Christians? That is how your post reads. I'll assume it is just poor wording, I certainly do that from time to time.

I was wondering the same thing.