Are there any other Reformed Charismatics here?

[WarriorJMG]

I know it's not typical for a Calvinist to be Charismatic. Most are congregationalist in my area, and I really like an upbeat church so the Church I go to is not reformed, but my beliefs stand. Are there any other Reformed Charismatics on this board?

 

[robert skynner]

I know it's not typical for a Calvinist to be Charismatic. Most are congregationalist in my area, and I really like an upbeat church so the Church I go to is not reformed, but my beliefs stand. Are there any other Reformed Charismatics on this board?

Aren't Calvinism and Charismatic in opposition? The former claims sola scriptura, that apostolic authority finished with the death of John, as nobody after him has seen the risen Christ (Acts 1:20-24), therefore authority authority is in the Bible, modern claims for apostolic authority today (i.e the Pope) are said to be false by reformed. But Charismatics often regard apostles and prophets being for today, thus we are said to have thousands (or millions) of apostles in the world today.

 

[WarriorJMG]

I am a 5 point Calvinist and believe that Spiritual gifts are for today. As I mentioned, I don't see entirely eye to eye with most Charismatics. But I can't be in a quiet church and be comfortable.

 

[robert skynner]

I am a 5 point Calvinist and believe that Spiritual gifts are for today. As I mentioned, I don't see entirely eye to eye with most Charismatics. But I can't be in a quiet church and be comfortable.

I have a Youtube channel with nearly 7 million hits: Christian Comedy Channel. I do debates on camera, where we agree a topic but never meet as each participant posts alternately to their channels, short 10 minute videos. At the conclusion, all videos are edited into a single video which resembles a real face to face debate (although we never meet). Would you be interested in debating me on tithing (I am against it being for today), or my claim that on the day of Pentecost, only 12 men (not 120 or 3,000 or 3,120 spoke in languages)?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I really like an upbeat church so the Church I go to is not reformed, but my beliefs stand.

The above sentence answers your own question. There are no Reformed Charismatics.

 

[JM]

Some would say Reformed and Charismatic doesn't jive...same with Reformed and Baptist. Terms change though...

 

[Big Drew]

The funny thing is I came into this forum to ask a similar question...I fought against the idea of TULIP for a long time, but there's no denying what's right there in the scriptures, and I'm not as limber as I used to be...so I don't do as well with gymnastics as I once did...

I would say that Calvinists and Charismatics are only in opposition if the Calvinist falls into the cessationist camp. I would say the majority of our Reformed brethren do believe that the Gifts of the Spirit ceased, but not all of them do. John Piper is probably one of the most well known Reformed Continuist.

It's dealing with two different things, really. Calvinism, in its strictest sense deals with soteriology, where Charismatic/Pentecostalism deals with pneumatology. So, given that these are two different areas of theology, there's no reason they can't jibe, IMO.

Just as you'll find some Reformed folks that are also Dispensational or Covenantal in regards to eschatology.

I'm sure somewhere out there you can find a Dispensational Reformed Charismatic, just as easy as you'll find a Covenantal Arminian Cessationist.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Calvinism, in its strictest sense deals with soteriology

That's not accurate.

While many people reduce Calvin to soteriology, a simple read of his institutes and you will easily see that is not the case.

 

[Big Drew]

That's not accurate.

While many people reduce Calvin to soteriology, a simple read of his institutes and you will easily see that is not the case.

I stand corrected. However, wouldn't you say that where most of the debate and misconception of Calvinism comes in is from the soteriology?

I'd be interested to know what the OP meant when he called himself Calvinist. In all ways aside from his Charismatic belief in the Holy Spirit, or strictly in his soteriology.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I stand corrected. However, wouldn't you say that where most of the debate and misconception of Calvinism comes in is from the soteriology?

I would fully agree that the entire debate is regarding soteriology, and, the difficulty always because of misunderstanding the "T" in TULIP. A proper grasp of TD, and one finally understands that one must be monergisticaly, saved.

I'd be interested to know what the OP meant when he called himself Calvinist. In all ways aside from his Charismatic belief in the Holy Spirit, or strictly in his soteriology.

Non-Presbyterians who refer to themselves as Calvinists are typically strictly referring to TULIP, in my experience.

 

[robert skynner]

I am a 5 point Calvinist and believe that Spiritual gifts are for today. As I mentioned, I don't see entirely eye to eye with most Charismatics. But I can't be in a quiet church and be comfortable.

But isn't saying: "Spiritual gifts are for today" just a meaningless statement, rather like saying: "water is wet." As even the most hardcore cessationists, will also believes that Spiritual gifts are for today. Furthermore, almost all cessationists will believe that God can or occasionally does work miracles (such as healings) today. So the real issue isn't a word label such as cessationism or spiritual gifts, as those words in our own day are mostly meaningless in the church situation, because these words are not defined precisely and consistently. The two key issues are actually the Apostolic Office, and the silly circus that spiritual gifts have become in many churches today.

So firstly, does the office of the (12) apostles still exist today, either similar to or in some slightly different format to the Roman Catholic Church? This (latter rain) has become the basis for so much of the modern Charismatic Church today, thus they'll claim that because we have apostles and prophets today as in the first century, therefore, the gifts accompanying that apostolic office must also be for today. The first part I disagree with, but the second part is actually Biblical and makes logical sense, so unless you can disprove the lie that apostolic authority as in the 12 apostles is still in the church today, then I'd see the Charismatics actually then able to make a strong case for their position.

Secondly, and sadly, the whole spiritual gifts area has become a circus, with emotionalism effectively taking over for many Christians.