The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum "The Merger of Calvinism with Worldliness"

Tom,

Perhaps your understanding of what the 2^nd and 3^rd Commandments teach is the problem? These two commandments encompass far more than what a superficial reading of them might suggest. For example, the 2^nd Commandment forbids the fabricating of any and all representations of the Godhead and/or its individual persons; Father, Son or Holy Spirit. And, it forbids the worshiping of these fabrications or using of them for the purpose of worship. This means that even trying to imagine what Jesus looked like; creating a mental image, is a grievous sin. Thus the owning, never mind the wearing of a Jesus t-shirt is blasphemy. The 3^rd Commandment addresses how one is to know, approach and worship God, although it has far more implications than these fundamental issues. Thus, the introduction and use of worldly things to entertain or "bait" people at these gatherings is in direct violation of this commandment.

In case you or others haven't grasped the crux of my and other's strong criticism of these men and the movements which are part of this "new Calvinism" it is the bifurcation of doctrine from life. Calvinism is simply not to be defined as nor constrained to the doctrine of soteriology, aka the "Five Points". Historic Reformed and Puritan Calvinism is a full-orbed world and life view. The doctrines of grace (Scripture) are first grasped by the mind but they MUST then have a transformation of one's heart and thus life. One cannot give assent to the holiness, majesty and sovereignty of God and then blaspheme Him by placarding an alleged picture of the Incarnate Son of God by wearing a Jesus t-shirt. One cannot confess that God is thrice holy and then approach Him with gross worldly music, language, attire, etc. This is not "fundamentalism", as some have charged Peter Master's with, but rather it is historic Calvinism. As a man thinketh, so does he...!!

Another commandment which is either slighted or even flatly denied is the sanctity of the Sabbath. The 4^th Commandment is decidedly one of the most unpopular and most desecrated commandments today, even within Reformed churches. The Lord's Day is almost totally ignored and transgressed in modern Christendom. This too is part of the "new Calvinism" movement.

John Owen was on the mark when he wrote, "The custom of sinning takes away the sense of it, the course of the world takes away the shame of it." My criticism and deep concern is that Driscoll, Piper, et al are teaching a false Calvinism, one that is greatly out of sync and agreement with the historic Calvinism of the past which the Reformers fought to establish and the Puritans suffered to maintain in both thought and practice. It isn't enough to embrace sound theology, especially when it is just the the "Five Points" (soteriology). One must LIVE that theology, which John Frame defined so succinctly as "The application of the Scriptures to all of life."

Lastly, it is my understanding that John MacArthur has distanced himself publicly from at least some of the practices that go on at these gatherings and which are part and parcel of these various groups within the "new Calvinism" movement. However, the question that needs to be asked is whether or not he will abstain from being a part of these conferences, etc., or even disassociate himself with the leaders of them?

For further reading on the Commandments, see below:

- The Second Commandment by Rev. G. Van Reenen
- Image Worship: The Second Commandment by Herman Hoeksema
- The Second Commandment by Arthur W. Pink
- The Second Commandment by Ernest Reisinger
- The Third Commandment by Rev. G. Van Reenen
- The Third Commandment by Arthur W. Pink
- The Fourth Commandment by Rev. G. Van Reenen
- The Fourth Commandment: According to the Westminster Standards by John Murray

In His grace,