Why is Reformed Theology So Hard to Accept?
Posted on 06. Oct, 2009 by Les in Theology
Over the past 6 months I’ve had people yell at me, call me dangerous, repeat a single verse over and over, and even twist scriptures, and later admit they know the text means something else. Why am I coming across this kind of behavior? Because I’m attempting to show them that the Bible teaches that God is free to do what he wants, and man is a creature completely at His mercy. In essence, I’m attacking their idea of “free will”.
Now, I must admit that I had the same feelings when God sent people into my life to show me the doctrines of grace. I actually once said, “If God chooses who He wants to save, I want nothing to do with Him.”. I thank God that all of my sin is covered, including my rejection of His character. Of course, He has since mercifully revealed how beautiful it really is, and now I can’t imagine a better way for God to redeem mankind.
So why? Why did I get so upset? Why is the idea of a God who chooses certain people over others so offensive, when the Bible we read every day is crammed full of situation where God does just that? How did I go 6 years, knowing this God, yet never truly understanding how the Bible clearly says He interacts with man?
I believe all born again Christians honestly want to know the truth about God. We want the fullest understanding of how He works, so we can worship Him best, and so we’ll be most fulfilled by Him. But I also see, and have experienced, that we are only willing to examine so much. We’ll look at areas of our understanding of God that we’re comfortable with, but no further.
Most people would have no problem asking questions about spiritual gifts, for example. They could honestly listen to other opinions and compare with scripture to find the most Biblical understanding. But, generally, we’re not willing to do that with more controversial issues.
It’s Like a House
The way it worked out in my mind, when I started questioning why I reacted to reformed theology the way I did, is – it’s like a house. It starts with the foundation. All the things we learn at first, right or wrong, make up the foundation. It’s the bedrock of our salvation in many ways. Pending it’s sound, doctrinally, it should be protected. Paul makes it clear in Galatians:
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” -Galatians 1:8
So we protect those foundational truths. Next we start getting serious about Church and study, and we build our theological house. From hearing and reading scripture, we build our rooms (individual doctrines). We might start with the ‘what is tithing’ room, on to the ‘end times’ room, a ‘how we should worship’ room, etc..
If, after a room is established, we see inconsistencies, we examine them. We say, ‘Wow, this room really doesn’t look the way scripture says it should , I’d better rearrange it.’. Sometimes it’s just a quick makeover, other times we need to completely remove the room from the house, but we’re willing to make the changes to stay faithful to God’s word.
But now, someone comes along and questions you on something. It isn’t one of the rooms. It’s something mingled into the foundation of the house. Someone comes along and says, ‘Man is unable to come to God, on his own.’, they add, ‘Jesus only died for those he intended to save.’. Our memories are immediately filled with super dramatic readings of “God SOOOOOO loved the world… WHOOOOOSOOOOEVER believes…”. This seems to be a threat to the entire house we’ve built.
We are not willing to examine down there for scriptural accuracy, because it’s too sacred. It shakes us to the core. We shutter at the thought of what might happen to the house if those things were even looked at. When someone brings us clear scripture that shows God’s choosing grace, we think, ‘that looks like predestination, but I know everyone chooses, because I’ve always heard it. I have to explain it away.’.
Challenge Your Foundation
To all those who this is hitting home with – to all those who are angry that I would say such things, I’d like to throw down the gauntlet on the issue. Ask yourself this simple question: ‘if God wanted to show me that he elected a chosen people to salvation before the foundation of the earth, apart from anything good or bad they would do, or any decision they would make, would I be willing to believe it?’. Ask yourself, “If God were to show me that my concept of “free will” is not scripturally sound, would I be willing to let it be removed from my foundation and let that alter my house accordingly?”. I’m not asking you to agree, I’m asking you to ask yourself, “Could I believe it, if it were true?”.
If you’re willing to sacrifice anything to God, come back to scripture and let it speak in context. Allow yourself to be confronted with the innumerable texts that deal with election. Let the the scripture speak for itself. Set your traditions aside and let the Word of God break up your foundation, if necessary. Make absolutely certain that your house is built on Christ’s foundation.
WGJake
Oct 6th, 2009
Yeah man, I hear ya.
My story is different but relateable. I grew up in the AG/ Pentecostal tradtition. Even the thought of eternal security was horrible. Laughable at best. It wasn’t untill I had a friend start challenging what I believed. Hw asked a simple question, “Can you show me scripture?”. Which then lead me to go read so I can prove him wrong. But what ended up happening was God opening my eyes to His great truths. So I love to say, SOLI DEO GLORIA!!
-Billy
Les
Oct 6th, 2009
Honestly, when I look back at my testimony, it SOOO non-decisional. My friend shared the gospel with me, and I clearly understood it for the first time in my life. I never prayed a prayer, I never said out loud, “I believe this, now.”. It just happened.
As I walked to my apartment from the car we were talking in, my desires… my life completely changed.
So for me, I’m asking myself, how did I even get convinced it was about a decision? It wasn’t for me. American evangelicalism is currently whack!
Tony Baptiste
Oct 6th, 2009
I had similar thoughts, but would add that “Free Will Theology” starts in the hearts of people and cultures rooted in autonomy, not ONLY at salvation. A crude way of saying it is, we are all born thinking we ULTIMATELY control our own lives; and the Scripture has to renew that kind of thinking. The “Free Will Gospel” (if you will) just reinforces that foundation of what we already believed about the will of man.
Les
Oct 6th, 2009
Tony, you’re absolutely right. I was going to mention the true spiritual nature of the problem, but I wouldn’t be able to do it justice as a side note.
I guess I wanted to state the intellectual problem I had. But, yeah bro, it goes back to our sinful desire to be our own God, ultimately.
E
Oct 6th, 2009
This puts into words everything I fumbled upon saying when asked the question, “Why would God be so arrogant? Why would he choose some of us and let the others go to Hell?”
Awesome post. I’ve been in a slump for a while. I need to go read my bible.
Lubeeson
Nov 19th, 2009
E, I certainly feel you bro, but it is our sinful desire to want God to do our own will. It’s incredible, but as I deeply look at Christianity in the contexts of the bible, what I find is that Christains are just as depraved, angry towards God, and nefarious as much as a non believer is. The only difference is that Christ had mercy on them on elcet according to his purpose.
Plus a non believer wouldn’t care! If what we see in 1 Corinthians 1:18 is true, we must accept that GOD must be the orchastrater of our salvation, no matter how much you hate (and I say this generally)the fact the He’s in control and you aren’t. I think of Esau, and how God rejected his repentance in the old testiment, and I would ask “is God arrogant?”, then I read in Romans 9:14 “Is there in justice on God’s part? By no means!” So, the question isn’t “why does God save some and not others,” but rather “why does God save any at all.” That how Art put it.
Norma
Nov 23rd, 2009
I can so identify with Les. When the gospel was presented to me I wasn’t seeking it(I thought I was content in my ungodly life) but God opened my eyes, ears, mind; I understood and wanted to respond so I prayed with the Pastor, back in 1997! My life was transformed by His grace but the implication that I had ‘made a decision’ was stuck in my mind until because of a short lived sin situation and God’s graciously disciplining me back to His path and in so doing began showing me from Scripture the doctrines of grace and His Word began coming alive to me in a whole new way. I am still experiencing the revival of my soul 10 years later. I get flack because people don’t want to ‘change’ their belief system. My question is “How do I stay balanced in relationships with people who so differ with me theologically? It has caused some real division/broken relationships. and this really hurts me. Any help?
Les
Nov 23rd, 2009
Awesome testimony.
I’m with you in the struggle, Norma. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, even if they don’t agree on reformed theology. But I’m compelled to proclaim that God is more powerful than they think. That God saves people that don’t want to be saved. It seems the only way to keep the peace is to just shut up, and that’s the advice I get on a regular basis.
So I’m finding the only thing we can do is stay in the word, live a life worthy of the gospel, stand up against erroneous doctrine, and keep ourselves in check with the directing of the word.
Am I being loving? Am I just arguing? Am I being prideful? I’m convicted on a regular basis, but I see fruit also. When people come to understand the doctrines of grace, they are so grateful, and it’s so worth it.
So we’ll never sit comfortably. We will struggle, just like we will with preaching to unbelievers. But we can’t buy into the lie that talking about God with believers is a waste of time. How do we grow? Are these Biblical issues too controversial? Of course not.
Cory D. Jones
Jun 25th, 2010
Norma -
Again, you may not get this, but still… It’s hard, it really is… My wife and mom aren’t Reformed in theology, however the good news is, there is no doubt in their mind that both of them are saved.
I pick my battles and when I see a debate, I take it. My mom is the only person i know who is more stubborn than I, so I know I’ll never “convert” her, however I take comfort in knowing she is of Jesus’ flock, as am I.
I think that’s the key. I can debate with my non-Reformed Christian friends with full confidence that I will see them in heaven. Clay Crosse said it in a song in the 90’s. “It all comes down to a man, dying on a cross, saving the world.” If you proclaim Jesus as Lord, and your fruits display that, I don’t believe you have to be of Reformed theology to get into heaven. And I take comfort in that.
Les
Jun 25th, 2010
If anything I’ve said implied that I believe you must be reformed to be a Christian, I would love to clarify.
The gospel is: God is Holy, man is sinful and needs a perfect Savior. Jesus is that perfect Savior. Repent and believe in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Election, predestination, absolute sovereignty, irresistible grace…. these are Biblical truths intended to comfort and encourage Christians, but they are not prerequisites.
I like to consider the thief on the cross… imagine how jacked up his theology must have been. Yet he trusted in Christ for His salvation and was saved.
Reformed theology is true, and extremely important… but it’s not the gospel.