1992 issue 1 - reformed or reforming: which way are we looking? - counsel of chalcedon
TRANSCRIPT
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8/12/2019 1992 Issue 1 - Reformed or Reforming: Which Way Are We Looking? - Counsel of Chalcedon
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sReformed
Christians weare
often
asked by
those outside the
Refonned Faith,
WhatisReformed?
varietyofshottanswersareavailable,
most of which emphasize some
relation
to
the sixteenth century
European Protestant movement and
its
theology. Butwhat do we
think
of
ourselves when
we attribute
the term
Reformed to ourselves and our
churches?
There
is a
temptation
for
some of
us
to
romanticize this
period
of
history
and to think
of it as our ideal,
especially
as
it
manifested
itself
in the
Puritan movement.
The problemwith
this
tendency
to
think
of
the term reformed
as
old and
past tense is
that it can lead
twentieth century
Reforined
Christians
to
a somewhat distorted
view of
the
current
. . goals
of the
church.
We must not
think
of
reformation as
simply a
snap
shot of
some
golden era
of
from sixteenth and seventeenth
century Europe
. The
principles and
theologyoftheProtestantReformation
have remained fairly constant.
However,
the
issues of
the
day
and the
appli
cation
of
th
ese principles and
th
eol
ogy have changed in many
resp
ec
ts.
Scripture alone remains as the
comerstoneof reformation
from
the
sixteenth century until our present
your wives, just as Christ also loved
the
church and gave Himself up for
her.
It
is likely
that
every
Christian
husband has some unique
ways n
whichhe demonstrateshis loveforhis
wife that differs from other Christian
husbands. Yet, each Christian
husband,applyingandadaptingGod's
word
to
meet
the needs
of his
wife,
may fulfill
the biblical requirement of
lovmghiswife.
Moreover,
the same
is
true when it
comes to
other
areas
of
life such as the
chwch, There
are
a
multitude of ways
that a church can
honor Scripture
n
ts
methods of
evangelism,
worship,
music
nd
other
practices
. Flexibility
nd adaptiveness
within the boun-
dariesofScriptureare
essential parts of
ongoingreformation.
, Christianity to be
replicatedby twentieth
century
Chtistiansand
churches. Rather,
reformation must be
Which Way re
e
Looking
Theverynatureof
reformation is that
t
is a nevercending
process. There are
two obvious
reasons
for this fact.
First,
as
sinful men we are
often
wrong
in our
understanding of
Scripture and how it
thought of as being
more
like
a motion picture
still
in
the
process
of being filmed.
While we
may honor, admire and
agree
with
many Reformed Christianswho
lived
in
the last
five centuries, our goal as
Refonned
Christians today
is not a
mere
duplication of
the past. Growth
means change,
and twentieth
century
America
has
.changed
considerably
Randy Bootll
is to be applied.
day. It is
the
only rule of faith and Indeed, there is only one objective
life
for
all
men
in
all times and
in
all
meaning
of
the word
of God,
having
places . Yet the Scriptures are been infallibly transmitted
to men
.
amazingl
yflexibleand
adaptive when However,
while the transmission of
it comes
to
their application
to the
Bible is
clear,
its reception by
ourselves
, our
families,
our churches
fallen,
and even redeemed men is not
and our culture. The Bible is
never
always
so
clear.
As
Christians
we
out of dat
e. For
example,
Ephesians
grow in our understanding of the
5 25 instructs us, Husbands, love
objective
truth of Scripture and we
January,
1992
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ofCbaIcedon i 13
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8/12/2019 1992 Issue 1 - Reformed or Reforming: Which Way Are We Looking? - Counsel of Chalcedon
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come to see
areas
of wrong practice or
sinful conduct.
As
a result,
we
must
continually reform
(i.e.,
conform
to
Scriptural standards).
,Unless we, are perfect in our
understanding and
conduct the
'process
o{
reformation must never
Cease
eitherpersOnallyorcprporately.
Second, Reformationis anever-ending
process becaUse the world around us
is in a constant stateof
day to reach their generationwith the
gospel. Lectures, preaching,
public
debates, the universities andpersonru
wimess were all
means
of
v
erbally
communicatingwith theirworld. The
use of the printing press and massive
distribution of tracts, booksand
Bibles
were
t so
effective
means
of
spreading
the word. Great works of art came
forth,
and
even congregationit singing
computers,
telephoneS,
faxes, mail
and rapid transportation. We shoUld
encourage the
use of these l o n g
with
the development of new ideas
atrd
technolOgies. As
Reformed
ChristiarlS
we
should
be leading the way in the
development
ofbiblicalcontemporary
art and music which
will
peitneate
our culture with the
kIt
and light of
the gospel.
change - only GO
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8/12/2019 1992 Issue 1 - Reformed or Reforming: Which Way Are We Looking? - Counsel of Chalcedon
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perimeter then we may safely
move
out,
knowing the limitations
of
our
change. We
must evaluate the
lisks,
take proper precautions
to
insure
adherence to God's
word,
and
then
move
out with confident expectation
of
God's blessings. Otherwise,
we
shall remain home-bound in
fear
of
the future.
f
reformation is to continue (Le.,
life) in ourday, then wemuststandon
the shoulders
of the
generations of
reformers that have gone before us
andreachhigher. Ourgenerationisto
Our worldchanges at blindingspeed.
The
next
generation
of
reformers is
not a threat to
us,
but
it
should be a
threat to the world of tomorrow.
Luther said If I declare with
loudest
voice
and
clearest
exposition
every portion of God's tmth except
that one littlebit
which
the world and
thedevilareatthatmomentattacking
I am not
confessing
Christ
no
matter
how boldly Imaybe
professing
Christ.
For the soldier to be steady on the
battlefield besides, is mere flight and
disgrace if he flinches at
tllat
single
If I declare with loudest voice nd
clearest exposition
every
portion
of
God's truth except
th t
one little bit
which the world
nd
the
devil re t
th t
moment attacking, I m
not
confessing Christ
no
meltter how oldly
I
m y
be professing Christ. For the
soldier
to
be
ste dy
on the
b ttlefield
besides, is
mere
flight nd disgrace
if
he flinches
t
th t
single point.
artin
uther
be more than
occupational
troops.
We should
be that,
butwe shouldbe
much more; there are still beaches to
be stormed. Thewar is notover. The
generations that
follow
us will face
new
challenges to their
faith
and
new
battles
to be
fought.
We should lift
themupandsupportthem providing
a
firm
foundation for them
to
build
upon. Our task is notto subdue them
but
to
direct them and
encourage
them. The implications of the
Reformed Faith for the world
of
tomorrow
may
not
be
seen by us.
point. Thereforrnationhasnotended.
It
will
continue until the end
of
the
world. Reforrnationis
about the future,
not just the past and we must look
forward
with theexpectation of
seeing
God work in our day as He has in the
past. We must not simply be
Reformed, but Reforming Christians
in a changing world.a
Randy Boodl is one
o
the pastors
of:
Texarkana Reformed Baptist
Chmch in Texarkana AR.
January,
1992 r
THE
COUNSEL
of Chalcedon
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