Exploring Calvin

Let me begin by pleading relative ignorance concerning the belief system held by most Christians who hold to the teachings of the covenant community.  How much more ignorance, then, might I be burdened under upon probing the inner-mind of this most powerful man who spun off such a powerful community of believers who proclaim such a belief system.  But probe I must.  A long journey, it seems, awaits me.

It is not the absolutism of the Calvinistic system that causes me to pause and possibly disagree.  TULIP?  Fine, live with it.  I suppose that if one were to ponder that the God of the entire universe could create the first hydrogen atom, and all that followed such an effort, could certainly be the cause of all things following.  This would include election and all that that implies (including free will at the same time?  Let God be God).

It is not the theology of the Reformed/Covenantal community that has caused me to pause and to begin a disciplined exegetical pursuit of various truth claims, rather, it is the a-millennial tendency of many in that community who eschatologically supplant a literal and futuristic understanding of prophetic utterances with an allegorical-like interpretation of those utterances that has caused me to pause.  Usually it is a straw-dummy in the form of Dispensationalism  that has been the standard by which they judge.  Straw dummies are easily knocked over.  BTW, I am not a Dispensationalist!

The Divine Utters Forth  -  The Amanuensis Records!

When one utters forth a series of declarative predictions as do many of the prophets in both testaments, should not the burden of proof be on those who declare such statements to be allegory, types  and metaphors, rather than on those who declare them to be literal statements?  I understand that many allegories, types and metaphors abound within such writings.  Sometimes it seems as though the Book of Revelation was designed to break one's heart.  But, to declare that the New Covenant has replaced the Old (which it certainly has) does not necessarily translate to the emasculation of the prophetic writings of the Old.  Much damage has been, and is being, committed to our understanding of how current events are affecting our lives at the present time.  This is not a small matter; there really is a freight train coming and some of us need to sit down over coffee and talk a little. 

Or so it seems to me.  More, much more, to come on this subject.

Erasmus Concerning Luther

I was recently researching the life of Erasmus and ran across this quote:

Concerning his chastisement of Luther - and undoubtedly put off by the notion of there being 'no pure interpretation of Scripture anywhere but in Wittenberg' - Erasmus touches upon another important point of controversy:

'You stipulate that we should not ask for or accept anything but Holy Scripture, but you do it in such a way as to require that we permit you to be its sole interpreter, renouncing all others.  Thus the victory will be yours if we allow you to be not the steward but the lord of Holy Scripture.' (bold added)

Upon reading the above in a Wikipedia article re. the person of Erasmus, two thoughts came immediately to my mind:  First of all, I considered the substance of the thought that implied that Luther was so polarized and myopic in his thought process that such a statement could be addressed to him (i.e., being a lord and not a steward), and secondly, I immediately transferred Erasmus's implied chastening to the day in which we live. Could not this insight be addressed to many proactive advocates of biblical "truth" in the current man-made church of today.

Erasmus continued:  I detest dissension because it goes both against the teachings of Christ and against a secret inclination of nature.  I doubt that either side in the dispute can be suppressed without grave loss.  (again bold added)

We in the Western church seem to be an arrogant group, or so it seems to me.  It is not the intent of this article to address the veracity of either man's belief system; neither is it the intent to critique any belief system at this time.  Arrogance is the gorilla in the middle of the living room of the American church that is the subject-matter being addressed here.

I understand that I "speak" in generalities, but it seems to me that severe damage (grave loss) is being transferred to the called-out elect and family of Christ.  We intellectually speak and write in support of unity, but experientially we are nourishing a subliminal mind-set that tends toward a cult-like superiority that seems to blunt unity and sharpen separation within His family. 

To those of us who look upon the possibility that an eschatological testing (the taking of a mark and all that leads up to it) is soon to be thrust upon the Western church, it seems that our psychological make-up needs to be examined.  We have been warned about a great apostasy occurring at that time.  This implies a separation between those polarized toward a position of arrogance and those polarized toward unity (and affection) toward fellow believers including those who disagree with us on the non-essential belief systems of our faith.  Are we stewards, or lords of Holy Scripture?

Arrogance - thy name is King James Only, thy name is Preterist, thy name is
Faith (name it/claim it), thy name is Dispensationalism, thy name is Charismatic, thy name is anti-Charismatic, thy name is ________ (fill in the blank), and etc., etc., etc.

It is not one's position that disunites, it is one's arrogance.  Let's stop being so brilliant.  Your brother or sister in Christ is more important than your brilliance.  Family trumps our individual observances and declarations. 

The King is coming; let's act like it!