A Brief Study Of Reformed Theology

The term Reformed refers to a time that goes back almost five centuries. It refers to a period when the church underwent a Reformation in attempting to return Christianity to the authority of scripture. The desire of the Reformation was not to change God's Word but rather to bring the church back into accord with it. Led by Martin Luther and John Calvin, the Reformation churches split off from the errors of the medieval Roman church and began what we know today as Protestantism.

The Reformers of the 16th & 17th centuries sought to humble man and exalt God. This objective has been carried on from the beginning of time until now by those who desire to really know the Lord. Reformed churches believe that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” They want to teach and share the word of God in and out of season so that Christ's church may benefit from sound doctrine that exhorts believers to a deeper appreciation of the God they serve.

Bethel Church invites you to read more about Reformed Theology :

  1. The High View Of God
  2. Christ Alone  (Solus Christus)
  3. To God Alone Glory  (Soli Deo Gloria)
  4. By Grace Alone  (Sola Gratia)
  5. Through Faith Alone  (Sola Fide)
  6. By Scripture Alone  (Sola Scriptura)
  7. Being Distinctively Reformed
  8. Actively Evangelistic
  9. Covenantal Living
  10. Thinking Biblically
  11. Three Great Things

The High View Of God
Our one unshakeable pre-supposition is that an Eternal, Supreme, Holy and Just God exists and has chosen to reveal Himself and His eternal decrees (or will) to us through His acts of creation, through His Word - the Holy Bible, and through His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We at Bethel unabashedly proclaim that we rest upon God's Word as sufficient in all things necessary for us to understand our existence and God's creation. It is this “True Truth” (as Francis Schaeffer describes it) that allows us to understand that we are here for one purpose alone - to Glorify that Sovereign, Eternal God and to relish (or enjoy) Him and His being. We do this understanding that God is not in need of either our glory or our fellowship. He is self-sufficient and needs nothing from us or of us. It is we who need God. And it is for that reason that we gather at Bethel each Lord's day - to worship our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer and to rest in His finished work of redemption.

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession Of Faith - Chapters 1-3,
Westminster Larger Catechism - Questions 1-14,
Hebrews 1:1-3, II Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 139:1-18, Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Isaiah 6:1-7, I Peter 2:9-10


Solus Christus
Christ Alone! That says it all. Not Christ and me. Not Christ and works. No other way. No other mediator. No other means. It is the absolute, bedrock foundation of our faith - God (very God of very God) became man and saved us when we could not save ourselves. The concept seems so simple and straight forward, yet we seem to continually add layers of complexity and ambiguity that either detract from, or even deny, that central truth. In God's Word there is no ambiguity. It is ALL about Christ - who He is and what he has done :
“He must increase, I must decrease.”  John
“That I may know him and the power of His resurrection.”  Paul
“There is no other name under heaven, given among men by which you may be saved.”   Peter
“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  Paul
“Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.”  John
“And, if Christ has not been raised (from the dead), your faith is futile. But, now is Christ risen!”  Paul
“We have one (an advocate) who speaks to the Father on our behalf, Christ Jesus the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  John
“For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”  Paul
“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by the power of His word. After he had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”  the writer to the Hebrews

Somehow, in 21st century Christendom, we have strayed from emphasizing the supremacy of Christ in all things. We sometimes seem embarrassed to even witness of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We relegate Christ to the mythical or mystical realm, and not to the reality of everyday life. Yet, one of the greatest doctrines to emerge from the Reformation is the unifying description of Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King. He is Sovereign over all spheres of our life. Nothing is excluded. And, as very God of very God, it is His words alone that matter. For He says, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). In that single verse we see His claim to Sovereignty, His role as Redeemer, and His call for discipleship.

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession Of Faith - Chapter 7,
Belgic Confession - Articles 10, 19-26,
Hebrews 1-10


Soli Deo Gloria
If there is but one phrase that best characterizes the doctrinal imperatives resulting from the Reformation it is Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone Glory. Everything that exists exists for God's glory alone. Everything God does He does for His glory alone. And, everything that man does ought to be done to the glory of God alone. Not for ourselves. Not for the Church. Not for the state. Not even for others… our every action, our every thought needs to conform to that which not only honors our Creator, but glorifies Him - as Creator, Sovereign, and Redeemer.
 
This is in stark contrast to the prevailing mindset in today's society -“It is all about me.” We see it in the glorification of man with the rise of Humanism. We see it in the rampant greed and materialism of not only Wall Street but Main Street as well. We see it in the rise of “New Age” religions (which are really retreads of ancient mystic religions) where we are told that we are gods because we are one with all. Whether it be in academic, cultural, financial, political, or social realms, all are emphasizing man rather than God.
 
Sadly, we also see this in the church. God-centered worship has been replaced with “me-centered” preaching and entertainment. God-centered acts of mercy and service have been replaced with coffee clubs and “humanitarian” projects. God-centered studying and preaching of the Word has been replaced with “relevancy based” feel-good stories and self-help manuals. We ask the question, “What do I get out of church, and why should I go?” Rather, we ought to be thinking, “How do I continue to bring glory to God?”.
 
The answer to that question is very plain and very simple - we just don't always like the answer. From both the Old Testament (Ecclesiastes 12:13) and the New (I John 1:7- 3:24) we hear but one central truth - it is all about God. We are expected to obey Him and serve Him and (as the Westminster Shorter Catechism says) enjoy Him. That enjoyment can only come though when we fully (mind, body and soul - wealth, health, and relationships) commit to the Truth that we are to see God, obey God, and glorify God in every aspect of our life. As Abraham Kuyper (paraphrased) once said, “There is not one square centimeter of this universe over which King Jesus does not proclaim - This too is mine!” What a God we serve! Soli Deo Gloria!


Sola Gratia
Sola Gratia (by Grace Alone) is probably the most controversial of the doctrines in our own current post-modern culture. For it is the belief of Reformers worldwide and throughout the ages that man has nothing to do with his own salvation - it is a free gift of God alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9).
 
In this current age man wants to be ascendant. We see the elevation of man over God rising to predominance in our culture as far back as the French Revolution (with the Rights of Man), the coining of the term “Age of Reason” for the 18th and 19th centuries, and the publication of the Human Manifesto in the last century. Within religious circles we see this ascendancy most manifest in the doctrine sometimes taught as “Free Will” - that it is within every person to freely choose God's plan of salvation of their own volition. In essence, we choose God, He does not choose us.
 
We believe the Bible clearly teaches something different - that man is a sinner, incapable of his own redemption (Romans 6-9). We further believe that God, in His infinite wisdom and love, predestined some, the “Elect”, to be saved. This choosing occurred before the worlds even began and was the result of God's own free exercise of mercy and grace (Ephesians 1). Let's be clear, our election was not based upon God's foreknowledge of what some of us might do. He didn't look ahead in history and say, “Well there's Sally (or Sue, Joe, or Jim), I see they are going to believe, so I will go ahead and choose them.” Rather we believe God, acting within His sovereign will, chose whom He would for salvation for no other reason than to demonstrate His love, mercy and grace.
 
But what about “Free Will”? The Westminster Confession argues this point best. Man at one time did have a free will, when he was first created of God and was in a state of perfection. But sin, by Adam, ended that perfection and also man's ability to choose freely. As much as we might want to love and serve God on our own, as much as we might want to keep His Law faithfully in all aspects, we cannot. For we are born sinners and cannot, of ourselves, change our sin nature. Only God can. And here is the great news,... He has! By His own grace alone, the Father sent His Son (our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ) down to earth to live perfectly as a man, to die on behalf of the Elect, and to rise again to ascend into heaven and take His rightful place as ruler, and more importantly, as Redeemer! That grace, once revealed to those God has chosen, leads irresistibly to salvation. We don't have to rely on our own feeble and inadequate attempts to please God or get His attention and approval. He alone has already provided a means for us. Glory be to our Sovereign King!

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession Of Faith - Chapters 10-15,
Romans 2 - 10, Ephesians 1:1 - 2:10


Sola Fide
We now examine the most crucial and essential element of Christianity. For, recognizing that all men have sinned and are therefore condemned of God (Romans 3:10-12, 23), we ask, “How then can anyone become right with God?” The answers rings forth from Scripture: not by anything that we can do, but through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22, Ephesians 2: 8-9).
 
This doctrine, known as Sola Fide - through Faith Alone - is the cornerstone of reformational (and Biblical) theology. It was the most pressing disagreement that Martin Luther had with the church of his time and it was in wrestling with this doctrine that the schism, now known as the Reformation, occurred. It was this doctrine that was first addressed when the Roman Catholic church convened the Council of Trent. And it was this doctrine that was declared an anathema, causing the Reformers to be branded as heretics. It was over this doctrine that a battle for the “soul” of the true Church was waged. Indeed, Martin Luther himself said that upon this doctrine (justification through faith alone) the Church itself rises and falls.
 
So, we ask, “What is this justification by faith?” To understand, we most often use a courtroom analogy. We stand condemned before God. Anyone who obeys His Law will be declared righteous (Romans 2:13). But, we are all lawbreakers (or more correctly covenant breakers). For we have not obeyed His commands. Nothing we have done, or can do, can or will save us from God's just penalty. Yet, by God's grace alone, it has been revealed to us, through the Holy Spirit, that we can stand before God - “just as if” we have never sinned. For it is our unshakeable belief, our unwavering confidence, our sure conviction, that Christ has paid the penalty for our sin, and we therefore have obtained salvation. That certainty of knowing our sins are forgiven is what is known as “Saving Faith.” It is that alone that gives us hope and confidence in this life and the one to come.
 
But, we must also understand that it is not the faith itself that saves. Nor is it OUR faith that saves. Rather, the faith that saves us first comes from God, not from within us. And, that faith is but an instrument to lead us to the knowledge of salvation. It is Christ's redemptive act on the cross of Calvary that saves. Faith is the instrument that gives us knowledge and confidence to claim that act as our own, and it is faith that acts as the instrument that causes us to persevere. Glory be to God!
 
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”  Hebrews 11:1-2

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession Of Faith - Chapters 10-15,
Belgic Confession - Articles 22-23,
Heidelberg Catechism - Lord's Day 7 & Lord's Day 23,
Psalm 32, Romans 2-10, Hebrews 6-11


Sola Scriptura
Five great doctrines define Reformational Theology. These doctrines, commonly called “The Five Sola's” encapsulate those truths that we believe define God's truth related to man's existence, our relationship with Him, and our need for a Savior.
 
Central to any theological or doctrinal discourse is one's understanding of the source of ultimate truth - that moral, ethical and spiritual compass point by which we measure all else and obtain our bearing. For Reformed believers, our answer is unequivocally “Sola Scriptura” - by Scripture Alone. By this we are saying that we rest upon Scripture alone as the ultimate, final and authoritative source for defining God's truth. As the Westminster Standards so aptly puts it, Scripture “contains the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life.”
 
This does not mean that we ignore other sources (within ecclesiastical circles these other sources would be termed “Tradition”). For God did provide man with the ability to think, articulate, and communicate. Rather we hold that all of man's utterances (as found in the creeds, confessions, catechisms, sermons and general writings) must be passed through the filter of Holy Scripture in order to be regarded as sound doctrine and true. In its most simplistic form, we say nothing usurps or surpasses Scripture.
 
Lastly, we also note that this great cry was not “Solo Scriptura” or “Only Scripture.” For we must also be careful to guard against the tendency (a heresy) which argues that every person has the right to interpret scripture as they desire and that truth is only found through personal illumination (“Well I read the Bible and the Holy Spirit told me it said ...”). We believe that God has allowed the creation and continuance of the great creeds, confessions, and catechisms to guide our understanding and to act as resources to test that which we think has been “revealed”. When we say “Scripture Alone” we mean that Scripture interprets Scripture, and so one truth cannot contradict another within Scripture. And, we count on the wisdom of the saints of old and the saints of today to assist us with our examination of that truth to ensure that we are rightly dividing the Word of God.

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession Of Faith - Chapters 1 & 3,
Belgic Confession - Articles 2 through 7,
II Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119, Romans 1:19-20, Psalm 111:9-10


Being Distinctively Reformed
What defines us as a Church? Foundational to our answer is the phrase “Distinctively Reformed.” But what does that mean? To most, it immediately conjures up the events of the Reformation, starting on October 31, 1517 and moving through 1643 with the Divines of Westminster. While a watershed period of church history and doctrine, those events and statements of faith alone do not fully define the term “Reformed.” For we believe that the Church of all ages is a church that continually reforms itself. It is a church peopled with sinners who sin. It is a church constantly aware of its need for repentance and restoration and its utter dependence upon God's grace, conveyed through Christ's atoning work on the cross. The understanding of how God acts may take many forms - “the Five points of Calvinism”, “TULIP”, “the Five Sola's”, the Three Forms of Unity, The Westminster Standards, etc. All of those have common foundational concepts: a High View of God, the Doctrine of Grace and Sovereign Election, the Supremacy of Christ, the Sufficiency of the Word, and the continuing work of the Church. Additionally, being Distinctly Reformed is as much about how we live as it is about what we believe (James 2:18, I John 2:3-6). We believe the following seven attributes of belief and behavior, when taken in totality, demonstrate a Distinctively Reformed worldview and lifestyle :
 
Reverencing the Creator (Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Psalms 8:1-9)
Embracing the Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 9:15)
Proclaiming the Confession (Matthew 16:16, Romans 10:9)
Regarding of the Commandments (Psalms 19:7-11, Psalms 119)
Identifying with Christ (Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-16, Romans 12:1-2)
Communing within the Church (Acts 2:42-47, James)
Engaging the Culture (Matthew 28:18-20,Matthew 5:13-16, I Peter 2:9)
 
Lastly, the word “distinctive” should never be confused with “exclusive.” We do not believe that our Church or our denomination alone constitutes “the people of God.” We are part of the Church universal - catholic and apostolic. We call all who affirm the One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (of Ephesians 4:1-6) our brothers and sisters.

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession of Faith and Westminster Larger Catechism,
the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism,
and Romans 1:1-10:13, Ephesians 1:1-4:6, Hebrews 1:1 - 12:2


Actively Evangelistic
Another aspect of what defines us as a Church is our goal to be “Actively Evangelistic.”  To most, that phrase probably conjures up the image of door-to-door visitation, “soapbox” or “street corner” preaching, or even “witnessing with the four Spiritual Laws.” While all of those activities do constitute evangelism, if we confine our definition to only those types of activities we fall short of the Biblical view. To be evangelistic means to proclaim the “Evangel” or “Good News” of God's plan of redemption. We know that it is the responsibility of each believer to proclaim the Great Confession found in Matthew 16:16 - that Jesus Christ is the “Anointed One”, the Messiah, the Savior of Mankind. We also know that this obligation is not optional. We are commanded to do so. Not just through the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), but throughout the stream of biblical truth both Old and New - God's people are to present God's truth to the World. We are His ambassadors. We are to be light in darkness, salt to season, a city placed on a hill, a people set aside to proclaim His marvelous works. So, how do we do that? First and foremost, we believe that Scripture teaches that evangelism comes through presenting the Word of God - unequivocally and unashamedly. (See Romans 10:9-15). It is through the Word that the Holy Spirit works to convict men of sin and reveals the irresistible grace of God, pulling them to salvation. Hence, any “sharing of our faith” must, first and foremost, contain the clear presentation of God's truth as found in His Word. That means we cannot rest on our laurels and “just let preachers preach from the pulpit”. It also means that we must KNOW the Word ourselves! God expects each of us, through the very lives we live, to be testimonies of His redemptive grace. So, to be actively evangelistic means to be living a life, day in and day out, in front of family, friends, and peers that points others to the glory of God. (Deuteronomy 4:5-10, 6:7-25) Lastly, let us never fall into the trap that says, “Well, God will elect and save whom He will… so we are off the hook and don't need to witness.” Such teaching constitutes heresy. For, we are commanded to make disciples and to be witnesses. It is not optional. If we truly love our God, then we ought to be obeying Him. (I John 1:5 - 3:24)

For Further Study:
Heidelberg Catechism - Lord's Day 6 & 7,
Belgic Confession - Article 24,
Westminster Confession of Faith - Chapter 3, and Chapters 8 - 15


Covenantal Living
We don't talk much about covenants today. Most of us would have a hard time relating them to everyday life. But, to those alive in ancient times, covenants were an essential part of life. A covenant defined a person; it identified a sense of belonging (to a clan, tribe, people or nation), and a set of obligations and expectations (between ruler and ruled) that governed life, and many times, death. So, what is a covenant? Simply, it is a solemn agreement between two parties with stipulations of obligations, benefits, and consequences.
 
The covenant we as believers most often refer to is the “Covenant of Grace”, or the “Covenant of Life”. According to Scripture, this is the agreement that God made with His special created being, mankind, whereby we would serve Him and He would redeem us. What an incredible concept! The Supreme Being of the universe choosing to enter into an agreement with mere man! As reformed believers, we ought to find this concept so radical, so wonderful, and so astounding that it leaves us speechless, penitent, and passionate to serve.
 
We further understand, through Scripture, that this covenant is not open to all, but only to those elect of God, predestined in Him before the world began. Is this a harsh covenant? Is it unfair? Not at all. For according to Scripture we all deserved death. Yet, God chose to save some (as one Reformed writer has said, it is not a mystery that God would condemn some, but that He would save any!).
 
This covenant is the covenant of both the Old and New Testament. While some of the signs of the covenant have changed (for example baptism versus circumcision) the covenant itself has not changed. What God requires has not changed, nor how God redeems. It cannot. For God is immutable. He does not change His mind. He does not change His standard. He does not change His will. Under both Old and New we are condemned by our sin. Under both Old and New it is the sovereign grace of God alone that saves. Under both, our obligation is to worship, obey and serve. Under the Old, it was the promise of the Messiah; under the New it was the certainty of Christ's redemptive act.
 
So how do we live covenantly? First we must realize that we are a people set apart by God. What defines us at our core must be our membership in the Church, universal. Our identity is first, foremost and always, “Christian.” We are defined by the God we serve. Second, we are to care and love for each other - intensely and intimately. We are called to live under and by grace. We are called to show the world the love of Christ, first by demonstrating it to each other, and then to a lost and dying world. Not because we have to, but because we want to!

For Further Study:
Westminster Confession of Faith - Chapters 3 through 8,
Genesis 2:7-3:24, Genesis 17:1-17, Exodus 19-24, Isaiah 42:5-9, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ephesians 1:1-2:10, I Peter 2:4-12, Hebrews 4:14 - 10:25


Thinking Biblically
As sentient creatures, we possess an incredible gift from our Creator - rational thought, the ability to reason. And, with that reason a will - the ability to act upon our thoughts, not just our emotions or our genetics. It is one of the primary differentiators between mankind and the rest of creation. It is also the one attribute that led to the fall. So, man is created with the ability to think, to reason, and thereby act.
 
So, what does it mean to think Biblically? In essence we define the term as both the first and final arbiter of our decision-making process. It is the fundamental doctrine of the Reformed faith known as the sufficiency of the Word. Rather than continue to expound however, it is best to let Scripture speak for itself :
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ”  Psalms 1:1-2
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ”  Romans 12:1-2
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ”  II Corinthians 10:3-5
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; ”  Philippians 2:3-15
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. ”  II Timothy 3:16-17

Scripture is clear as to how a believer should think. And, for the most part, we as believers assent to the concept that the Bible guides our decision-making and our behavior. But does it? Do we truly see the situations we confront each day as means by which to apply the Word? And, is guiding enough? Ought we not to be people driven to the Word, and driven through the Word? What would the watching world say of us?

For Further Study:
Belgic Confession - Article 7,
Westminster Confession of Faith - Chapters 1 and 20


Three Great Things
Our obligations to the Sovereign God can best be summed up by reviewing the three “Greats” of Scripture :
 
The Great Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And, the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Matthew 22:37-39. Please notice two things. First, Love is central to this command. Second, God expects our ALL. Intensity and passion ought to define our relationship with God and each other.
 
The Great Confession: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Matthew 16:16. There is no ambiguity or uncertainty to the centrality of our Salvation. It is Christ and Christ alone. This we proclaim boldly to a watching world.
 
The Great Commission: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.”  Matthew 28: 19-20. Again, we are called to an active faith; we cannot sit along the sidelines. The operative command in this passage is to make disciples - by going, by teaching, and by baptizing. As Deuteronomy 6:7 so clearly illustrates - in every facet of life - by “coming along side.”
 
In summary, what does God expect of us? He expects an active, passionate, intense, and vocal Church to be living and loving Him and His Word before a watching world that is lost in sin and darkness. And, He expects us to love each other, mightily.

For Further Study:
Westminster Larger Catechism - Questions 30-68, 91-140,
Belgic Confession - Articles 10, 26, 27,
Heidelberg Catechism - Lord's Day 5-7, 11-19, 34-44,
Deuteronomy 5:1-27, Deuteronomy 6:3-9, Psalm 19: 7-11, Micah 6:8, Acts 4:12, Matthew 5:17-6:18, Acts 1:7-8, Romans 10:14-15, I John 1:5-2:17


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