Reformed Theology

The church Brian pastors is Zion Evangelical & Reformed Church.

And Reformed?

What?!

Most people, including too many in our congregation, have no idea what makes a church Reformed.

I remember thinking we were Reformed when we moved to Cali, but our time at Westminster led me to a much deeper understanding of what it means to live as a Reformed Christian.

I'm going to try to unpack what it means to be truly Reformed.

(With the help of my educated husband and the exceptional magazine Modern Reformation (Vol. 21, No. 1, Jan-Feb 2012)).

The Reformation began in 1517 and "involved deeper illumination into the revelation of scripture and the glorious news of what Jesus had done for his people, the church," (Allen, pg 26).  It was a time when the people of the church were led to a greater understanding of the truth of the gospel and and their need for the Bible.  The Reformation established three great truths:

sola fide (by faith alone)

sola gratia (by grace alone)

sola scriptura (scripture alone)

sola fide

A German monk, Martin Luther, grew up adhering to a system of religious piety and activity to bring pardon from God.  Gaining insight into Paul's letter to the Romans, Luther realized that Christ was given up for him - sent to die on the cross in his place! - and that this was to be received only by faith.  Luther understood that he couldn't earn God's favor, and that God doesn't wait for him to clean up his act, but he pursues those who are dead in their sins (Romans 5:6).  God descended, in the human form of Christ, to us sinners!  We are united to God, through Christ's perfect blood that was shed on the cross, the moment we put our trust in Him.  It was nothing we could earn.  We were totally dead in our sins and Christ gave us life.  We weren't half dead, wounded and crying out; we were dead and Christ gave us breath.

Many Christian denominations would agree with most of that.  But what differentiates Reformed theology is that this faith alone isn't just a gateway to heaven; it transforms our daily lives.  If we live each day by faith alone, we take each trouble and trial that is sent our way as having come from the hands of a Sovereign, loving, heavenly Father who is working everything for our good (Romans 8:28).  He is the One who gives us hope, comfort and the strength to persevere in all things.  We lean on Him for everything and never would want to offend Him - everything is done in faith!

Let me give you an example from Dr. Horton:

He wrote in Putting Amazing Back into Grace that if a couple donates a million dollars to an organization without faith, then it is done in SIN!  Our whole lives, every act, is to be done in faith in our Savior.  We need this awesome gift of faith to transform all areas of life.

sola gratia

 To prevent some from saying that even faith is a work, the Reformers taught that faith is a gift of God (For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... Ephesians 2:8).  "We do believe, but only because he grants us grace to do so.  We do love, but only because he first loved us," (pg. 27).  This is such awesome news for all of us who fell with the first Adam (which is every human!).  We are blessed with new life in Christ by no merit of our own.  

"The Holy Spirit creates it [faith] in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy sacraments" (Heidelberg Catechism Question 65).

I've loved my The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis bible study and am reminded of Noah and Abraham as we discuss this topic of grace alone.  God chose them - they didn't do anything special; they weren't even good men (as one of Aidan's children's bibles states).  It was completely by God's grace alone that He saved Noah's family from the waters and chose to make Abraham's descendents as numerous as sands on the seashore (the line of Christ).  This makes me want to jump and shout for joy, knowing that Christ has chosen and revealed Himself to sinful me based on nothing I've done - by grace alone.  sola gratia

sola scriptura

 This is an essential concept in our Post-Modern world that now accepts all theology and all thinking just simply because "I thought it..."  Our culture accepts, "If I feel this way, then it must be truth."  and "If that's what I think, then that's truth."  UGH.  We have lost our respect for the authority of God's Word.  Before the Reformation, scripture was greatly respected, but only higher authorities (i.e. the pope) were allowed to interpret it - sometimes even in languages that the congregations couldn't understand!  Luther believed that all were subservient to the Bible's authority, including those higher authorities.  The Bible is the only authority and its principles are the only ones we should live by.

A Reformed Christian places their all in Christ, knowing they are saved by grace alone through faith alone revealed in scripture alone for the glory of God alone. 

[Modern Reformation is a publication of White Horse Inn Media (on the Westminster Seminary California campus).  Subscribe today to begin reading more about Reformed theology and joining others in praying for a Modern Reformation.]