Christ-less Society

One of the main goals in two-kingdom theology, which is prominent in my area, seems to be the removal of Christ from culture. According to what I'm reading in Frame's book, this comes from Kline, who thought there was a religious culture and a secular culture whose lines neither could cross. This works out practically in the excitement those who have embraced this thought when they get very excited, ecstatic even, when Christian symbols and ideas are removed from the public sphere. Examples include the removal of prayer from schools (they are very anti-school prayer), removal of nativity scenes from public squares at Christmas, removal of Christian symbols from city seals. In all instances I have seen 2KTs very glad, with even an attitude that I hear more from my non-Christian friends.

In light of this, I suppose the following articles should bring great joy to those who still embrace the 'ideal" of a Christ-less culture:


Pushing Abortion Was Always a Main Goal of Obamacare


Sebelius Admits She’s Unaware of Top Religious Liberty Cases


Pro-Life Author and Champion Chuck Colson Dies

Yes, the death of someone like Chuck Colson would, at the very least, bring a sigh of relief to them. While I do not agree with everything Chuck Colson did after his conversion (I've yet to find anyone with whom I agree 100%, so it doesn't bother me) at least he did something. 2Ks seem to operate under a misguided de-emphasis on Christian living. We don't have to vote pro-life because of our faith, only as our conscience guides us. Um, what guides our conscience? Better not say your faith coz that will mean you believe in works righteousness.  I am aware that those still in 2K will not believe a word I accuse their theology of, I know, I just left it and I didn't believe what I am saying only last Fall. On this side of the 2KT Curtain, it all seems rather like a religion that requires nothing of me. As the pastor of our new church put it (though not in this context) if we were only born to watch a few good TV shows, have a few kids who watch a few good TV shows, then die, there's not much point to our creation.

Five Points

I would guess most of my friends think I've gone off the deep end by now. I listen to Christian radio. I attend an Evangelical church. I'm becoming involved in church work. I support para-church ministries. Yeah, I know, it does sound petty that people would question my theology based on those things, but such is life in this Calvinist no-man's zone. So let's go over the five points and see how I measure up, compared to what is taught around here, or rather inferred coz you'll never get them to commit themselves.

Total Depravity--Well, if I didn't believe this before, I sure as heck do now. The depraved way in which church & seminary leadership treat people makes it obvious that the heart of man is deceitful above all else, and desperately wicked. As opposed to what is inferred by many which is basically, Evangelicals are depraved but we have the corner on truth.

Unconditional Election--Yep. (and repeat what I said at the beginning of the last point) I have come to rely on this as I've struggled over leaving "The Church." The struggle comes from the inference made often in the Calvinist churches around here that to be outside one of their churches is to be unsaved. The biggest condition they place on election however is that you must have your theology perfect, which means in accordance with their theology. Anything less is Christ-less.

Limited Atonement--As with 'U' I would say that the churches here believe the atonement is extremely limited...to only those who agree with them.

Irresistible Grace--Similar to 'U' for me. But the Calvinistic churches around here use this as an excuse to offend anyone. Then, when the person leaves their church they say, "See, he wasn't saved. Otherwise he would have stayed in a "true" church."

Perseverance of the Saints--For all intents and purposes, what happened to my family in the last two Calvinistic churches we attended is the stuff the stories of ex-church goers are made of. You hear them all the time. "Yeah, I went to church, but I learned quick that Christians are just a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites." But here we are. Hoping and praying that the church we are at now will be "the one." The one that isn't judgmental. The one that isn't cruel and crass. The one that will help us. The one that will care enough to help our children. We know that ultimately our salvation has nothing to do with the church. It has nothing to do with other Christians. And we can see that the church and other Christians sometimes have nothing to do with Christ. But around here, unless you stay with a true church you were never saved to begin with. 

In reference to staying with a true church, I once heard a pastor of a Calvinist church say that you should stay regardless of the behavior of those in the church. That you, as a Christian, are bound to the church and there should be nothing, not even abuse apparently (and I learned later that this pastor was rather abusive), that should make you leave it.

Child of the King, or Evil Sinner?

I was listening to last Wednesday's sermon on Vimeo yesterday and the pastor said something that first made me cringe, but then made me think. He used the term hyper-Calvinist, then he accused such of focusing on how evil we all are.

Being a Calvinist, I cringed. I wanted to say, "Hey, now, let's not name names. Coz, you know, Fundamentalists are the same."

That's when it hit me. The Calvinists here in my area are really just theologically dressed up Fundamentalists. It's just that most of them aren't so much about behavior as they are about doctrine. Now, I've already touched on where this sort of combination leads in a previous post, so I'll take a different line this time.

My current pastor is right. Hyper-Calvinists focus on how evil we are. They neglect the focus of Scripture that says, "You are now a child of the King. You are saved from all that. 'Such were some of you, but now....'" And what they really neglect is the teaching of what the Holy Spirit does in a roll as our helper. Oh, yeah, they've got it down that He is the one who draws us to Christ because we can't do it ourselves. Very good. But that's where they leave Him. It creates a sick and twisted theology, if you ask me.

In the churches that follow after the teachings of a certain seminary which, until I review the book, will remain "unnamed" ... (hint-hint--->)

the Holy Spirit basically doesn't exist. They simply do not believe that anyone, even God, is capable of helping restrain you from sin. Oh, they'll never come out and say this, but that's how it's lived out and spoken of practically.

In other churches, with other influences, God has no power over the things of the earth. We are to live in fear of the society around us, and to protect ourselves from the unsavory elements, because God simply cannot control it.

Honestly, none of this sounds like Calvinism. I've read Calvin, more closely now that I've left the churches who claim to follow his teachings, and he never sounded like anything I hear in my area.

Dirty Pastors

Living in my area and being Reformed is like living in a small town where most all the cops are dirty. Just sayin'

Legalism & Pharisees

The interesting thing about Jesus' life and ministry is He didn't have a lot bad to say. There wasn't condemnation and curse, like in the law of the Old Testament. But when He got ticked, it was usually at the religious leaders of the day. The Pharisees (the main leaders mentioned in the NT) thought they were pretty awesome. They spent their lives in Scripture, had their theology "perfect," and looked down on the rest of the peons. Jesus wasn't impressed. He called them names, even. Mean names. He said bad things about them. He threw their money changers out of the temple in a rather violent manner.

This gives me a lot to think about.

1) I'm fairly certain I have spent the vast majority of my adult life sitting under the teaching of Pharisees. Now, of course, they would claim they weren't. They would proudly point to the fact that they make sure NOT to practice keeping the law.

As an aside: If I was an astute or intelligent person, the first time I heard them rail against the law I would have asked if the fact I shouldn't worry about keeping the law meant I could cheat on my husband and kill others. I mean, if I can't truly keep the law perfectly, those would be the ones I'd want to break. They are definitely the most enjoyable by and beneficial to me. :D

Anyway...

2) They believe their theology is perfect. Really, honestly, they believe they have it right and everyone else is an idiot.

3) Re: the term "idiot." They really feel a sense of superiority. One only has to spend all of 5 minutes in their presence as they casually insult the "apostate" preachers like Billy Graham, Chuck Smith, and, well, anyone else, even within their own denominations, who do not agree with them completely. (See "aside" above for one reason it took me so long to figure it out.)

There are darker and, imo, more sinister aspects that, if I remember, I will write about later. I think this is enough for now.

Elder Meetings

OK, a little humor...

What goes on in an elder meeting after the people deemed unfit to attend your church at a previous elder meeting leave? Seriously. Do people high five each other? Do they pat each other on the back? Do they congratulate the elder who leveled the most vicious attack against the people and say, "Wow, you were vicious like Jesus!"

Just wondering. :D

The Cardinal Rule

...of Calvinist churches in my area is "Say whatever you want about evangelicals, but don't ever say anything bad about other Calvinist churches, unless, of course, we think they are leaning too far towards evangelicalism."

I broke that rule this week. Publicly. On Facebook. For all my friends from our old church to see.

I don't think it went over too well.

As I looked at the few posts I've written so far, I saw that originally I hadn't wanted to say anything publicly about this. But the more I realize just what a horrible thing these churches are doing, the more I think maybe it's worth shaking things up a bit.

However, I realize that I can say what I want without getting snippy...like them.

I might make my next controversial post about the dance my kids will be participating in on Easter morning. No, not liturgical dance (honestly, I really am just not into it). Real, rock music video style dancing. It's gonna be great. Not the response to my post, the dance. My kids have danced for years, but never to music dedicated to glorifying God. It's great to see them dancing for Him.

Anyway, my goal is to actually learn how to deal with this entire situation without going back to my former self of piggish pride. That sort of attitude is promoted in the Calvinist churches in our area. Our new church believes that people respond to kindness more readily than vicious sarcasm. I know, who would think?