Before the average believer today learns what Reformed theology i. Often, detractors define Reformed theology not according to what it actually teaches, but according to where they think its logic naturally leads. Even more tragically, some hyper-Calvinists have followed the same course. The charges leveled against Reformed theology, of which hyper-Calvinism is actually guilty, received a definitive response at the international Synod of Dort — , along with the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.
Sin and evil have their origin not in God or creation, but in the personal will and action of creatures. We catch a glimpse of these two guardrails at once in several passages, most notably in Genesis 45 and Acts 2. In the former, Joseph recognizes that while the intention of his brothers in selling him into slavery was evil, God meant it for good, so that many people could be saved during this famine vv. We know from Scripture that both are true, but not how. Perhaps the most succinct statement of this point is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith chap.
The same point is made in the Belgic Confession of Faith Article 13 , adding that whatever God has left to His own secret judgment is not for us to probe any further. Here once again we are faced with mystery — and the two guardrails that keep us from careening off the cliff in speculation.
God loves the world and calls everyone in the world to Christ outwardly through the Gospel, and yet God loves the elect with a saving purpose and calls them by His Spirit inwardly through the same Gospel John —64; —5, 11, 14—18, 25—30; Acts ; Rom.
While the vast majority of Protestants hold to Arminian doctrine, we will concern ourselves today with minority who consider themselves Reformed. A far better and more complete definition is found at Five Solas. To be Reformed is:.
It would be correct to say that this is a statement of the Protestant faith more than it is a statement of the Reformed faith. From this list we see that Reformed Christians adhere to all the foundational beliefs taught in the Bible. These beliefs were the foundation of the early church and are based on the teachings of the Bible as interpreted by the apostles and early church fathers.
Many of these beliefs were changed or lost as the Catholic Church grew in power and authority from the fifth century onwards. Throughout history there were pockets of non-Catholic believers who held to many or all of these points of doctrine, but they were largely lost until the time of the Reformation. Again, these form the basis for Protestantism as much as they do for the Reformed tradition.
These are the principles that drove the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and separated it from the Roman Catholic Church. These four points of doctrine are based entirely on the Bible and were the theological driving force behind the newly formed Protestant movement.
These five distinct points of doctrine are also known as the five points of Calvinism as they were first articulated by John Calvin after the Reformation was in full-swing. The short answer to that question is no. Calvinism and reformed theology are not the same thing. Calvinism is certainly a major tenant of reformed theology, but it is not the whole of reformed theology. So, in other words, everybody who is reformed is a Calvinist, but not everybody who is a Calvinist is reformed.
So I want to take just a minute and outline several of the major tenets of reformed theology that would sort of distinguish it from simply being Calvinistic. To be a Calvinist means that we would hold to the five points of Calvinism as they have been described historically: total depravity, unconditional election, limited or particular atonement, irresistible grace, and then the perseverance or preservation of the saints.
To be covenantal in our theology means that we understand the covenantal framework of the Bible. There was a covenant made amongst the persons of the Godhead in eternity past, known as the covenant of redemption.
There was a covenant of works that God made with Adam in the garden that he broke, and thereby plunged humanity into ruin, and sin, and death. You can opt out at any time.
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