Is Reformed Theology Harmful?

We must beware that in our theology and evangelism that we don’t go around declaring “Peace, when there is no peace” (Ezekiel 13:10). We are so prone to assuming that if a person says nice words about Christ that person is converted. We think that if a person shows some sorrow for sin or makes a moral reformation that person is surely converted. We have confidence that a person is converted if that person agrees with us theologically. But if it is true as some leaders have said that a vast majority of professing believers in America are not converted, then there are certainly many people practicing false evangelism and are calling “peace, when there is no peace.” The SBC is not immune to this either and it may be that it is as bad or even worse at this than others. The Reformed people are also not immune to this especially since they generally practice the same evangelism as do the Arminians.

Imagine this scenario. Person X visits a church or attends a home study of some sort. Person X hears about sin and knows that s/he is a sinner. Person X hears about hell (not taught a lot in our day) and becomes a bit frightened. If person X does not hear about hell then person X might hear about how wonderful Jesus is in giving us a great life now. Then person X hears about how Jesus died for him or her and this brings tears and so person X prays a prayer. Person X now attends church services, makes a moral reformation and begins to study theology. In most Arminian churches person X would have been thought to have been saved from the earliest prayer. Reformed people might have watched to be sure that there was a change in life. Reformed people would have been especially delighted and assured if the person began to study theology. But we must know that a person can do everything mentioned above and even more from an unregenerate heart. The Pharisees did all the above and a lot more.

“Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord GOD. 9 “So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord GOD.
10 “It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; 11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out. 12 “Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?'” 13 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and hailstones to consume it in wrath. 14 “So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation is laid bare; and when it falls, you will be consumed in its midst. And you will know that I am the LORD. 15 “Thus I will spend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone and its plasterers are gone, 16 along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ declares the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 13:8-16).

If my analysis is at all correct, it can be seen what is going on in the churches of America. There is a huge problem with Arminian theology and practices and so some think that a little whitewash of Reformed theology will cure the problem. The wall of Arminian theology with its Pelagian practices is not strengthened by a whitewash of Reformed theology, but all it does is hide the corruption and impending storm of wrath from some people. The wall that is being built in America is rotten to the core because it is man-centered in its theology and practices. Reformed whitewash is nothing but whitewash if it is not thoroughly God-centered in all ways. Many offer fine words of praise for theologians now dead but actually do not like what they really taught. We must go back to our Bibles and focus on the living God. We must also focus on what depravity really is. We may not have much time.

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