Reformed Theology Institute

jd.morrison · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:28 pm Post Number: 7562

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bodhisattva · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:30 pm Post Number: 7569

I have not found this to be true of most of the churches I have attended in recent years. Then again none of them were "mega-churches".

The more conservative Lutheran churches stress Law and Gospel. Jesus was no sissy. He told it as it is, and called out people on their games. He threw the money changers out of the Temple, He even rebuked His disciple Peter and told Him "Get thee behind me, satan!" He bore the shame, the scourging, the judgement of those not worthy to judge Him, and ultimately suffered the cross for we who could not on our own merit stand before God's throne.

He grants us His Grace, that we may have Faith, and through that Faith life everlasting. That Grace is freely given, but it is not "Cheap Grace". He tells us that if we would follow Him we must forsake all else, pick up our cross and follow Him.

If you are interested in this idea of "costly Grace" vs "cheap Grace" read Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. He bore his cross and was executed in a Nazi death camp about two weeks before it was liberated.

To practice evangelism is to first make clear the Law and our inability to keep it, and its ultimate end. Then tell the Gospel, that there is a path to salvation, which is Christ Jesus, and Him crucified. Then make it known that the sinner must die with Christ to sin, take up one's cross and follow wherever He leads.
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"... I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson

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PapaDuke · Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:22 pm Post Number: 7674

From here: Click!

Pretty relevant to this thread, no?

Philippe, The Postmodern Evangelist

Posted on 11 February 2010

by Krista Graham, Special to The Sacred Sandwich

Once there was a man named Philippe. He was a spiritual guide in an emerging community. One day he decided to go on a journey. So, he did. As he was walking along the road, focusing on the journey and not the destination, he found himself alongside the chariot of an African official. The man in the chariot was reading from a parchment scroll. He was reading aloud, so Philippe was able to overhear what the man read.

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”

Philippe caught up to the chariot and said, “You read that text beautifully. It made me feel significant and connected to ancient traditions to hear you read it.”

“I just wish I could understand it,” the man replied.

“Understand it? You don’t need to understand it. Just to experience it. Read it again, more slowly this time. I want to hear the poetic forms and imagine myself in the context of the ancient tradition,” said Philippe.

“Who is he talking about?” the man persisted. “Is the prophet writing about himself or about someone else?”

“I think he is writing about all of us,” said Philippe. “I think we are all a part of the larger story.”

“But what story?” asked the official. “It seems to me that the writer is talking about something in particular, and I sense that it is important. I just wish I knew what it was. What exactly does this mean?”

“What do YOU think it means?” asked Philippe.

“I don’t know. That is why I am asking YOU.”

“Well, it is true that I am a Christ-follower, and my tradition does impose certain meanings on this text. But I would not want to force my truth claims on you. Your truth claims would be equally valid. As you see, we are both on a journey; and we both find ourselves on the same road. So, it follows that our destination is also the same. So, let’s just enjoy this time of community and not divide ourselves by discussing meanings and dogma,” said Philippe.

After awhile, they came to a pool of water by the side of the road. There was also a fork in the road at this point, and the official chose the road to the right. Philippe planned to take the road to the left, but first he sat down by the edge of the pool to journal his experiences of the day. He was delighted that he had had an unique opportunity to engage in a dialogue with a person of a culture so diverse from his own.

Meanwhile, the African official went on his way, still searching for the meaning of the text that could have brought him eternal life.
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For I am persuaded that neither death nor life...nor any other created thing (including ourselves), shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That's Perseverance Baby!

Decalogue · Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:22 am Post Number: 7676

Papa Duke --- Laughing

You nailed-it-on-the=head !

Phillipe must be the spiritual grand-daddy of the the "Willow Creek" and "Saddleback" flim-flam hucksters.

Easy believism and stand for nothing. Incessant talk about ree laa shun ships , but avoid words such as: Hell / Death / Sin / Judgement / Punishment / Commandments / and don't mention John 14:6 .

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Per the Thread title/subject ... Modern vs. Biblical . --- That reminded me of a book that all of you on this site might like to read. Title is: "Today's Gospel: Synthetic or Authentic ?" by Walter Chantry. Published by Banner of Truth Trust.
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jd.morrison · Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:05 am Post Number: 7677

Matt Slick often talks about preaching the Gospel in terms of Law, then Gospel, then Cost... Everyone I assume knows the law, and the Gospel, but in terms of cost it is making the new believer aware of the possible hardship that is ahead of him in this life because of the World and the realm of Satan...

Any thoughts on the appropriateness of this and does it serve the Gospel well to do so being that it would definitely put one more distinction between the Biblical and Modern Gospels...
_________________
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
JD

www.tnars.net
www.pcaorg.net
www.christpca.com

bodhisattva · Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 9:35 am Post Number: 7678

It is a start, but only a start.

Law needs to be clearly expounded so that there can be no question how far we have fallen and are removed from God. There should be no doubt in the sinner's mind that he is convicted by that law, and that this conviction carries a death sentence.

Next, Gospel needs to be clearly shown so that the sinner knows that there is a path to salvation in Christ, and that this is the only path.

Finally, the cost of this discipleship must be made known, that it means the repentant sinner must forsake all else, take up his cross, and follow his Lord and Saviour. It won't be easy, and it isn't for the lazy. The sinner by his nature, even though repentant, will continue to sin and need to repent.

Living in Christ means following Him in all of our actions, even when we know we won't always succeed. And when we do succeed it is His success, not ours.
_________________
"... I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Arthur C Clarke

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