Contend or Be Quiet?
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. -Jude 3 ESV
As a Calvinist, sometimes I get the feeling that some Reformed Christians think we ought to just lay down and try not to cause a fuss over our theological perspectives. While I fully agree that our position on the Doctrines of Grace ought not to result in split churches, broken friendships, or hurt feelings; I do believe that as Christians who desire to proclaim the whole council of God, we must engage our non-Reformed brethren on these issues.
Some may consider these things non-essentials, but I disagree. Truth is always essential! We must realize that God has put these "hard sayings" and "difficult passages" in the Bible for a reason, and just because some Christians are uncomfortable with such subjects, it does not make the passages any less true. We shouldn't ignore or obscure these subjects in order to create some false unity that is not based upon the truth of Scripture!
Jude commanded his readers to "earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." While I realize Jude didn't have the Calvinism/Arminianism debate in mind when he penned these words; I do think the truths we Calvinists proclaim about election, predestination, and God's Sovereignty in all things are certainly part of the truth in which Jude is referring to... Therefore, I believe these truths must be contended for!
I ask you friends... Should we just lay down and be quiet about the deeper things of God? Should we quit proclaiming the truths of God's sovereignty and allow the church to continue to go down the path of theological ignorance and heterdoxy? Can we, in good conscience, really keep silent in the face of so much heresy and aberrant theology? I have to say "No" on all counts! Now more than ever I believe we must humbly, yet firmly contend for the truth whenever and wherever the opportunity arises!
I believe that true unity will be found in the unchanging truth of God's Word: not at the expense of it!
Soli Deo Gloria!
(Originally written on January 20, 2007.)
3 comments:
I obviously missed this the first time you posted it. I think it is a wonderful piece, and I've linked to it as today's installment at my new blog. God has been really working me over on this very topic for a few months, and now both you and Joshua Hitchcock have hit it pretty hard as well.
Gordon.
I wrote it back on Jan. 20, but just didn't post it.
Thanks,
RK
(I actually a have one or two articles still in draft stage from months ago!)
Rhett...I truly believe this...It is hard when you have dear and godly friends who ignore the "hard sayings." As I said on my post, that does not excuse them.
Post a Comment