Calvin Synod Herald, 2016 (117. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2016-09-01 / 9-10. szám

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

2

Reformed Theology Back to the Basics

Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

As we approach the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, to be celebrated next year, it is important that we go back to the basics that we may fully understand why it ignited the change in the church of Jesus Christ.

So in this short study let us look at some of the facts:

Ql. Why Study Reformed Theology

First: Because It has an historical significance.One of the things we are often remiss in doing in the church is studying our history. We tend to see things in the lens of our personal experience, rather than seeing how the things that we do and believe often have foundations that go back hundreds of years in history.

Illustration: "Peanuts" Charles Shultz, writer of the Peanuts cartoons, once made a telling observation in his strip. The character Lucy made the announcement that she was going to write a paper on church history. She began, "My preacher was bom in 1942..."

Reformed Theology is an examination of the biblical teachings that were brought to the forefront during the Protestant Reformation.

Men like Martin Luther, John Huss, and John Wycliffe, John Calvin, and our own Hungarian Reformers all who

expected it to happen. In the second place, I believe that the man misunderstood what Jesus was teaching His disciples. The Lord was not suggesting that you and I go around trying to move trees just to prove that we have faith. What Jesus was teaching His disciples, and what He wants you and me to leam, is that it doesn’t take a great faith to produce great results. Why? Because the results don’t depend on us, they depend on God. If the results depended on the size of our faith, we would probably go around bragging and boasting about our great faith.

It happened many times that for example, 1 prayed for someone who was sick and that person experienced healing. However, there were many times when I prayed for someone and nothing happened. The person did not get healed. Was it because I did not have enough faith? Maybe... I cannot tell you. But what I know is that the result is always up to God. My part is to keep exercising my faith. My faith will grow stronger if I exercise it by trusting in God each and every day and rely on Him.

How strong is your faith? Does it need a little daily exercise?

Yours in Christ,

Rt. Rev. Dr. Csaba G. Krasznai Bishop

were committed to the truth of the bible, stood against the false teachings of Rome, and sparked the movement that would permanently change the face of Christianity around the world. Thus, we study these teachings because they give us a glimpse of our Protestant history and heritage.

Second: Because, it has a personal significance.This is a subject that is personally very close to my heart as a pastor. It is, because I believe it presents the most biblically and logically sound understanding of God. It seeks to look at the entirety of Scripture, and not pick and choose certain portions, to arrive at a proper understanding of who God truly is. It is also, because it is the worldview that I hold to and teach from.

I believe, that Reformed Theology is just another way of saying Biblical Theology, and I have been teaching from this perspective ever since 1 entered the pulpit as a pastor.

It is also, because I find that people tend to reject Reformed Theology primarily because of ignorance and/or allegiance to tradition. I want to tell you, if you have never studied Reformed Theology before, it will certainly present you with ideas that will challenge your preconceived ideas about God and man.

Secondly, people will ask: What is Reformed Theology? Reformed Theology indicates, that this is the faith that was fought for during the Protestant Reformation.

These are the doctrines that the church of Rome had suppressed, and rejected, yet were clearly biblical. Something that we need to realize from the outset is that when we talk about Reformed Theology, we are talking about a theology, and NOT a religion.

What's is the difference?

Theology = the study of God (theocentric)

Religion = the expression of human behavior (anthropocentric)

Theology is strictly about who and what God is.

Religion is focused on how people behave - prayers, singing, sacrifice, worship - all expressions of human behavior.

Please note: Many people are religious, yet they are void of a sound theology. All humans are inescapably religious - even atheists are often very religious about their atheism, joining clubs and groups to promote their disbelief. Humans are designated as "homo religionists" which means a religious being. Yet, apart from a sound theology, our religious expressions are an abomination to God. Some people say, "it doesn't matter what someone believes, as long as they are sincere."

But the bible does not teach this. The bible teaches that what we believe has far and reaching implications. Consider the situation following the Exodus. Moses had gone to receive the Law of God on Mt. Sinai.

While gone, the people begin to express their desire