Theology Thursday
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Romans 8:28-30
It’s time for a new series of our Theology Thursday. We’ve finished the 5 Solas of the Reformation. Where shall we go next? Well, there is a natural next step. The Five Solas are like the house where all Protestants live - under the same roof as it were. But the 5 points of Calvinism is the room where Village Church hangs.
So today. Let’s start with what is Calvinism.
Jean Calvin, a French theologian of the 1500’s, is the man from whom Calvinism is named. His systematic theology - the Institutes of the Christian Religion is considered the foundational text.
The mistake, however, would be to think that Calvinism originated in the 16th century. I actually prefer not to use the term. You see, Calvin’s (and Luther’s before him) big point was that they were going back to the teaching of the Apostles. They argued (rightly in my opinion), that like a plane veering off course, the Roman Catholic Church had lost its way and deviated from Jesus’ & the Bible’s teaching.
Therefore, Calvinism wasn’t something new. It was returning to God’s original theological blueprint. It was a course correction. It was getting the Church back on track. So it remains. The five points (under the acronym TULIP) are then simply a summary of what the Bible says about the gospel.
So, what is Calvinism, or Reformed theology as it’s sometimes called? What are these five points? Keep reading on a Thursday to find out.
For Today:
Pray: Praise the Father for the good news about Jesus Christ. Give thanks for Jesus who is the good news of salvation. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others know the gospel and articulate it.
Romans 8:28-30
It’s time for a new series of our Theology Thursday. We’ve finished the 5 Solas of the Reformation. Where shall we go next? Well, there is a natural next step. The Five Solas are like the house where all Protestants live - under the same roof as it were. But the 5 points of Calvinism is the room where Village Church hangs.
So today. Let’s start with what is Calvinism.
Jean Calvin, a French theologian of the 1500’s, is the man from whom Calvinism is named. His systematic theology - the Institutes of the Christian Religion is considered the foundational text.
The mistake, however, would be to think that Calvinism originated in the 16th century. I actually prefer not to use the term. You see, Calvin’s (and Luther’s before him) big point was that they were going back to the teaching of the Apostles. They argued (rightly in my opinion), that like a plane veering off course, the Roman Catholic Church had lost its way and deviated from Jesus’ & the Bible’s teaching.
Therefore, Calvinism wasn’t something new. It was returning to God’s original theological blueprint. It was a course correction. It was getting the Church back on track. So it remains. The five points (under the acronym TULIP) are then simply a summary of what the Bible says about the gospel.
So, what is Calvinism, or Reformed theology as it’s sometimes called? What are these five points? Keep reading on a Thursday to find out.
For Today:
- Have you ever heard of Calvinism?
- Could you summarise the gospel in an acronym?
Pray: Praise the Father for the good news about Jesus Christ. Give thanks for Jesus who is the good news of salvation. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others know the gospel and articulate it.
Posted in Theology Thursday
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