Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Kinder Calvinism
A while backJohn Piper penned a call to being a "kinder" Calvinist. The real heart:
People who are so convinced of how right they are that they ignore, belittle, or dismiss anyone that disagrees are the problem. People so convinced of their own righteousness that they think it gives them leave to condemn others are the problem. Such people may hide behind election, or they may hide behind "the gift," or they may hide behind some ecclesiastical office, but they are the problem, not their positions.
Which is, I believe, the heart of the gospel. Jesus did not come to establish schools of theology or denominations - He came to fundamentally change us. Amongst those fundamental changes is the absence of mean.
Piper's right - we should concentrate on that - regardless of your particularly brand.
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First, we should note that it is simply indisputable that some people are exactly the way he describes. When you see mean extremists in another circle, it reminds you why you don't run with that crowd. But when you see mean extremists in your own circle, it's just plain embarrassing. Unfortunately, until we are perfected there will always be mean people of every theological strain. But fortunately, we are a part of the church not merely for the company, but for Christ.The problem, you see, is not Calvinism. I have run into mean in all sorts of places - my personal pet peeve is Pentecostals - but that is not what this is about. MEAN IS THE PROBLEM!
People who are so convinced of how right they are that they ignore, belittle, or dismiss anyone that disagrees are the problem. People so convinced of their own righteousness that they think it gives them leave to condemn others are the problem. Such people may hide behind election, or they may hide behind "the gift," or they may hide behind some ecclesiastical office, but they are the problem, not their positions.
Which is, I believe, the heart of the gospel. Jesus did not come to establish schools of theology or denominations - He came to fundamentally change us. Amongst those fundamental changes is the absence of mean.
Piper's right - we should concentrate on that - regardless of your particularly brand.
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