Monday, September 12. 2022
NEO-CALVINISM
What follows here is my understanding of this
Subject. It is not Calvinism as such. In
fact, it is seriously criticized by many Calvinists.
Abraham Kuyper said, “One desire has been the ruling
passion of my life. One high motive has acted like a spur upon my mind and
soul. And sooner than that I should seek escape from the sacred necessity that
this is laid upon me, let the breath of life fail me. It is this: That in spite
of all worldly opposition, God’s holy ordinances shall be established again in
the home, in the school and in the State for the good of the people; to carve
as it were into the conscience of the nation the ordinances of the Lord, to
which the Bible and Creation bear witness, until the nation pays homage again
to God.”
I share this vision and desire. However, I would amend it to read, “One
desire is the ruling passion of my life. One high motive has acted like a spur
upon my mind and soul. God’s holy ordinances must be established again in
the home, in the school and in the public and civic lives of Believers for the
good of the Nation; to carve as it were into the conscience of all Christians
the ordinances of the Lord, to which the Bible and Creation bear witness, until
the Church thus pays homage again to God in our Nation.”
Reference: https://kuyperian.blogspot.com/2004/10/what-does-it-mean-to-be-kuyperian.html
ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF NEO-CALVINISM
Creation, Fall and Redemption: What God Formed, Sin
Deformed and Grace shall Reform
God's Creation is good. It has been radically corrupted by the Fall. Redemption
includes restoration of that Creation in Christ
Rejection of Dualism.
Dualism is common in much Christian thinking. The most notable dualism is
between Nature and Grace. Neo-Calvinists maintain that Grace restores Nature
(and that the Church, as Salt and Light, is meant to transform Culture)
Jesus is Lord over all of Creation. The Theological focus here is on the Sovereignty
of God, not His love. He is able to demonstrate
His love and work for the good in out lives because He is sovereign.
Jesus' lordship extends through every area and aspect of life-it is not
restricted to the sphere of church or of personal piety. We believe in Common Grace as well as Special
Grace.
All of life is to be Redeemed- i.e., Re/Formed
The work of Jesus on the cross was intended to defeat Evil in all areas of
life. The resurrection of Jesus is meant to lead to the renewal of all life for
both individuals and Society.
Cultural Mandate
Genesis 1:26-28 is the mandate from God to Humanity to care for and cultivate
all of Creation, including Culture and Civilization, to God's glory. However, note the Goal is not to return to the
Garden. Our eye is on the future, the Second
Coming of Christ with a New Heaven and Earth. (Rev 21)
The Role of Biblical Law. (Psalm 19, 119)
Law is more than the Decalogue. It is the Pentateuch. It begins with the Creation Ordinances
(Norms) established by God as His will for the living of life in all Spheres and
continues through the Gospel and New Covenant.
Sphere sovereignty.
The Spheres, derived from the Law, are God-given Institutions (Marriage,
Family, Faith Community (Church), Civic Community and Commerce and, finally, Civil
Government. Each of these Institutions has boundaries that mark off its sphere
of responsibility and influence. All are responsible to God. In relation to
each other, they are autonomous (sovereign), but cooperative. To be
clear, the Role of Government is to safeguard and enable, but not to intrude on
or interfere with the Spheres. The latter principle determines public policy. It is to maintain Subsidiarity.
Thursday, July 8. 2021
Frequently Evangelicals are defined by many as, or perceived to be, far right, conservative, white "Trumpers". Some evangelicals might be that, but that is not what being an "evangelical" means.
Historian David Bebbington provides a helpful summary of
evangelical distinctives, identifying four primary characteristics of
evangelicalism:
- Conversionism: the belief that lives need to be transformed through a
“born-again” experience and a life long process of following Jesus
- Activism: the expression and demonstration of the gospel in missionary and social reform efforts
- Biblicism: a high regard for and obedience to the Bible as the ultimate authority
- Crucicentrism: a stress on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as making possible the redemption of humanity
True evangelicals, above all else, are people who believe in the Evangel, ie- the Gospel, and the need for all people to experience regeneration by faith in Christ. They expect such "born again" people to live righteous lives. They also are committed to a high view of the inspiration and authority of the Bible.
Continue reading "Defining "Evangelical""
Friday, November 13. 2020
Democrat Leaders frequently insist that they represent "the American People". They most emphatically do not! There are more than 70 million of us whom they do not represent- almost half of all voters! We voted against them! There shall be no unity or peace between us while they reject and denigrate the values and principles that we believe in as Republicans. Americans who did vote for Mr Biden and Ms Harris and who support the agenda of the Democratic Party shall rue the day they did that. All the American People shall!
Sunday, November 8. 2020
I am very sad for President Trump, his family and Team. I am very sad for the millions of people who supported Mr Trump. I am very sad for our very divided America. I am happy for the Republicans who won their elections down ballot. I am keeping them all in my prayers. I am sad for America if Mr Biden and Ms Harris and the Democrats win. I am keeping them in my prayers, too. Hallowed be Thy Name, Lord. Thy will be done.
I am hoping against hope that the election results shall be overturned.
Wednesday, October 14. 2020
I am very impressed by Judge Amy Barrett! She is brilliant and very "cool" in the way she is handling the grilling she is enduring for confirmation to the SC. And she is a charismatic Christian and a wife and a mother of 7 children!
Judge Barrett is also an originalist in her understanding and use of the US Constitution. She takes it at its common sense face value, not more or less. She looks for the original intent of those who ratified the Law of the Land. Most Judges today take an expansive, progressive view of the Constitution, seeing it as a "living" document subject to changing meanings over time, dictated by the needs and interests and demands of current culture.
All Christians should be originalists when it comes to the Bible. Increasingly, sadly, many Believers are forsaking that view and becoming progressives like liberal activist Judges.
Monday, October 12. 2020
Painful! It is very painful to me to watch the Senate Hearing about Judge Amy Barrett. The Democratic Senators insist on talking about policy matters, most particularly about the actions and motives of our President, the ACA and the Pandemic. They are politicizing the proceedings completely. They want to have her rejected at all costs. They are not talking much at all so far about the qualifications of Judge Barrett except to insist that she shall be a tool of the President, a weapon he wants on the Court to help torpedo certain legislation favored by Democrats. Conversely, I believe Democrats are hoping that Mr Biden will become President in order for him to chose Justices that will vote for what he wants. Both views are wrong for a very fundamental reason:
Legislation is made by the Legislators, not the Supreme Court Justices nor the President!
Why do liberals really resist Judge Barrett's confirmation so strongly? It is not simply because she is a conservative Christian who personally is anti abortion, but because she is an Originalist. As a SC Justice, she shall make her decisions based, not on her Religion, but primarily on the original intent or meaning of the words in the Constitution. Liberal Legislators know that many of their polices, to stand, require the support of liberal activist Judges on all levels who interpret the Constitution broadly. With out that, they fail.
Sunday, October 11. 2020
To many people, it is OK to be a person of faith, a Christian, as long as that faith is kept private. It must not be made public. Faith must not be made public. This is an absolute, even to those who do not believe in absolutes!
Nevertheless, it is common to hear politicians of every stripe say, in their speeches, "God bless America". It sounds good, but it does not really mean anything. Many people do not believe that there is a God. This throwaway line could easily offend atheists. That not withstanding, which "God" do these speakers mean? I never hear them say, "may the Lord Jesus Christ bless America". That, to many, would be sectarian and offensive to those Americans who are not Christians.
God, the God of the Bible, has and shall bless America when its citizens obey His Word, for example, on the subject of Abortion or Homosexuality. I do not recall many politicians calling Americans to do that. That would be mixing private faith with public policy. That is a no-no. But, it turns out, there is one major exception: Systemic Racism. Many people believe Racism and systemic Racism, like Slavery 150 years ago, are evil. That is a strongly held belief, a dogma. Their faith requires them to speak up and protest about it in the public square. For some reason the inconsistency of that mixing of faith with public policy escapes them. It is OK to them to do that. No one seems to have a problem with that.
But to many it would not be OK if Supreme Court Justice Barrett would let her Catholic Faith influence her decisions on the Bench. Many of the Justices have done exactly that through the years! But I do not think she will. She does not have to because she, as a Justice, would be committed to following the original meaning of the Constitution.
Sunday, October 11. 2020
The questioning of Judge Amy Barrett by the Judicial Committee begins soon. All elected officials, including the Justices and Ms Barrett, swear allegiance to the Constitution. It is "The Law of the Land". Everyone seems to agree Ms Barrett is a wonderful person and extremely well qualified to be a Jurist. But many Democrats have a major, serious problem with Judge Barrett and do not want her confirmed for the High Court. Why? Because of the way she interprets the Constitution. She has openly said she is an Originalist. She seeks the original intent of the words in the Constitution as the Founders and those who ratified the Constitution in1787 understood them. Taking this approach, she comes out with a different position on many subjects than those who, such as Justice Ginsburg did, take a far more expansive and liberal or so-called progressive interpretation of the Constitution.
Thursday, October 8. 2020
Compare the Political Positions of the Republican Party with those of the Democratic Party. They differ greatly and no one will agree with everything written about either Party. Using the Bible, go through each topic and decide which ones are most Biblical. Prioritize them. That shall help you to decide for whom to vote.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_the_Democratic_Party
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_the_Republican_Party
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