Gospel Prism

I was looking at the cover of Christianity Today, and wouldn’t you know it, the article has a picture of a guy wearing a shirt that says, “Jonathan Edwards is my Homeboy.� The cover story is entitled, “Young, Restless, and Reformed,� and comments on the growing movement of Reformed theology amongst Evangelicals. In reading the story, I wasn’t too satisfied by its content for a few reasons.

First, it comes off as overtly sensational. The writer of the story makes it seem as though the “newly Reformed� or continually battling against the rest of Evangelicalism. But I think Joshua Harris puts it well in saying that he is not advocating Reformed theology or Calvinism per se, but rather what he calls a “humble orthodoxy.� George Whitefield is quoted in saying that while he has never read Calvin, he has read Scripture and hence his Reformed perspective.

Secondly, the article makes John Piper out to be some sort of Reformed guru. I don’t think Piper ever really desires this category or identification for itself.

Third, Al Mohler’s presidency at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is viewed as a means of bringing Calvinism into the school. But again, the point is missed that this is not a push to implement Calvinism, but rather, a push to highlight the power and sovereignty of God, and therefore the joyous response believers must have to grace granted. Al Mohler not only had a Reformed leaning, but he also brought with him a heart for the students, for the ministry, and for the Gospel. Isn’t this every reason why the SBC is growing faster than ever before and the denomination is blowing away mainline denominational growth? People simply want to learn about God’s Word.

What I did find interesting was that most of those pursuing this perspective are not the old and stodgy, but the young and firm (not restless). This new generation has been given the neatly packaged marketed church saying that we are our own gods and that we make our choices dependent on our greatness. And do you know what? It’s been tiring to make such choices. Being God as a finite being is a task that a new generation does not want to bear any longer. This generation has decided that we might as well let God be God because only He can bear the weight of being God. And at the same time, they’ve decided to enjoy Him as well and enjoy His love. What a novel idea, well it actually isn’t a novel idea at all as John tells us:

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you. (1 John 2:7-9)