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Originally Posted by Hippo  Someone once said that if you are not accused of antinonianism every now and then you are not preaching the gospel and there is much truth in this observation.
Fundamentalists see the Reformed as approaching antinonianism and while they are sometimes wrong they are sadly correct more often than we would like. |
I am not sure what definition and characteristics would best describe the Fundamentalist movement. I think one underlying characteristic would be a strong dispensational premillenial bent, combined with some moralistic teachings and tendencies. The large majority of fundamentalists are dispensational arminians, but with some notable exceptions like John MacArthur, although many dispensationalists are hard-core antinomians who reject lordship salvation, embracing instead easy-believism.
However, I will have to clear the charge of antinomianism from the Reformed Faith, by pointing especially to the puritans, huguenots and other Reformed. Would the Fundamentalists be able to call them antinomians? I don't think so. I think those Christians who typically call themselve "Reformed" nowadays and get charged with "antinomianism" are not truly Reformed in practice.
Someone who is truly Reformed will know how to use every entertainment with moderation and wisdom. Moreover, he will have a strong desire to respect the Lord's Day, avoiding the consumption of alcohol, feasting, and entertainments on that day; likewise the ladies will indeed try to wear modest skirts in church rather than jeans, and the men come in suits. They will also attend worship twice on the Lord's Day just at it was during the Reformation and in the early church. Someone who is Reformed might be best described as a Fundamentalist one day a week, although not a hypocrite the rest of the week, having devotional times about three times a day, being also a very hard worker while avoiding workaholism. As Dr. McMahon points out in his essay, "What does it mean to be reformed, really?" a striving towards holiness is one of the main emphasis of the Reformed Faith, and that involves something completely different than adding moralistic rules to the gospel. Rather, it involves focussing both on the moral law and the fruit of the Spirit, yet not one without the other.