The question is simple. If we were to survey the condition of the church as it is today, what would you say we should reform first?

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Stephen
Reformer, SBC
Faith Defenders
Anaheim, CA
[URL="http://biblicalthought.com"]biblicalthought.com[/URL]

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be." --Jonathan Edwards, The Resolutions, #56

BTW, my personal answer is Sola Scriptura.

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Stephen
Reformer, SBC
Faith Defenders
Anaheim, CA
[URL="http://biblicalthought.com"]biblicalthought.com[/URL]

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be." --Jonathan Edwards, The Resolutions, #56

Why didn't you put Sola Scriptura as an option?

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Mark Maney
Kwanglim Korean Methodist Church - 1689'er Baptist Pastor (read profile for more info)
Master of Theological Studies emphasis Biblical Studies
Trinity Western University, ACTS Seminaries
Surrey, BC. (Vancouver), Canada

Gotta leave some room for the "other" option! Besides, from my interaction with Christians of the 21st century, many do not believe that they have veered from historic Sola Scriptura. I have pointed out outright abandonment of SS to some, only to get that wierd stare that says, dude, you're a radical fundie!

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Stephen
Reformer, SBC
Faith Defenders
Anaheim, CA
[URL="http://biblicalthought.com"]biblicalthought.com[/URL]

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be." --Jonathan Edwards, The Resolutions, #56

Other:

#1 Throw the libs and barthians out!!
#2 Sola Scripura!!
#3 Bring the KJV back!! (It's an abomination to the LORD doesn't compare the modern watered down versions which say the Lord does not like. )
#2.5 Demand adherence to the WCF!
#4 Make R.C. Sproul the Protestant Pope!
#5 No more grape juice.
#6 The new #1 show on TBN - Law & Order: Theological Victims Unit
#7 Blow up Christianity Today's headquarters and put up a billboard that reads "Thus saith the LORD!"
#134 Demand Reformed Presidents!!

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

I would love to see #'s8-133. Barthians for sure gotta go, along with the Libs. Not sure about the KJV, WCF would certainly be a step in reform (best summary of Biblical doctrine bar none), wouldn't vote 4 Sproul, firing the Welch's delivery man is good, love the show idea - wait, isn't it already TVU? Rather than blowing up CT, why not name it as it really is: Christianity Astray? And a Reformed President could change national day of prayer to International life of prayer! Not a bad #134!

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Stephen
Reformer, SBC
Faith Defenders
Anaheim, CA
[URL="http://biblicalthought.com"]biblicalthought.com[/URL]

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be." --Jonathan Edwards, The Resolutions, #56

I chose other ...

All of the choices are so closely related to one another ... as in ... in order to understand fully about one, you must understand the other three and vice versa ... I'm gonna have to say ...

All of the above!

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Anthony Beadles
Christ The King Presbyterian
Clearwater, Florida

In order to know salvation ...
You must know Christ.

In order to know Christ ...
You must know the Attributes of God.

Once you know Christ and the attributes of God ...
You can understand Salvation ...

Once you understand Salvation ...
You need to know what role the church plays ...

That's kind of what I'm thinking ...
I hope that clarifies my post above better.

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Anthony Beadles
Christ The King Presbyterian
Clearwater, Florida

I would argue that the biggest failing is twofold:

1. The failure to grasp the decalogue as a rule of life and to see each law as synedoche.
2. A complete lack of fear for Jehovah.

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Richard
CofE
UK

The great revivals of history begin with men crying out for salvation! The others flow from justification. Only the justified church cares about Christ, God's character, the Bride, etc.

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Nathan Eshelman
Grand Rapids, MI
First Reformed Presbyterian Church

PRESBYTERIAN THOUGHTS

First Reformed Presbyterian Church

Christology first. The fastest way to a false Gospel is to believe in a false Christ. Overall, the Christology of modern Protestantism is reasonable, compared to, for example, its soteriology, but any errors in this regard should be remedied first. Soteriology should be next, and by the time it is covered, the attributes of God should also be covered.

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T W Hopper
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church
Currently between churches since PRC closed here - attending Crossroads Christian Church.
Canberra, Australia.

I selected soteriology which means I selected christology as well. A proper soteriology must include a proper christology.

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Bill Brown
Elder
Grace Baptist Church
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Exactly. The Gospel true and the Church healthy that we know will be forever maintained and furthered will never be kept and made so by means of picking one horse to temporarily focus on somewhat more than the rest, ever how important and even misunderstood and neglected it might be in one's day. The Church and her ministers need to simply focus on preaching, administering, worshiping and counseling from the Word as the whole counsel of God, and her members living the same.

Look at Calvin as an example - he is most well-known today for predestination, yet one of his life's chief focuses was the glory of God in all things, and he called the proper worship of God at least as foundational to the whole Christian system as the source of salvation, and he was often nicknamed "the theologian of the Holy Spirit." As can similarly be seen from the balanced nature and content of his Institutes, commentaries and other works, even while leading a large part of the Protestant Reformation in its earliest times, amidst the very specific errors and extremes of the Romanists, the Anabaptists and others, he did not do so by putting emphasis on reforming one doctrine more intently than another, either in his preaching or his writing. And look at what that helped to produce, for centuries afterward.

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Chris


A passion to know and reflect Christ by living and demonstrating the truth and richness of the historic Reformed faith

Visit My Website Here

Christopher Blum
Member of Riveroaks Reformed Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Germantown, TN
Currently attending Trinity Presbyterian Church of Northern Kentucky (PCA) in Burlington, KY

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

We need another Great Awakening ala Edwards and Whitefield. This would include all of the above and turn our hearts back to our first love. God help us. I fear that in this country our only two options are true revival or the judgment of God. (Let's pray that He gives us option #1).

I agree with most of the above, but I have to say I am an ESV man. I speaketh not the english of the King.

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Jeff Wyman
Seminarian
Little Farms Chapel OPC, Coopersville, MI
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI

"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." 1 Peter 1:2-3 (ESV)

Would the proper understanding of the holiness of God in effect make all the others trickle down?

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC, Attending CCRPC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Yes, I think this is the place to start. Cultures are a reflection of the god they serve.

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~James Helbert~, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

I put the attributes of God.... it seems if you get that right then the rest will naturally follow.

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Joshua Philbeck
Boyce Memorial Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Shelby, NC

http://philbeck.blogspot.com
http://www.xanga.com/joshuaphilbeck

With all of theology tied so closely together as it is it is hard to pick just one. I chose the attributes of God because the reformation in my own life followed from this. Once I began to understand that God was more than a lovey-dovey teddy bear I grew greatly. An understanding of God's Holliness, Justice, Righteousness, Wrath, and Mercy let us to the understand the true Love of God in that he does simply look at us and forget our sins, but an atonement was made for them.

In my own personal journey once I began to better understand who God is, it made me understand who I am in comparison. This led to a reformed Sotieriology, and from there led to reforming all the -ology's that make up my theology.

Josh pointed out the Holliness of God, I believe this was actually the attribute of God that began the process in my life.

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Bryan Riddle
1689 London Baptist Confession
Bethel Baptist Church Owasso, Oklahoma

I would agree with you, but for me it's a toss up between knowing God or knowing Christ first. Jesus said that if you know the Father, you know Him. So in my mind, an understanding of who God is comes first. But then Jesus said I and the Father are one. So does that mean you must know them at the same time?

I realize I am hair splitting here, but so often I run across people who say they know Christ, and when I find out what they believe about God the Father, it's total confusion. Also, after the fall, it seems that we see Christ being revealed as God was revealing Himself, so perhaps it is two things going on at the same time?

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J Baldwin
Keowee Presbyterian Church, PCA
Pickens, SC
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Check Out My Blog: http://reflectjoy.blogspot.com/

Going with Christology, knowing and focusing on the Christ of Scripture is paramount but it also would bring the other vital issues into play with a vengance! Sola-Scriptura (Christ said Scripture CANNOT be broken) to me it would "line up" all the essentials. Just my

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~etexas~

I think the gentlemen would rightly hold 2 and 3 as a unity. Simply, one cannot hold to the principles of Trent on one hand and then consistently claim Sola Scriptura on the other hand, it requires more than nominal affirmation.

If the true text of Scripture was properly represented by the Latin Vulgate and it's English counterparts like the ESV, then the Protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura cannot stand.

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Thomas Weddle
Member, Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church
Evansville, Indiana

Thomas, I have read your reply several times over, and I am not following you. Would you please explain what you mean?

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Stephen
Reformer, SBC
Faith Defenders
Anaheim, CA
[URL="http://biblicalthought.com"]biblicalthought.com[/URL]

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be." --Jonathan Edwards, The Resolutions, #56