Lutheran on Calvinists.

[Rufus]

I found this under comments at the White Horse Inn blog A Confessionalist Piety - White Horse Inn Blog

As a Lutheran, these never ending arguments over sanctification seem fruitless. Generally speaking, the impression I am left with is that to gaze upon Christ and to feed upon him is never enough for the Calvinists. How much easier it is to be Lutheran, to be fed a steady diet of Christ crucified for me, and to rest in the fact that the Holy Spirit is at work sanctifying each of us. I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Thoughts?

 

[Solparvus]

I admit that my sin has not been so much a lack of desire for sanctification as it has been deficient communion with Christ. I have found though that communion with Christ is far more effective in motivating me to holiness and faith working by love.

 

[Philip]

I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Because we want to go, in the words of Lewis, "further up and further in." There's an extent to which we must always be content with mystery, yet at the same time, I wonder about the sincerity of a faith that does not seek understanding.

 

[Rufus]

I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Because we want to go, in the words of Lewis, "further up and further in." There's an extent to which we must always be content with mystery, yet at the same time, I wonder about the sincerity of a faith that does not seek understanding.

Maybe I'm miss interpreting some sermons I've listened to recently, but is it true that we should fight and strive to grow in holiness in order to serve Christ (not as a work).

 

[Philip]

I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Because we want to go, in the words of Lewis, "further up and further in." There's an extent to which we must always be content with mystery, yet at the same time, I wonder about the sincerity of a faith that does not seek understanding.

Maybe I'm miss interpreting some sermons I've listened to recently, but is it true that we should fight and strive to grow in holiness in order to serve Christ (not as a work).

Why not as a work? We can't earn our salvation by works, but that's not to say that works have no place in the Christian life. Indeed this is the point of Ephesians 2:10 and James 2.

 

[dudley]

I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Because we want to go, in the words of Lewis, "further up and further in." There's an extent to which we must always be content with mystery, yet at the same time, I wonder about the sincerity of a faith that does not seek understanding.

I agree with Philip. I explored the Lutherans after leaving the catholic church and theologically they are similar to the Romanists ;the emphasis is on the crucified dead Christ on the cross...not the risen Christ of the Reformed faith.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Perhaps the reason why Calvinists seek to discern the fruit of the Spirit in their lives is that it is biblical to do so and the heart of Reformed theology is a commitment to the Word of God.

There is a time in the Scriptures to "taste and see" that the Lord is good but that is not the entirety of Revelation concerning the Christian life. We're also commanded (repeatedly so as not to miss the point) to consider many things that are the consequence of our salvation. According to this quip, Paul could have shortened Romans and merely told people to treat Christ like food and go no further.

 

[Philip]

I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Because we want to go, in the words of Lewis, "further up and further in." There's an extent to which we must always be content with mystery, yet at the same time, I wonder about the sincerity of a faith that does not seek understanding.

I agree with Philip. I explored the Lutherans after leaving the catholic church and theologically they are similar to the Romanists ;the emphasis is on the crucified dead Christ on the cross...not the risen Christ of the Reformed faith.

Dudley, the trouble is that I know too many Calvinists who put the emphasis there as well. Our Christology is often so cross-centered that we forget why Jesus lived, and we end up neglecting the Christ who rose up and conquered death. I don't think the problem unique to the RCC or Lutheranism---it's common to many Christians, even reformed ones. We get so caught up in the theological implications of our soteriology that we forget to worship the one who rose.

What this Lutheran has missed, though, is that the theological reflection is meant to lead us to feed on Christ more fully. Right theology should lead us to right doxology. Theology, in the end, is about worship.

 

[dudley]

I am often struck by wondering why Calvinists’ can’t seem to be satisfied with focusing on food like this for our daily fare and to rest in Christ for all we need:

Because we want to go, in the words of Lewis, "further up and further in." There's an extent to which we must always be content with mystery, yet at the same time, I wonder about the sincerity of a faith that does not seek understanding.

I agree with Philip. I explored the Lutherans after leaving the catholic church and theologically they are similar to the Romanists ;the emphasis is on the crucified dead Christ on the cross...not the risen Christ of the Reformed faith.

Dudley, the trouble is that I know too many Calvinists who put the emphasis there as well. Our Christology is often so cross-centered that we forget why Jesus lived, and we end up neglecting the Christ who rose up and conquered death. I don't think the problem unique to the RCC or Lutheranism---it's common to many Christians, even reformed ones. We get so caught up in the theological implications of our soteriology that we forget to worship the one who rose.

What this Lutheran has missed, though, is that the theological reflection is meant to lead us to feed on Christ more fully. Right theology should lead us to right doxology. Theology, in the end, is about worship.

I agree with you Philip. I think I am more aware of that because as a Roman catholic so much emphasis was placed on the crucified Christ. The image of the dead Christ is always on the cross in the catholic church. As a protestant I am seeing the risen and living Christ who conquered death and we are saved by our faith alone in Him.

I believe the doctrine of the Reformed faith is vital because it must be lived and many reformed Protestants sadly do not see the difference between Roman catholicism and Reformed Protestantism as a convert like me who does.