How do I stay Reformed?

[Organgrinder]

My life circumstances don’t allow me to be in Reformed fellowship. This situation may be permanent or it could change someday. I don’t know that yet.

My pastor is not a Calvinist and is a committed Dispensationalist. However he is conservative and not afraid to call sin what it is. The rural Fundamentalist SBC I’m in is quite stable but it will never reform, at least not in my lifetime.

I know few Reformed people and I am not in any kind of Reformed Bible study group. Most of my reading is by Reformed authors and I am selective about who I listen to on the radio.

Occasionally I have the wonderful privilege to visit an OPC in another town. They are always welcoming and they are ok with my rare visits. The trouble is that they are too rare. I miss the reverent worship done according to the Regulative Principle. It is just not the same as in my church. It is better.

I don’t want to fall back into the nominal belief and disobedience in which I lived most of my Christian life. How do I maintain my Reformed convictions even though I will be mostly alone in doing so?

I am currently reading William Barclay’s The Secret of Contentment. This is certainly a place where I am discontent. I confess it daily.

 

[rbcbob]

Mark, how strongly do you desire to be in a faithful church? To put it another way what hardship are you willing to endure in order to finish your days upon the earth worshipping with a good conscience? Such a church is not likely going to come to you. What hinders you from moving to the nearest faithful church?

I am assuming by your expressed concern that you sense a danger in maintaining the status quo.

 

[R. Scott Clark]

May we ask, in general terms, why it's not possible to attend a Reformed congregation? How far is the OPC?

 

[Peairtach]

Mark

I am currently reading William Barclay’s The Secret of Contentment. This is certainly a place where I am discontent. I confess it daily.

You'll find that William Barclay wasn't orthodox. In fact he denied the virgin birth of Christ.

 

[J. Dean]

For starters, keep reading Reformed theology. Get your hands on works written by good, solid Calvinists, and that will go a long way in strengthening you. And I'm sure there are churches in your area if you look that are Reformed.

Is there some reason why you cannot regularly attend the OPC?

But be careful here. In your zeal for being reformed, don't make the mistake of thinking that a church is not Christian just because it is not Reformed (not saying you're coming to that conclusion, just advising you to not fall into a form of denominationalism) or that non-Calvinists by default are reprobate. I caught myself falling into this trap when I first started becoming familiar with Calvinism, becoming sharply judgmental of my former church, and while I believe they were wrong about their Arminian theology, I let it turn into a bad and arrogant attitude, calling into suspect every single person in the church, and looking back it was nothing but me being uncharitable. To be sure, Arminianism has its errors, but that Arminian church had some very good Christians in its midst (including many who were closer to Calvinism than they might have been willing to admit). Even Charles Spurgeon, Calvinist as he was, had no problem with working with Arminians who were solid on the faith.

 

[Scott1]

My life circumstances don’t allow me to be in Reformed fellowship. This situation may be permanent or it could change someday. I don’t know that yet.

I’m in is quite stable but it will never reform, at least not in my lifetime.

I don’t want to fall back into the nominal belief and disobedience in which I lived most of my Christian life. How do I maintain my Reformed convictions even though I will be mostly alone in doing so?

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Many believers who have gone before you have been in this kind of situation.

A few thoughts:

1) set aside a full day to pray and fast about this
2) ask God for the obedience to orient your life in a way most pleasing to Him
3) pro-actively seek work, social life opportunities in a place that has a biblical, reformed church, be open to leaving where you are, if God confirms those circumstances

While no one can know God's plan for you, there is reason to believe from His Word, you will be amazed where you are in a few years, if you diligently seek Him now.

Hebrews 11:6


6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

[jwithnell]

I was in a similar situation for two years, w/no opportunity to drive any distance to reach a reformed congregation. I purchased tapes from places like Westminster Seminary so I wouldn't starve. Now, with the internet, you could be listening to good sermons constantly. This is no substitute for full worship, but would at least help you learn and grow. On the OPC website, you will find links to the congregations that have sermons available on line. You can also go to places like Sermon Audio.Com to hear people such as Sinclair Ferguson. (Note, this service has many non-reformed people as well.)

Avoid William Barclay: he is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

 

[Moireach]

Some great answers on here already.

To add, I would suggest listening to sermons from good ministers who are known to be reformed in doctrine, subscribing to a confession. I've found frequently listening to good sermons to be a great source of learnin.

I'm bias but I've listened to dozens upon dozens of ministers but my favourite by some way is my own minister (in my link)

 

[Bethel]

Instead of Barclay, I would recommend The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs.

 

[Bethel]

After finding a church that we love to worship with, I can't express how important a solid reformed church has been to our spiritual growth individually and as a family. It's worth the sacrifice of a little drive time or even relocation.

If we ever moved to the Dallas area, I would like to attend Christ Covenant RPC (Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church: Visitors). With just a general google map from Terrell to Wylie, it's only 45 minutes away. You can also find sermons by Rev. Ruddell on Sermon Audio.

 

[GulfCoast Presbyterian]

Barclay is what I call a "lovable heretic." The problem is that he is so lovable, and his background material so good, you don't spot the heresy if you are not very careful, or you start to give him the benefit of the doubt when you should go "hmmmmm." Like when he explains away miracles. This makes him all the more insidious. Be very, very careful with Barclay.

Blessings,
Mark

 

[GulfCoast Presbyterian]

I am not sure if this is close to you, but is it possible to start a Reformation Society in your area?

Reformation Society of East Texas
Pastor Chair - Larry Pendergrass
201 King Victor Road
Scroggins, TX 75480
903-466-3945
[email protected]

 

[Andrew P.C.]

Worship is what God calls us to do. There are so many passages on how people misunderstood how to worship God or the seriousness of worshipping Him. The one I think about the most is Leviticus 10:

10 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.

Now, I don't believe that these men did this to spite God. Rather, I believe these men had, what we would call today, a "genuine" heart. You know, those kind of people that think what they are doing is right, but in fact it's wrong. The reason I believe this is because it says they "offered...fire before the Lord". Yes, it says "unauthorized" but many things that people do today, in what they would call "worship" is unauthorized. Yet, God destroyed these men, regardless of the "sincerity" of their hearts. God takes worship very seriously.

Now, regarding your situation, think about this for a second: people within scripture had difficult times, but they knew how serious God is about worship, that they worshiped Him regardless of their own situations. Two examples come to mind right away: Daniel and his friends.

6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions.(Daniel 6)

No matter what was happening around Daniel, he worshiped God in the order God Commanded Him. Also, think of Daniel's friends:

3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

Also, here is an article, done recently, that gives a pretty good understanding of "duty vs. privilege" that might be of some help.

 

[Edward]

Suggestion - take some classes at Redeemer Seminary. Per Google, it's 36 miles, 43 minutes from the middle of Terrell. Sinclair Ferguson is tough but a generous grader.

 

[Organgrinder]

Thank you all for your concern,

To address a few comments:

I will be putting Barclay down and moving on to something else.

As for my life situation, I have counted the cost on moving to the OPC or some other Reformed body. There is gas and drive time obviously but I am married so there is another person to consider. My wife thinks that we should stay where we are but she likes the OPC as well. Moving away from friends will be hard but if they are true friends they will understand our convictions and maybe encourage us.

I will be contacting the Reformation Society soon. They are not located close to me but hopefully through them I can increase my interaction with like minded people.

I’m working my way through the article on Duty vs. Privilege. I can’t say I understand everything but I’m working at it.

If I were called into ministry I'd go to Redeemer Seminary.