Q: What is the diffrernce between calvinist and reformed?
A:
Calvinism is simply the 5 biblical doctrinal points of Salvation aka Doctrine of Soteriology, explained as T.U.L.I.P. made popular or clearly explained by Calvin, who was teaching in the Reformation era.
Both groups have views concerning end times, called Doctrine of Echatology. Calvinism is the largest and most well known part of Reformed Theology, but Reformed Theology is more than just Calvinism.
A Calvinist doesnt have to be reformed, but generally all reformed are Calvinist. Reformed generally means you hold to a reformed belief. Be that the old London Baptist Confession, the Westminster Confession of Faith, Canons of Dort etc. It seperates us from Catholicism. JMac, is Calvinist but not fully reformed for example. He holds to a leaky dispensational end times view as opposed to covenant theology which is more of the old reformed tradition.
We need to know what we believe and understand that "traditions" and older theology can be and were wrong. We are not to override what Scripture actually teaches.
Many do not study these things to understand it well, and just grab hold of something "reformed" thinking it is old truth, but upon examination we can see why some old views were incorrect or not fully formed.
It also doesn't mean that if you hold views like JMac that you cannot attend a reformed church. I attend a Reformed Baptist church on vacation but unlike most reformed churches... they hold to a biblical dispensational end times view and that includes believing that God has future plans for Israel. As well as biblical Believers Baptism.
I also know most reformed won't have anything to do with Billy, Franklin or Will Graham ministries, but I know some solid reformed friends who do.
If you think you should avoid Reformed circles that isn't necessarily true. They believe the Essentials and also are more biblically minded than wishy washy "churches" of various other denominations or no denomination. There are Reformed Baptists that disagree with reformed views on End Times and Baptism. John MacArthur and RC Sproul were even good friends in Christ. The Essentials bind us, we grow and learn more as we mature in Scriptural truth which is where the secondary issues fall. So you can be friends with Reformed folk just stay away from the ones who push or harp on those 2 issues. You can still join Reformed groups online too to get general godly counsel in regular Christian topics [avoid end times and baptism conversations] ...since they are pretty solid on biblical living.
In reality, everyone is confessional in some sense. A confession is what you believe about God and scripture. Some may have a confession of “I just believe the Bible.” But that is not really honest. It’s what you believe about what the Bible says and who God is that is your confession. Because Mormons (a cult) and Reformed Baptist use the same Bible, a confession is "what you believe God has said".
Non Reformed Baptist churches also have confessions. They just call it "Faith Statement" or “What we believe” on their website. The difference is, the ones without solid in depth confessions in their faith statement it leave lots of room for interpretation of matters that could cause great divisions amongst people. Many do have solid statements you just need to look for the ones that do. The 1689 London Baptist Confession is a very detailed list of what reformed baptists believe about the majority of what Scripture says. Those essential things we agree on to have close fellowship. It is a confession that has stood the test of time for hundreds of years and is very helpful. It is not infallible like scripture is. It is a succinct summary of what we believe and how that impacts how we live each day.
Several points that seem to divide reformed and protestant [speaking on biblically based orthodox ones], are below, while their beliefs (if orthodox) might separate us it doesnt prevent fellowship because we hold to the Essentials. Unlike newer-modern unbiblical churches that claim to be Christian but do not follow Scripture. Those ones we would not associate with (the church nor their members) just as we wouldnt embrace, felowwship with nor join hands with cults and catholics.
Here are areas that matter:
1. take the whole Bible as one complete and continuous story
2. Use scripture to interpret scripture
3. Look to the old testament to give the reason for needing Jesus and seeig his fulfillment of our need for sacrifice
4. Find comfort in the consistency and care that was put into the creeds and confessions that serve as guardrails in our beliefs and always point us back to scripture
5. Recognize that the Bible is not a story about me (I'm not King David 😄), but it's our primary way to know the character and promises of God and the humanity of his son and our Lord as well as the Holy Spirit that came after him and lives in us.
*And... Loving all born again brethren as believers, who also have a heart for the enemies of God.
Hope this helps.
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