Hi, My Name is Amy—I’m a Sinner
The opening line of an author under the tab, “about” propagating “gospel-centered” theology (ie., antinomianism, Sonship Theology, New Calvinism, Gospel contemplation) reminds me of the infamous introductions at AA meetings: “Hi, my name is Bob—I’m an alcoholic ‘Hi Bob.’” Amy Engle, the author of A Voice Crying Out blog (apparently because we are desperate rather than those who are much more than conquers through Jesus Christ) states it this way: “I’m Amy. I was born in sin. In sin, my mother conceived me. I have broken every law of GOD and I deserve the full extend of His just wrath against me.” Hi Amy.
I take this approach because after continual hounding by readers and my wife, I have finally seen it. What? Our sinfulness has become reason for boasting in order to make much of God and his grace—not us. Think about it: what is really the difference between that and making much of sin “so that grace may abound”? And if all we talk about is our sin in order to lift God up, It is hard for me to believe that actual sin acts would be seen as any big deal. In fact, seems like they would serve to deepen such convictions. The one that causes Susan to harp (because she is an angel) is what she experienced in her own life. She was saved at an early age and took following the Lord in obedience seriously. Growing up, she suffered through testimony after testimony of converts harping about how sinful they were before Christ saved them. When she was a young girl at youth camp, where such testimonies sing more than the birds, she sought counseling because she wondered if she was ever sinful enough to be saved. After all, take Amy’s testimony for example, she has “broken every law of God.” Woe, I’m not even goin’ there.
This does seem bizarre when you think about it. When I was a young boy, I lived for awhile with my grandparents. My grandfather was my hero and I loved him with all of my heart. I sought to always please him. Before he left for work, he would always assign tasks for me to complete around the small farm they had. I would always do them and more. Around the time for him to come home, I would always meet him in the driveway because I couldn’t wait to show him all that I had done. “Look Grandpa, see what I have done? And look, I did this too!” His beaming approval was my reward. Does it not remind you of the parable of the talents? “look Lord, you gave me five talents and I made five more!” On the other hand, I loathed it when I misbehaved and my grandfather had to punish me. It was by no means anything I wanted to talk about—they were considered bad memories for both of us. But it would seem that the New Calvinist version of the same parable would be a boasting about how evil we were; and apparently expecting Christ to say, “Well done faithful servant.”
My wife and visitors here are right; this is a glorifying of evil. Along with this is the New Calvinist glorifying of helplessness, even though we “can do all things through Him who strengthens us.” God strengthens us, absolutely, but we still “do,” and we should do it well. Like many New Calvinists, A praying skeleton is Engle’s internet graviator (the last time I remember seeing her comments on another blog). Apparently, nothing but a voice crying out because as Paul David Tripp says of Christians: “When you are dead you can’t do anything.” If you are a Christian, you have been given talents. What’s your strategy for when the Master of the house returns for an accounting? Your call.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
This is my biggest beef with Christendom. But I ran into a variation of this thinking in the seeker world too. The church leaders would continually do deceptive things and the few people who knew about it would always say,:”Oh, they are human and humans fail”. Problem is, this sort of thing went on all the time. But the way it was said was as if this proved something good about them. People also said, oh there is no perfect church as if thinking something was wrong with certain behavior was demanding a perfect church. I got to the point where I would say, Oh, I agree there is no perfect church. How about one where the leader does not behave like Vito Coleone if he is challenged. I will settle for that much.
The Calvinistas have taken it to a whole new level. They glorify sin. In fact, the more depraved you claim to be, the more celebrated you are. Ask CJ Mahaney or the sgmsurvivors over at that blog. They talk about this all the time. Sexual molestation is “experimenting” and the victim needs to focus on their own sin and just forgive. Don’t call the police., In fact, the first thing the sgm pastors have done in all the sexual molestation stories is point out the victim’s own sin as equal to the molester’s.
But if you point this out to them, the have an automatic stepford wife answer: You believe you are sinless!!! Uh, no. A typical strawman in their either/or world.
I sometimes think there is some big prize for the biggest sinner somewhere. Otherwise, why would they glory in it? Brag about it? And many are professional paid Christians. People who are paid to model Christianity for others.
My question is this: When can we expect Christians to act like Christians? Why is that considered asking too way too much?
Another question is: Why aren’t they ashamed of this?
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Oh, and I was going to say that I saw this approach to sin does nothing but normalize sin for people in the pews. What kills me is that if you go to some exChristian sites, you see real quick that they get it. They think that the difference is when believers continue to sin they think they are going to heaven. When unbelievers do the same thing….nothing happens.
This thinking and bragging about sin makes a mockery of the cross and resurrection.
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Lydia,
thanks for the comments. I’m learning much from your posts about the “seekers.” I’ve been out of that loop. I’ve been going to rural “old peoples churches” for a long time. Just getting started on blogging. And, yes, “They glorify sin.” You and Paul both have got it right. I was just thinking about the same thing the other day. It is certainly going more and more overboard. Their lack of teaching Christian moral responsibilities has got nothing to do with the Reformation, which they claim to be heir to.
As to why? I have a theory. It goes back to the Reformers themselves, Calvin and Luther. I believe both these guys were deeply affected by the ridiculous human efforts they saw. Deceived by the Shepherds, fearful, ignorant people were crawling on their knees etc. hoping for acceptance and salvation by God. Ever present in the mind of the Reformers was the need to kill this idea of wage working your way into heaven and doing indulgences for the temporal punishment due for sin. So, I think the Reformers themselves exaggerated Christian sinfulness in order to kill the theology of earning salvation like a wage. When people heard how unworthy and sinful they were, it killed the old heresy. Although the writings of the Reformers abound much in Christian moral responsibilities, they also tainted everything with imperfections and sin. God saw good deeds and sort of accepted, but only like a dirty rag. God’s words about Christian work – “pleasing,” “commended as a righteous man,” “favor,” “blessed,” etc. were downplayed.
Therefore, from this historical background and the larger theological perspective the New Calvinists have appeared. And they have gone way beyond the Reformation, even if it is by things they never say.
Arkansas Bill
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Lord willing, an excerpt from tomorrow’s article, “The Australian Forum is the Cradle of New Calvinism.”
As quoted from the Forum, vol.16-art.13, p.19:
“Growth in grace, therefore, does not mean becoming less and less sinful, but on the contrary, it means becoming more and more sinful in our own estimation.”
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Reblogged this on Paul's Passing Thoughts.
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