The New Calvinist Takeover of Southwood Presbyterian Church: Part 5; a Clarifying Quotation
Randy,
Let me get right to the point: New Calvinists believe that Christ’s obedience to the cross (passive) was for justification, and His obedience to the law (active) was/is for our sanctification; and both were/are part of the atonement. Hence, any effort on our part in sanctification would be the same as working for justification as well. To make any effort in sanctification would be an attempt to usurp Christ’s works for sanctification which completes justification. New Calvinists claim we work hard, but work hard at what? Well, I just read the answer to that question as answered by Southwood’s pastor on their blog; humble repentance is hard work:
“I’m not arguing for NO EFFORT or WORK I am arguing for GREATER EFFORT and MORE DIFFICULT WORK, the work of humbling ourselves, being broken, repentant, prostrate before God, looking past our ‘symptomatic sins’ to their root causes and being faced with such horror over my depravity that I am left with no other options than Jesus.”
In other words, the New Calvinist working hard at the same things that saved us: faith and repentance alone (or what they call “deep repentance”). Sorry Randy, but orthodox Christianity has never believed in sanctification by faith alone, nor do we believe that Jesus obeys for us. Neither do we believe that all obedience is a mere natural flow that must first come from Gospel Contemplationism.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Paul,
If NC really does teach that we are sanctified by faith ALONE, it simply supports my continuing contention that I am not a New Calvinist. I believe sanctification is by faith, but not by faith alone. This has been the consistent view of Baptist and Reformed theologians.
You wrote, “Hence, any effort on our part in sanctification would be the same as working for justification as well. To make any effort in sanctification would be an attempt to usurp Christ’s works for sanctification which completes justification.” Can you provide a quote that verifies your contention here?
Randy
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I do believe obedience flows naturally from a nature that has been changed by the grace of God in regeneration. We work and obey because God works in us to give us the desire to obey and to enable us to obey. This obedience has nothing to do with increasing or maintaining our righteous standing before God. Additionally, though gratitude for forgiveness and cleansing are not the only motives for obedience, it is a mistake to dismiss gratitude as a motive altogether as you seem to have done.
Randy
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For what it’s worth, my family and I left Southwood months ago after concluding that Jean Larroux was taking the church in an unscriptural direction. I summarized my reasons for leaving in the following blog, which I sent to an assistant pastor back in May…
http://txtfmt.webs.com/concernsaboutsouthwood.htm
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Brett,
Just read through it. As I state in the book, it’s primarily an antinomian doctrine. That eventually comes out despite their alleged regard for the law.
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Paul,
I read Brett’s blog. I can assure you whatever this guy believes and preaches, if Brett has presented it accurately, is not consistent with New Covenant Theology. Though you may find certain teachings we hold in common, e.g, the centrality of the gospel, our conclusions concerning that doctrine are not the same. Without equivocation, we believe that the salvation bringing grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust and live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age. . . “, We by no means are to present ourselves as perfect people so that we look down our Pharisaical noses at those whom we feel are not as holy as we. We understand that, by nature, we were all the same at heart, rebels against a holy God. Still, we don’t believe it is OK for us to stay where we were when God called us. Jesus displays his glory in us by changing the canvas of our lives to the point that we are no longer like ourselves but totally like him. None of us is there yet, That is why we still need grace.
Randy
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Randy,
Just a quick note to let you know I’m swamped on emails and comments right now—your not being censored.
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Thanks Paul
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The love of Christ is sufficient and emotionally supremely satisfying in my soul, as you can see, not an intellectual endeavor! Realization of the quality and limitless quantity of God’s love for his creation leaves a burning desire, that exceeds romantic desire, in my longing to be with my hearts envy, Jesus Christ, now and forever the author and finisher how after millienea still offers the one and perfect model, showing us how to and what true love as, is, and always will be. The rest detracts and places too much time and distance between me and what I really need, more of Christ in my heart, soul, and life! Amen brothers and sisters!
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Anon,
In light of what you have written here, why wouldn’t you just commit suicide so that you could be with Jesus?
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And so on goes mans endeavor to obliviate the importance of Gods love, not seeing the forest for the tree, study that bark!
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Anon,
What’s your definition of love? Can you define it? Is your verbiage relevant if you can’t define it?
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