Paul's Passing Thoughts

Is Calvin’s gospel really good news? Not so much. It entails running a race of faith alone in sanctification and then appearing at one final judgment where everyone who has ever lived finds out whether they made it or not; where the children of God will be “made manifest.” Because Calvin’s gospel fuses justification and sanctification together, it involves a complicated system of determining what IS works in sanctification and what IS NOT works in sanctification because justification and sanctification are the same thing. Hence, no works can be done in sanctification (the Christian life). Calvin stated that New Testament sanctification is the succession of the Sabbath Day rest (CI 2.8.29).

Calvin stated unequivocally that Christians shouldn’t have any security (CI 3.24.6) because living by faith alone is indeed tricky business, but followers of Calvin do have an ace-in-the-hole: the power of the keys. This is the idea that Reformed elders have been given the authority to speak for God, and whatever they bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and along with that comes the authority to forgive sins that unjustify (CI 4.1.22).

So, if the elders like you, you’re in. The doctrine creates fear, but assurance can be found in supporting your local Reformed elder.

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