One of the more destructive doctrines to infect the modern-day church is contemporary reformed theology.
If anyone is wondering why evangelism is stunted and impotent, we need only point to this new, evolving ideology as one of the reasons. Its emphasis on overintellectualized nonsense, which has replaced the Gospel, is a powerful factor regarding why evil is running rampant in our nation.
This theology is a huge wet blanket that hampers the message of the evangelist.
Reformed theology had a great history, but somewhere along the line, it went off the rails. The early reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin stood in opposition to medieval Roman Catholic theology and its false doctrine.
These reformers corrected the errors of Rome, such as the nature of justification by faith alone. They also stood against the centralization of all religious authority by rejecting the authority of the pope.
They rightly asserted that the Bible alone was the final authority on doctrine, not the worldly notions invented by the papal office.
Unfortunately, reformed theology went off the rails when their doctrine of ‘predestination,’ which insists that man does not have free will, took precedence over the proclamation of the Gospel. If man does not have free will, then proclaiming repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus is a fool’s errand.
What good is any proclamation to an entity that does not have free will?
After all, man is totally depraved and incapable of responding to the Gospel proclamation, they claim. His head is like a rock that is incapable of receiving the message of salvation. God must lasso a man, which he does capriciously, and drag him into his saving grace by shoving salvation into his rock-hard head.
If God must do this, why should we bother with people who have not been unconditionally elected by God for salvation? We may as well sit back and let God do all the work.
The fact is we were told to go and make disciples of all nations, not twiddle our thumbs.
The reformed theologian then leads us into the quiet life of contemplation (the RCC loves contemplation). He urges us to reflect on God’s holiness and His sovereignty. In this way, we become like monks who separate ourselves from society and enter a life of vague prayer (Lectio Divina) and meditation.
I bet Satan is shaking in his little pink booties over that prospect.
When he comes to devour humanity, like a roaring lion, he will save these people for last since they are no threat to him.
In his lecture on Evangelism and missions, John Piper lays out his vision for reaching mankind. He writes,
“The highest motive for missions and evangelism is not obedience to the Great Commission, although obedience is required. Nor is the highest motive love for sinners, great as that love may be. The greatest motive for missions and evangelism is a passionate zeal for the glory of Jesus Christ.”
As Dr. John Piper explains in this lecture, “worship of the living God is the fuel and goal of missions and evangelism.”
Now that sounds pious and all, but this statement has little to do with missions and evangelism.
Piper laments that those who reject his theology “blow off” the sovereignty of God as non-missionary. Our “blowing this off” is justifiable. We are to testify that Christ died for our sins, show the faith of Christ through our good works, and proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus to a rebellious world.
This is true worship and how we show our passionate zeal for the glory of Jesus Christ. We show our love for Christ through our obedience to his commands.
Confessing the sovereignty of God is not an evangelical tool, nor is it one of Christ’s directives.
Piper then moves on to Psalm 67, which, in his theology, explains the main purposes of God. According to his interpretation:
- God wants to be feared.
- God wants to be known.
- God wants the world to know he is a God of justice.
- God is impartial.
- That he is a God of sovereign power
- That he is a gracious God
This leads Piper to the “Four great truths of God”:
- There is one true God.
- God is just and holy.
- God is sovereign over the nations.
- God is gracious to all who believe.
The above summarizes his understanding of evangelism and missions.
This is why reformed theology is a waste of time. I doubt any Muslim would dispute with Piper any of these assertions since these attributes describe Allah as well (which may be the point).
The primary interest of the God of the Bible is repentance.
Piper’s four great truths are just peripheral issues that even the pagans ascribe to their gods. I could ask random people on the street if they think their god is just, holy, sovereign, gracious, or impartial, and regardless of who their god is, they will answer ‘yes.’
There is nothing that Piper stated in his ‘evangelism and missions’ assertion above that will save a single soul from the fires of hell.
When we put Piper’s theology into practice, it is easy to expose the fallacy of his modern-day reformed theology.
In an article by Breanna Claussen, entitled “Calling the election of Trump ‘Evil,’ John Piper reminds Christians why He’s Not to be Trusted,” she lays bare why modern reformed theology should be banished to the dustbin of history.
Piper was apparently very unhappy with the election of Donald Trump and referred to it as evil. Since there is no authority except that which God has established, Piper has some ‘splaining to do.
His theology demands that we label what God has established as ‘evil.’
That makes his theology ‘evil.’
Claussen explains that, during the 2016 presidential election, Piper actively dissuaded believers from voting, saying both candidates (Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton) displayed “flagrant wickedness.”
Piper is fully aware that Christians have been forced into the Republican Party because the Democrats have created a demonic death cult. Christians are the biggest voting bloc that the Republicans have. If Christians don’t vote, that will guarantee the Democrats win. When Democrats win, that is bad news for the Christian, the nation, and the world.
There is no way he does not know this.
We understand that politics is a worldly endeavor, and we are not of this world. However, we are forced to live on this planet until the Lord comes for us, so it would be wise to attempt to influence the world to recognize and adhere to God’s moral law.
Since the Democrats have abandoned God by wiping all references to him from their political platform, God has turned these people over to a reprobate mind. They have rejected God’s moral law regarding sexuality, they do not recognize the sanctity of life, and they promote lawlessness.
They corrupt everything they touch.
There is no way John Piper does not know this.
Trump is a sinner like everyone else. There is no question that he lived a profligate lifestyle as a rich New York elite.
He has, in his old age, exhibited some level of repentance and now seems to be devoted to God, his family, and his country. Even if he is not sincere in his faith, though I believe he is, he is at least willing to proclaim the Gospel to the world on Resurrection Day.
Hillary Clinton is an evildoer who has never been brought to justice for her wickedness. The number of dead bodies of her close associates, who could have caused her political trouble, is now an ongoing joke. She is a pathological liar, a narcissist, and has no conscience.
That is the person Piper was aiding, whether he was doing so in ignorance or not.
In the spirit of predestination, Claussen records that, during previous elections, Piper carried on his efforts to discourage evangelicals from casting their votes. He advised that we should just stay home, even though the heathen will not be staying home, and let the election play out. He stated that going to church was more impactful than going to the ballot box.
He reiterated that he was not voting for either candidate.
If every Christian had taken his foolish advice, many Christians would be sitting in a gulag instead of going to church (a little hyperbole, but not much). The Godless Democrats have already shown they are willing to imprison people of faith for praying in front of abortion clinics.
And they really seem to like the idea of incarcerating and assassinating their political opponents.
Piper has spent a lot of time and effort trying to convince the Republicans’ main voting bloc to stay home. Fortunately, most Christians are appalled by evil and make sure they get to the voting booth to express their displeasure.
Finally, like all who possess heretical theology, he hates Israel.
He allegedly derides Israel as “Christ-rejecting Rebels” who have forfeited their right to the Promised Land.
It is hard to get more anti-biblical than that.
The apostle Paul asked the question, “Did God reject his people?” He then answered himself by stating, “By no means!”
Paul also warns Piper, “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so I [a Gentile] could be grafted in.’ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either” (Romans 11:19-21).
Paul goes on to explain to his audience (and to Piper) that these branches (the Israelites) will be grafted into their own tree.
As for forfeiting their rights to the Promised Land, Piper has now put himself at odds with the Old Testament prophets.
“However, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when men will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites [not the church] up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them’ [in 1948]. For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers” (Jeremiah 16:14-15).
“My servant David [Jesus] will be king over them, [the remnant of Israel)] and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever” (Ezekiel 37:24-25).
“I will bring back my exiled people Israel [the church was never exiled]; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them” (Amos 9:14).
There is no question that John Piper (like most reformed theologians) is arrogant toward the nation of Israel. In his arrogance, he has falsely proclaimed that Israel has forfeited its right to the land.
The land that God repeatedly told the world he would restore to them in the future.
Paul laid a foundation as an expert builder because he built upon the prophets and the Gospel. He built his foundation using gold, silver and costly stones. It was a solid foundation that has withstood the rains and the howling winds of the world.
He did not lay the foundation that the modern-day reformed theologians laid of wood, hay and straw. These works will be shown for what they are because the Day of the Lord will bring them to light.
His works will be revealed with fire that will test the quality of his work.
In other words, when he gives an accounting of himself to the Lord, he will have to watch this theological nonsense get burned up.
Piper has made the same mistake that all ‘replacement theologians’ have made throughout the centuries. When the nation of Israel was disbursed in 135 A.D., Christians came to believe that God was done with them.
They then began to allegorize much of Scripture to accommodate their new false theology. This has been going on since that time as ‘replacement theology’ managed to become the dominant theology for several hundred years.
Once these theologians were proven wrong in 1948, they refused to admit their error and correct their theology. Their attempts to allegorize Scripture that was meant to be taken literally has led them to deceive themselves and those they teach.
Now that is arrogance.
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
“For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness,’ and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’ So let no one boast in men [Like John Calvin].
“For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (I Corinthians 3:18-23).