Top 10 of Being Reformed :: Part 2
Being a Reformed Baptist…
10. Makes me a more careful reader of my Bible.
9. Makes me more consistent and fervent in my prayers.
Reformed theology gives me a foundation that includes a steadfast understanding that God is all-powerful, faithful, just, and willing to answer our prayers: “Whatever you ask in prayer you will receive if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22). My understanding that God is completely sovereign in all things gives me confidence as I pray, knowing that God will do all things for His glory, and my good. Many people have noted that all people are reformed when they pray, and this is certainly a very valid point. We pray for God to heal, change hearts and minds, stop wars, feed the hungry, give peace to missionaries, etc. If God were a god that simply reacted to what creation does, as opposed to causing all things to come to pass, there would be no need for prayer. But the fact that God commands prayer, and answers prayer according to His good and perfect will, makes me want to pray more and to pray more fervently. God is able to do all things, and is faithful to fulfill his promises.
Nick,
I think the consistent statement applies to all the areas you will mention. Consistency is one of the missing “Keys” to the Christian life of faith where we all fight the good fight of faith. While Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow I find to be consistent is to be constant in Christ. Good post; keep it up!
Devin
Nick,
The arminian baptist, generally speaking, believes that God’s work is accomplished by them rather than through them. That may sound the same, but in reality the one (reformed) who believes they’re simply a vessel that the sovereign God works through is the one desperate to pray to seek God for his power and his direction in all matters of life. The one (arminian) who believes that all matters of the christian life are determined/accomplished by them and so they depend rather on a mix of their gifts and programs to change lives. Very few of this type do I see in our prayer meetings on Sunday night.
It would be interesting for someone to do a study of how many churches even have prayer meetings. Many websites I visit do not show one on their schedule. We teach our people that prayer meeting is not a program, it is the Church!
Phyllis Nelson
[...] 9. Makes me more consistent and fervent in my prayers. [...]
Devin: Great observation, I think you’re absolutely correct. Oh that I could be more consistent in all my spiritual disciplines.
Phyllis: You are very, very right on this. I have seen time and time again, people who have the idea that they are in fact the ones doing the work as opposed to God working through them — the results are devastating. This is one of the contributing factors to the church-growth movement, the seeker-sensitive movement, the emerging church movement, etc. Man is so quick to abandon a faith in the power of God to do great things — and it pulls us quickly away from prayer.
[...] 9. Makes me more consistent and fervent in my prayers. [...]
[...] 9. Makes me more consistent and fervent in my prayers. [...]