Young, Restless, Reformed

Great article this month from Christianity Today about the resurgence of Reformed theology among the young . . .

Young, Restless, Reformed

We have some of our own Young, Restless, Reformed here at Grace. They're sometimes like bulls in s china closet with their newly discovered enthusiasm for the doctines of Grace. Yet, I'll take some tameable bulls over lackluster, listless young men who aren't excited about anything in life.

A couple stand-out statements in the article...

Al Mohler:

This generation of young Christians is more committed, more theologically intense, more theologically curious, more self-aware and self-conscious as believers because they were not raised in an environment of cultural Christianity

Joshua Harris, referring to "humble orthodoxy":

If you really understand Reformed theology, we should all just sit around shaking our heads going, 'It's unbelievable. Why would God choose any of us?' You are so amazed by grace, you're not picking a fight with anyone, you're just crying tears of amazement that should lead to a heart for lost people, that God does indeed save, when he doesn't have to save anybody.

I agree. The more we understand the doctrines of Grace, the more humble and gracious toward others we will become. Likewise the more zealous for evangelism we will become. I have observed that people who are getting excited about God and His sovereign grace often go through a very "critical" stage, where they are right, everybody else is wrong, etc, etc. My friend David Hegg calls this the "RAM" or "Reformed Angry Man" stage. My experience has shown that most grow through this stage and move into the "winsome" stage. If we don't move beyond the RAM stage then we don't yet understand the grace of God in truth.

Incidentally, the article makes mention of one of the most influential books in my own life, J.I. Packer's Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God.

I have written and taught a study based on Packer's ideas that is posted in PDF format on our website HERE. Our elders recently worked through this study together.

Hat Tip: Pastor Al once again!