…And let me add this: if you do abandon Arminianism and become a Calvinist; if you leave one eschatalogical position and take up another one; if you undergo any major doctrinal shift””don’t suddenly act like that one point of doctrine is more important than all others. Don’t blog or talk about it constantly to the exclusion of everything else. Spend some time settling into your new convictions before you pretend to have expertise you frankly haven’t had time to develop.
I think the tendency of fresh Calvinists to become cocky and obsessive about the fine points of predestination is one of the things that makes Calvinism most odious to non-Calvinists. Don’t do that. It’s not a sign of maturity, and you’re not truly steadfast in the faith unless you are truly mature…. (from Phil Johnson’s recent post: “Stand Firm“)
This fits right in with my recent doctrinal disagreements post and Jason’s “words of warning“. I think everyone who has had a major shift in theology, is always open to the pendulum swing and a general unstable perspective on all things. This tendency is something to be aware of and to guard against.
Does this mean we should all have a stable eschatology or all points figured out on every doctrinal position? Does it mean we should pontificate and criticize others not exactly like us? No. We shouldn’t be tossed by the wind, but neither should we root ourselves in something that isn’t connected to solid ground.
For those who are still developing in their pursuit of a stable and correct theology. Don’t rush things. Take your time. Be slow to talk and aim for wisdom. Take Phil’s advice. Study your Bible first, books second, and blogs last.
I’m sure I’ve been guilty of not heeding this advice in the past. But by God’s grace, I’ve become settled on many things. And I’m not afraid to say when I’m not! May God continue to shape and mold us all.
Seriously, check out Phil’s article, it will be worth the read, and let me know what you think.
Thanks FR. Good stuff. This type of article should be posted on every Christian blog as a kind of “read this first” post. I think we all too often forget that we’re not writing these blogs in a corner. The B-sphere is the public square and unbelievers are reading our debates, discussions and, sadly, our failures to treat each other with grace even in the most serious disagreements.
Thanks for pulling Pastor Johnson over for some wisdom. We need it.
You might be just a teeny bit exaggerating here. Was Saul of Tarsus “generally unstable” after turning 180 degrees? What about the rest of the Church fathers who came to Christianity through conversion?
It’s true that new converts tend to be the most zealous, but it seems illogical to encourage new converts to be less zealous. Just because the wrong converts are just as zealous as the right converts, it doesn’t follow that zeal is the problem. Sure, we can argue for a greater degree of epistemic humility — especially in the case of soteriology, where the Arminians and Calvinists who condemn one another, are equally pompous fools. But I really don’t think that this translates into a general principal covering all new enlightenment, as you seem to be arguing.
@paul — I suppose you’re right to a point, but I don’t think it’s a common mistake for religious bloggers to say, “I was just engaged in a private discussion on this little old Internet, and *oopsie!*, someone else heard me!” Most religious bloggers are out there blogging because they know they might find an audience.
Josh,
You are right that I’m overstating my case. I think everyone has a tendency to that and so should be on the watch for it.
Thanks for dropping by.
Bob