"Provocative in a Good Way"

Oasis Christian Fellowship Church!,

As we were adjourning from gathering Sunday morning, Chad mentioned that we should let the message that Chris shared be "provocative in a good way" for us this week. I think it is a fitting title for this post--It's catchy and kind of funny in a Michael Scott from the Office "That's what she said" kind of way. Wow. Anyway...

Its also an accurate and genuine desire of us -- 

(I would say "us" here is defined as, the Oasis leadership and I'll lump myself and those who participated in and embraced the recent Reformed Theology primer led by Chris at our last house church series in Athens)

that over the next seven to eight weeks as Chris summarizes and highlights the different areas and tenants of Reformed Theology, that you would work at it. When I say work at it, I don't mean that it will be boring. It will be very challenging and it takes effort to let yourself measure your beliefs and what is being said in the "pulpit" and what is being received as members of the body of Oasis. This shouldn't be any different from any other message Chris or Chad or whomever speaks. We should always be measuring what is said and how it relates to the Word of God in spirit and truth as worship to God! (John 4:24)'

I'll go a step further and say in every worship song that we sing, every testimony and every word spoken in corporate worship, measure what is said against the Word of God; Not to merely hold the speaker accountable, but to bring joy to your heart and re-affirm your bond with your church, the bride of Christ in worship to God. God desires us to wrestle with him and his truth's and truly seek him and in this we will find blessing.

ENOUGH!

This post isn't a commentary, but a forum. Over the next couple of weeks, as Chris brings us some basics about Reformed Theology -- WHAT OUR CHURCH HOLDS FIRM TO THEOLOGICALLY -- Please try to focus and challenge your minds, hearts and measure against the Word for yourself (and possibly for your family and generations to come) as a responsibility for growth as a believer in Christ.

With that, please leave here in the comment section of this post or any similarly functioning post any questions that pop up or answers of blessing that these truths reveal to you in your understanding of WHO God is and WHO we are in relation to Him and WHAT our church HOLDS to theologically. 

I'll start with my comment, and will continue to each week, but don't be shy to post questions, comments, blessings, desires, etc. for what we'll be dealing with. This should be a positive forum looking to instruct and teach, and not bring others down, but to build each other up. If you have any dissenting views, please do so in love and in the spirit of learning and try to back it up with scripture.

If you haven't heard the message, it should be posted either on the right column of this site, or on our Facebook page, which is linked on this page as well as Chris usually posts them shortly after Sunday every week.

Josh

Comments

[Josh Lynch]

Chris gave us an introduction to Reformed Theology this past Sunday, and if you're like me, the first time I tried to put my head around Reformed Theology I had a tough time with certain tenants. Namely, Unconditional Election and Perseverance of the Saints. Pick them, mix and match you tenants that you dwell on.

The lesson that I had to learn and Chris mentioned this during our house church gatherings; The first point of Calvinism is "Total Depravity" which deals with our spiritual condition and trying to see US from God's point of view.

Ephesians 2:5 says that Christ made us alive when we were DEAD in our transgressions. We are incapable apart from God's Providence and Will to resurrect ourselves and as Paul puts in Galatians, we are "transferred from the domain of darkness". We cannot do that ourselves.

Just as Christians do not Baptize ourselves when we seal our commitment to Christ, so to we do not we rely on God Father to resurrect and quicken our spiritually dead souls into animation.

I still have certain questions pop into my head about Reformed Theology that are tough, but thats because God's understanding and Judgement are above me and mysterious, and yet perfect.

As you prepare your hearts and minds for the message this Sunday about Total Depravity, please remember that If you can GET the idea of WHO you are as a sinful human being in the presence of the spotless, pure God of the universe, you will get Reformed Theology.