Hyper-calvinists and some Calvinists are accused or taking it too easy on themselves because they believe they are the "elect". I do think some Reformed people major on orthodoxy and not orthopraxy--faith for them is to be defended above all and orthopraxy is secondary almost automatic. Certainly the seriousness of confession before communion in Reformed churches shows a concern for orthopraxy. But where is piety in all of this talk?
I sometimes wonder where is the godly character in men (and women) who major on debate in Reformed circles? A person is not necessarily growing in faith by being able to debate the ins and outs of eschatology, Federal Vision, law and grace, cults and any number of issues. We can talk until we are blue in the face about Clark, Van Til, and become the best debater, but if we have not love we are a noisy gong or a clanging symbol.
Perhaps where the rubber meets the road is something called piety. Before I was in a Reformed church, I was a member of another denomination. The early pietists in that denomination asked two questions. 1) Where is it written in Scripture? (orthodoxy) 2) How does it go with your walk with the Lord? (orthopraxy) That second question is very personal, you say, but don't we need that question? Don't we need to be bringing out the best in each other just because of Who we serve and our privilege to serve that almighty God?
One blogger quotes John Calvin, but also writes: "Most of the Christian life can be broken down to a need of a love for righteousness and a need for self-denial. When one looks to the righteousness of God, one will be challenged to deny anything that is selfish and contrary to the character of a righteous God."* Alas, there are pietiests among the Reformed. They know that self-denial is not what gets them into Heaven, but they choose to live a godly life.
How goes it?
*http://remissioned.com/2010/04/19/to-love-righteousness/
"The Big If"
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On another program I heard a word of faith teacher tell his congregation, quite plainly, that Jesus' name is a talisman that, when used properly, brings health and prosperity. I heard still another word of faith teacher tell me that if I used the name of Jesus regularly I could have victory over all my circumstances in life... If I used his name properly.
Ok, there are a lot of "ifs" out there with regard to Bible teaching. Lots of them. But I'm talking about "The Big If". Here is the big one. "Jesus has won victory over death and Satan, and his victory is yours, if you believe and repent of your sin".
There it is. And what's more, people... Christians believe this schlock. They buy it hook line and sinker. Yes, the Bible does have passages where, when someone is confronted with their sin, they ask "what shall I do". Yes, the answer that is given often times is "believe the Gospel". Yes, people do regularly think that they somehow drum up faith within themselves. But that last thing about drumming up faith inside yourself?

There's a part of you that hates that.
But it loves "The Big If". It loves The Big If because that kind of teaching holds out the possibility that you can somehow contribute to Jesus' work. You don't want to receive all the benefits of Christ as a gift, but you'd rather earn it. The Big If leaves room for your works to somehow impress God. It leaves room for a Holy Spirit driven work that you did can be more lovely in God's sight instead of Jesus' works. It leaves room for improvement of self by self motivation.

I know all of you love "The Big If". You do. You love to go out and buy books like "Purpose Driven Life", or listen to Beth Moore teach you how to get rid of your insecurities. It's because we all think too highly of ourselves. We think highly of ourselves by thinking that we're ambulatory; able to move around as we please under our own power spiritually. What we don't perceive is that this is a dream. It's a dream where we can get up and move around and do spiritual stuff under our own power. What we don't realize is that we're lying on a gurney in a hospital ward, in triage, waiting for our physician to come administer to us the needed medical procedures and medicines that will keep us from dying...
I'm talking to YOU dear Christian. Where before you were spiritually dead, and now you've been raised to life, you are still not ambulatory. You are still crippled. You still have sin in you. You are still at times hateful to God. You are hateful to God in the same way a patient is hateful to their physician when he or she tells them the prognosis. You still can't move. You're paralyzed and can only speak. You want to move, but you can't. The prognosis hits your ears and you start thinking about what you can do, but it's to no avail. Your situation is hopeless. But you refuse to admit it.
Now, imagine a doctor saying to you, "this medicine will keep you alive, IF"... If what? If the medicine works? What could the IF possibly be? Do you feel like you're going to live when the doctor himself isn't even sure that it will help? You might live? You might die? This is how the Gospel is presented to you, week after week, bad sermon after bad sermon. Because it makes worldly sense that you should be adding some work of your own to the work Jesus has already completed on the cross, you believe a mixed up Gospel with all your heart never realizing how hopeless your situation really is. You are told, literally, "physician, heal thyself".

No "ifs", "ands", or "buts".
"But what do I do?" You ask?
Stop squirming.
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