Calvin And Who?

I got to meet the new Mormon missionaries yesterday. Nice couple of guys that work hard at trying to get a good home cooked meal. Hopefully they will be eating some of my wife's good cooking before they go in a couple of weeks.

I know, you're thinking, "Why?" Well, I try to witness to anyone and everyone, that includes Mormon missionaries too. I recognize the fact that they are steeped in Mormon theology, and it would take years to make any real progress. But in the short time that the Good Lord gives to me, I will do what John Quincy Adams said, "Duty is mine, results belong to God."

I have been noticing something more troubling over the last couple of years. Since I am not a scholar I don't know if my observations are correct, but it seems to me that Evanjellycals are on the road back to Rome. I don't mean that we are all becoming Roman Catholics. But we seem to be going back to the view of man that Rome believes.

Notice who is in this picture.


Joseph Smith is on the left, T.D. Jakes in the middle and John Calvin on the right. Now what do the first two have to do with John Calvin? You guessed it. Nothing! Yet they are together in a picture coming out in the next CRI Journal. The first two are false teachers. Calvin is one of the greatest theologians of the Reformation.

So when these three are put together it sure makes one wonder what in the world CRI is doing. Joseph Smith's view of man is that he just needs some direction. TD Jakes is a Oneness Pentecostal. His view of man isn't much different from Mormons.

The Reformation hinged on the belief that men are dead in sins and trespasses. Calvin most certainly believed this. Calvin did not believe that men just needed a little help from above. Calvin believed that if God did not choose to save us and raise us from spiritual death to spiritual life, we would never desire the true God.

Notice what Smith taught. That God was once a man who was exalted to Godhood. In other words, God is just one of a myriad of gods. Poly-Theism. This leads to the idea that men just need to be pointed in the right direction. The atoning work of Christ doesn't actually save anyone unless that man chooses to obey God's commands perfectly.

Jakes believes that God is one person who disguises himself as Father in creation, Son in redemption and Spirit in regeneration (Modalism). So that when Jesus is praying to the Father, He is actually praying to Himself. And again, the atoning work of Christ does what? Make salvation possible?

John Calvin believed in the Trinity and in the Biblical doctrine of election. He believed that Jesus actually died to save sinners. That Jesus' death, burial and Resurrection actually accomplished this. The reason being, man is dead. Man does not need a guy to show the way. Man needs salvation from his evil deeds and desires.

It is commendable that CRI has taken a firm stand against Open-Theism, Mormonism and Oneness Pentecostalism, but their reasoning is inconsistent and is leading them to take a harder position against reformed theology. Over the years, I have let my subscription drop. Although I am not sure what the particular article is about, I just can't understand why CRI is wanting to undermine the foundation laid so long ago.