What Does It Mean to Be “Reformed”?
When we refer to the “Reformed Faith,” the question may
quite properly be asked, “What does this mean?” Historically, the term comes
from the Reformation. The Reformers looked upon themselves as returning to the
Bible, and they described their faith as reformed according to the Word. They
taught that the church should always be reforming itself to conform more and
more to the Word with each generation.
This is a far cry from the modern idea that a church to be
Reformed must simply be constantly be reforming itself, without any definite
standard by which the reform is to be made. “Neo-orthodoxy” substitutes the
subjective standard of man’s concept of the “Word” meaning their concept of
Christ in place of the objective written Word found in the Scriptures.
The orthodox position has always maintained that Christ,
the Incarnate Word, has given to us through His Holy Spirit the written Word of
the Scriptures as the objective revelation of His guide for us in matters both
of faith and practice. It is this commitment to the Bible as the only infallible
rule of faith and practice that is the foundation principle of the Reformed
faith.
This has not always been understood. Some have wanted to
assert the principle of the sovereignty of God or predestination as the founding
principle of Reformed theology. These doctrines are found in Scripture, and are
therefore stressed by those who believe in Reformed theology. They do not
constitute the basic principle of the Reformed faith, however. The Reformed
Christian accepts the Bible as the authoritative work of God, the only rule of
faith and practice. He submits to this authority, and endeavors to be true to
the Scripture in all matters of his faith and life.
Though all evangelical branches of the Christian Church
acknowledge the Bible as God’s Word, it has been in Reformed theology that we
find the most consistent outworking of this principle of submission to its
absolute authority. The essence of this submission is to speak where the Bible
speaks and to be silent where the Bible is silent. This means that the Reformed
Christian will believe whatever the Bible says. He is not to place his reason
above the Bible, but to submit it to God’s revelation.
When it is understood that the principle of Reformed
theology is ultimately to let the Bible be the only rule for both faith and
life, then one can see how Reformed Christianity has been described as
“Christianity come into its own.” In a sense, any form of Christianity that
conforms to the Scripture is Reformed. Any failure in either faith or practice
is a failure to be a Christian, a failure to be reformed by the Word. To be
Reformed then is to be biblical in the fullest sense of the word.
[Note: “Reformed” is a synonym for “Presbyterian.”
“Reformed” tends to be used with regard to theology; “Presbyterian” tend to be
used with regard to the polity or organization of the church.]
Prof. Morton H. Smith.
Adapted from an article published in the Spring 1973 issue of Reformed
Theological Seminary newsletter.
First
Presbyterian Church, Lake
Jackson
