[Re]oriented Design

I’m going to Next. You should too…

TIME has published a “10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now” list for the year 2009. The interesting thing is that among businesses, jobs, and reworking the infrastructure of our country, “The New Calvinism” ranks third in what’s changing our world.

What makes the ideas found in New Calvinism so powerful? Why is it different?  Essentially, Reformed theology is spreading because the focus is the gospel, the power of God to save. We want to see God save people, thsu New Calvinism is missional in nature.  Where in the past, Christians withdrew from the world, New Calvinism is invading it. Yet, New Calvinism holds fast to scripture, the most important thing we have on this earth. The message is simple, the doctrine steady, the focus is love through Christ.

It is interesting that this has become a sort of fad in our culture.  So much so that a secular magazine would declare it the 3rd most influential idea in our world. Here are some really interesting articles to read:

3. The New Calvinism – 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now

Time Magazine Names New Calvinism 3rd Most Powerful Idea

More Thoughts on Time Magazine and New Calvinism

I was thinking about one of my favorite quotes yesterday. And it’s interesting because my church is currently going through a 1st Corinthians series, where Paul explains that God uses those who are weak, poor, and bad communicators to demonstrate the power of the Spirit. In most instances He doesn’t use the eloquent, but the one who offers nothing. For the past three weeks, I have become increasingly aware of my need for grace, which is cool. I am sure we have all come to many points in our Christian lives where we say, “Wow, why in the world did God save me? I’m useless.” And if you haven’t thought something like that, I bet you’re not thinking hard enough.

But the coolest part of all this, is that all things are redeemed through Christ. As Romans 8 says, “…all things work together for good.” All things, through Christ, will not be able to thwart God’s will, so rest. This mindset has to produce hope in Christ and God’s supreme sovereignty, if it doesn’t, perhaps we aren’t looking to the cross for our hope. And that is where this quote comes into play. The quote is from John Owen’s “Communion With God.”

“For our salvation, all fulness was communicated to Christ, ‘for it pleased the Father that in him all the fulness should dwell’ (Col. 1:19). And Christ did not receive the ‘Spirit by measure’ (John 3:34). So from this fulness, Christ is all-sufficient to supply all the needs of his people (John 1:16). Had the Spirit been given to Christ by measure, we would soon have exhausted all his supplies. So because of his fulness, Christ has all sufficiency in himself to be to the soul all that the soul desires. Is the soul dead? Christ is its life. Is the soul weak? Christ is its strength. Is the soul ignorant? Christ is its wisdom. Is the soul guilty? Christ is its righteousness and justification.”
[John Owen - Communion With God]

I specifically love the questions and answers given by Owen at the end of that quote. Am I weak? Yes, but Christ is my strength. Am I ignorant? Oh yeah, but Christ can give me wisdom. Is my soul guilty? Yes it is, of cosmic treason against the creator of the universe. Yet, Christ is my righteousness and justification, and on the day I stand before God, He will welcome me as his adopted son. So, in light of these things, my hope doesn’t rest in anything but Christ. I don’t trust myself, but I trust God’s sovereignty and His grace.