thomas
Gum Chewer
Simply looking for info about the PRC
Posts: 11 
|
Post by thomas on May 23, 2018 21:34:04 GMT
Now it is four days ago, that I signed up here to learn about the Protestant Reformed Church (PRC). I am really shocked by the things I learn here (I had no idea, that it could be that bad), but at the same time it also seems to me, that there in some of the info is a pattern, that I recognize.
I want to hear, what you think? But before explaining the pattern, let me just give you some brief info about my background.
I have only been a Christian for a few years. I did however grow up in a Lutheran/Arminian environment and did also get involved in some Charismatic churches. Later I left it all and considered myself an atheist, until I in the beginning of 2011 by “accident” came across the late RC Sproul’s teaching at the internet. I understood my sinfulness and that I never had been a true seeker of God, and started at the Ligonier website to learn Christianity from scratch.
There are still many things I do not know, and I am also not very familiar with the various branches of reformed Christianity. (Where I live reformed Churches are very rare.)
But now to the pattern. It may at first seem like a strange statement, but it looks to me, like there (besides obvious differences also) is some similarity between the PRC and the Pentecostal Movement. Apart from children born into the Church, they both try to get their new members from other Churches.
Both have some special doctrines, that indirectly promises new members blessings, if they will move from their current denomination.
The Pentecostals may talk about rebaptism (believers baptism) as a good act of obedience, about having the full Gospel and about not resisting the Spirit. And by this way of talking, they in a subtle way imply, that Churches with a different theology have unworthy motives for the deviation (disobedience, not wanting the full Gospel and resisting the Spirit). And this then implies, that if a person is switching to the Pentecostals, then he will be encouraged to be more obedient, get the full Gospel and be more motivated not to resist the Spirit. And hence by switching, a person will get a better and more blessed and satisfying spiritual life.
From what I learn here at the site, the PRC also has some very special doctrines that functions in a similar way. For example, by saying that a congregation will be under the wrath of God, if remarried persons are taking part in the Lord’s supper, then the PRC is implying, that other congregations are under the wrath of God. And then this also is a promise to new people, that if they will switch, then they will get a Church, that’s not under the wrath of God. (And something similar could probably also be said for psalmody, or about resisting the snare of Common Grace.)
So it seems to me, that both the Pentecostals and the PRC, in their respective segments of the Church world, are trying to position themselves as the better alternative for those wanting to become “real” Christians.
What do you think? Does this observation sound right to you?
If it is true, then both have a problem with the Apostles Creed. It says that we believe in one Holy and General (Catholic in the original meaning of the word) Church. Christians do not believe in special Churches for those wanting to become spiritual super heroes.
|
|
|
|
Post by soldierofChrist on May 24, 2018 6:59:35 GMT
Welcome thomas!! I appreciate your post. Yes there are those odd similarities as you say but this is sadly something that many do. And that is why we need to be clear: we want people to come to Christ! And I say that about Christians as well! No. not to be saved again or something strange but to come to Him and abide in Him and we do that first and foremost by humble dependence on His word and in prayer and being able to say not my will but Yours be done:) That IS so freeing! Do not get caught up in all of the ins and outs of this and that thing about PRCA. They do have orthodox teachings. I do not deny that. BUT their greatest hindrance is their reliance on on logic. Funny you should speak of similarities! JW's do the same thing. You don't really need to know much about PRCA. When you go to the root of the problem, yes it is logic and that is the way they approach Scripture. They say well there is an elect and a non elect. True so far. There problem is that they then introduce logic and say T H E R E F O R E whatever the Bible says about the non elect it can NOT possibly mean that God has any kind of good toward them rather they will say that in every possible way God totally hates them! And this IS the reason why they have come into existence.... oh their history books record worldliness in the Ref Ch of America and then worldliness in the CRC with such things as union membership, going to ANY movie and even oh boy situations where some churches within CRC were NOT preaching from the Heidlburg Cat.! Sorry but that is too much. Oh there's more! They have the audacity to say that they derive their position from the Scriptures! Right! Okay! So preaching from a man made document however good it might be is DIRECTED and authorised by Scripture?  Never! Sorry I am getting upset. Such folly is hard to believe yet they lay aside the Word of God which God has ordained for this document! Incredible! But this is foundational to them. Would hate to hear them witnessing to the lost. I mean what would it be like? Be a Berean thomas: and that, always:) May God bless you. |
|
rodney
Nursery Attendant
Posts: 31
|
Post by rodney on May 24, 2018 7:34:46 GMT
IMHO, it isn't the use of logic which makes PRC a besieged city, it is rather an excessive reliance upon the creeds and their own much revered Dutch Reformed tradition. They also tend to dwell too much upon their past and present battles with CRC and fractions within. Everything tends to be viewed through the prism of the common grace debate or covenant controversy.
|
|
rodney
Nursery Attendant
Posts: 31
|
Post by rodney on May 24, 2018 7:37:46 GMT
Making preaching from the HC into a law in Israel is a breach of the RPW, ultimately.
|
|
|
|
Post by freefromprc on May 24, 2018 19:03:36 GMT
IMHO, it isn't the use of logic which makes PRC a besieged city, it is rather an excessive reliance upon the creeds and their own much revered Dutch Reformed tradition. They also tend to dwell too much upon their past and present battles with CRC and fractions within. Everything tends to be viewed through the prism of the common grace debate or covenant controversy. They are so proud of their heritage, but they stalled in their development and they are now stagnant, and are doing everything in their power to keep their children in this oppressed stagnant condition. |
|
thomas
Gum Chewer
Simply looking for info about the PRC
Posts: 11
|
Post by thomas on May 25, 2018 17:09:08 GMT
.... but to come to Him and abide in Him and we do that first and foremost by humble dependence on His word and in prayer and being able to say not my will but Yours be done:) That IS so freeing! I totally agree, but it is nevertheless also something I often need to be reminded of. I think I understand, what you are saying, Soldier. In my view, logic is however in and of itself not false. But I think there is a false use of logic, where a person may think, that he based on a very limited amount of understanding and information somehow by the use of logic is able to figure out the rest. In order to illustrate what I mean, my example would be the hyper calvininst who reasons, that since the non elect cannot be saved, then it is wrong to preach the Gospel to them, because that could give them a false hope. (I am aware that this is NOT what the PRC is saying.) But in that line of reasoning there are a lot of unspoken assumptions about the reasons we should preach, how God uses means, what right treatment of the non elect looks like etc. But if this hyper calvinist insists, that his reasoning is pure logic based on solid biblical information about the destiny of the non elect, then he will force the rest of the bible to fit his current understanding. And then he will never learn anything new. It seems to me, that it is this kind of false logic, your are talking about in the PRC. Would that be right, or have I misunderstood you? |
|
thomas
Gum Chewer
Simply looking for info about the PRC
Posts: 11
|
Post by thomas on May 25, 2018 17:24:42 GMT
Thanks for link. It is hilarious, but of course also very sad. |
|
rodney
Nursery Attendant
Posts: 31
|
Post by rodney on May 25, 2018 18:25:42 GMT
"Throughout history God has preserved both his church and the truth of his word, and has helped them to grow. He used the wicked men of this world to force his church to battle for the truth, and thereby to grow in their doctrinal understanding of God’s word. Through these battles, God has rooted out those who claim to be his people, but are not willing to fight for the truth, and has kept his church pure. By this means we have today what is the clearest and purest manifestation of the truth the world has ever known, that is, the Protestant Reformed Churches. We are immensely blessed of God that he has chosen us to be his people, and has worked through our ancestors to bring us all here where we are today. To be able to hear the unadulterated truth of God’s word is a wonderful thing that we so often take for granted. Praise be to God for this great blessing, and may we strive to live a life of thanksgiving before him"
Boy, are they not a little too big for their breeches! Clearest and purest too big for their breeches!
|
|
|
|
Post by gratefullyfree on May 25, 2018 19:49:40 GMT
"By this means we have today what is the clearest and purest manifestation of the truth the world has ever known, that is, the Protestant Reformed Churches."
Wow, unbelievable. That's quite a sales pitch! How special those 8000 people, including children, must feel to be the chosen ones. 8000 out of over 7 billion people are the only ones with this clear and pure manifestation of the truth. Really? It makes me a little nauseous remembering the piety present during and after every service, as evidenced by this quote.
|
|
|
|
Post by soldierofChrist on May 25, 2018 21:38:56 GMT
This comment goes against our rules of conduct set up in the Narthex. Please adhere to these rules.
Thank you.
The Admin Team
|
|
|
|
Post by freefromprc on May 26, 2018 14:00:07 GMT
"By this means we have today what is the clearest and purest manifestation of the truth the world has ever known, that is, the Protestant Reformed Churches." Wow, unbelievable. That's quite a sales pitch! How special those 8000 people, including children, must feel to be the chosen ones. 8000 out of over 7 billion people are the only ones with this clear and pure manifestation of the truth. Really? It makes me a little nauseous remembering the piety present during and after every service, as evidenced by this quote. So arrogant! Is that from the Beacon lights? This is what they are telling the kids? Awful. |
|
|
|
Post by gratefullyfree on May 26, 2018 18:04:11 GMT
"By this means we have today what is the clearest and purest manifestation of the truth the world has ever known, that is, the Protestant Reformed Churches." Wow, unbelievable. That's quite a sales pitch! How special those 8000 people, including children, must feel to be the chosen ones. 8000 out of over 7 billion people are the only ones with this clear and pure manifestation of the truth. Really? It makes me a little nauseous remembering the piety present during and after every service, as evidenced by this quote. So arrogant! Is that from the Beacon lights? This is what they are telling the kids? Awful. Yes, from Beacon Lights in 2012, from thespectators link. Get 'em indoctrinated while they're young.... |
|
|
|
Post by btrlatethnnver on Aug 5, 2018 4:26:19 GMT
IMHO, it isn't the use of logic which makes PRC a besieged city, it is rather an excessive reliance upon the creeds and their own much revered Dutch Reformed tradition. They also tend to dwell too much upon their past and present battles with CRC and fractions within. Everything tends to be viewed through the prism of the common grace debate or covenant controversy. It is necessary for them to rely on the past conflict in order to justify the schisms continuation and their continued existence as a denomination |
|
|
|
Post by freefromprc on Aug 16, 2018 17:45:09 GMT
IMHO, it isn't the use of logic which makes PRC a besieged city, it is rather an excessive reliance upon the creeds and their own much revered Dutch Reformed tradition. They also tend to dwell too much upon their past and present battles with CRC and fractions within. Everything tends to be viewed through the prism of the common grace debate or covenant controversy. It is necessary for them to rely on the past conflict in order to justify the schisms continuation and their continued existence as a denomination The PRC thrives on controversy |
|
|
|
Post by throwaway2018 on Aug 16, 2018 20:15:22 GMT
It is necessary for them to rely on the past conflict in order to justify the schisms continuation and their continued existence as a denomination The PRC thrives on controversy It's great fuel for a persecution complex. It's a fantastic way for them to both victimize themselves and display their "high and mighty" attitudes they have towards other religious people. |
|
Never! Sorry I am getting upset. Such folly is hard to believe yet they lay aside the Word of God which God has ordained for this document! Incredible! But this is foundational to them. Would hate to hear them witnessing to the lost. I mean what would it be like? 
