The Best of 2009: Peter Masters, “The Ministry of Warning is Killed Off”
Dear Guests of IDOTG:
If I had to choose just three articles and/or series from 2009 as the standouts today’s offering would be among those Top 3. In June 2009 I contacted Dr. Peter Masters to ask for and I received his permission to reproduce his article, The Merger of Calvinism with Worldliness.
The truth and potency of Dr. Peter Master’s Merger of Calvinism with Worldliness was not well appreciated by the Calvinists in the so-called “conservative” evangelical camp, where the heart of the controversy which he addresses lies. His article was also under-appreciated by Calvinists in the Fundamentalist community. Many in both camps elected to negate, ignore or dismiss his polemic.
The truth is that the “new” Calvinism is, as Masters noted, becoming increasingly indifferent toward, “authentic spiritual faithfulness, worship and piety.” The “new Calvinists,” furthermore, do not want or accept legitimate criticism nor do they want to be confronted with what they are becoming even when it comes from one of their own whose reputation is highly regarded. Doctrines and/or practices under assault by the “new Calvinists” include:
- Personal Sanctification
- God-Honoring Worship Music
- Young Earth Creationism
- Cessation of the Charismatic Sign Gifts
- Biblical Separation
The “new Calvinism” through its star personalities (Piper, MacArthur, Driscoll, Mahaney, Duncan, Mohler, Dever, Lawson) and their conferences (T4G, Gospel Coalition, Resolved, Passion, Desiring God) is moving believers in a direction away from authentic fidelity to the Scriptures on several levels, which Masters details. Masters is blunt on these things.The new Calvinism is not a resurgence but an entirely novel formula which strips the doctrine of its historic practice, and unites it with the world.
Why have the leading preachers servicing this movement compromised so readily? They have not been threatened by a Soviet regime. No one has held a gun to their heads. This is a shameful capitulation, and we must earnestly pray that what they have encouraged will not take over Calvinism and ruin a generation of reachable Christian young people.
A final sad spectacle reported with enthusiasm in the book is the Together for the Gospel conference, running from 2006. A more adult affair convened by respected Calvinists, this nevertheless brings together cessationists and non-cessationists, traditional and contemporary worship exponents, and while maintaining sound preaching, it conditions all who attend to relax on these controversial matters, and learn to accept every point of view. In other words, the ministry of warning is killed off, so that every error of the new scene may race ahead unchecked. These are tragic days for authentic spiritual faithfulness, worship and piety.
Please proceed to The Merger of Calvinism with Worldliness for Dr. Peter Masters complete “ministry of warning.”
LM
Editor’s Notes:
Exiled Preacher blog host Guy Davies published an interview with Phil Johnson (senior editor to John MacArthur). I posted a comment the the discussion thread in recation to a statement made by Johnson. Phil’s comment was ironically similar to a portion of the excerpt from Masters’s article above. Please continue to the thread below or this link for my commentary at the Exiled Preacher blog.
Later this year I will reproduce Masters’s article in its entirety once we get closer to the prime instigators of the “new Calvinism” annual event, namely- Together for the Gospel (T4G).
You may view Dr. Masters original article at The Sword & Trowel
Interesting and telling interview. I appreciated much of it.
ReplyDeleteI’d like to share and comment on one statement from Phil Johnson. Near the conclusion of the interview he stated,
“Christianity Today magazine—have been tearing down evangelical boundaries instead of guarding them. Consequently, a host of dangerous influences have infiltrated the evangelical movement and people in the pews don’t see the danger, because it’s considered impolite to be critical of a fellow ‘evangelical’.”
The portion in bold, in particular, is nearly a mirror image of what Peter Masters wrote in his article, The Merger of Calvinism with Worldliness.
Masters wrote, “ The new Calvinism is not a resurgence but an entirely novel formula which strips the doctrine of its historic practice, and unites it with the world…. A final sad spectacle reported with enthusiasm in the book (Hansen’s) is the Together for the Gospel conference, running from 2006. A more adult affair convened by respected Calvinists, this nevertheless brings together cessationists and non-cessationists, traditional and contemporary worship exponents, and while maintaining sound preaching, it conditions all who attend to relax on these controversial matters, and learn to accept every point of view. In other words, the ministry of warning is killed off, so that every -error of the new scene may race ahead unchecked. These are tragic days for authentic spiritual faithfulness, worship and piety.”
I’m wondering when men like Phil Johnson and John MacArthur who “see the danger” are going to openly criticize and biblically resist the propagation of the charismatic sign gifts by their fellow T4G “conservative” evangelicals C. J. Mahaney and John Piper.
Of course the danger of ecumenism is infiltrating the evangelical community with Al Mohler and Ligon Duncan signing the Manhattan Declaration. This is another of the “dangerous influences (that) have infiltrated the evangelical movement.”
LM
Lou,
ReplyDeletePhil has been outspoken about many of the calvinists you would like him to be outspoken about--re: Driscoll. Maybe he hasn't done so on others because you are already doing the speaking?
I find it interesting as you do this work here, how you want so many others to do the warning that you are attempting to do.
Seriously, why should they have to? Do they honestly owe any of us some sort of watchman ministry other than warning the congregations where they have influence or are shepherds?
And, when they fail to warn, or warn to your satisfaction, the implicit sense from your words is that they are somehow in error themselves.
Sam Hendrickson
Sam:
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and expressing your concerns. I agree that Phil and MacArthur have been outspoken on certain issues. I have commended MacArthur several times for speaking on issues that need to be dealt with. Frankly, MacArthur is more outspoken on various issues than most Calvinist men in Fundamentalism have been.
The problem is that they and nearly every so-called “conservative” evangelical as well as a growing number of IFB men are inconsistent. They may raise objections to various disconcerting issues, but they will fellowship with and promote these men as if nothing is amiss.
The Scriptures mandate what Masters called the “ministry of warning.” You ask why they should have to warn; because the Bible says so (Rom. 16:17).
What I do is irrelevant, what the Lord demands is paramount. What I want is what every believer should want and that is absolute fidelity to the Word of God including the God given mandates for separation from unbelievers…. To admonish and withdraw (2 Thess. 3) from believers who choose to hobnob with the “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil. 3:18) in any kind of cooperative effort… Who propagate “contrary” doctrines such as the charismatic sign gifts.
There is no subjective decision to make. We are obligate to obey the Scriptures. Failure or refusal to obey is to disobey the Lord and that lands them in error.
May I suggest you read the Masters article again, even the excerpt I cited above. He is as blunt on the issue as I have ever been. I encourage you to interact with what Masters has to say about the current state of affairs among the young, restless and reformed.
Yours in Him,
LM
Sam:
ReplyDeleteOne more thought. You wrote, “Do they honestly owe any of us some sort of watchman ministry other than warning the congregations where they have influence or are shepherds?”
These men have public ministries that reach out well-beyond their local church. They interact with and actively influence people (in print and on the Internet) they will never personally meet. So, yes- I do believe they have a responsibility to warn people, as watchmen, outside their own inner-circle of influence.
LM