What is reformed faith?

It is a difficult question to answer, because “reformed faith” means different thing to different people today. The scenario is like a few blind men are asked to explain what an elephant is after they have each got a feel of the animal with their hands. Some would say that reformed faith is a better alternative to evangelical belief. It has nothing in common with the “charismatic teaching”, and this has led some to regard it as narrow and anti Holy Spirit. Some say it is just another denomination, since there are Methodist, Anglicans, Lutheran, Assembly of God, and Gospel Chapel, and so there is the Reformed Church. Some would associate it with the 16^th century Reformation. The Reformed Baptist, in particular would refer to the 1689 Baptist Confession of faith as the authority of their faith.

Prior to answering the question, it is necessary to make a distinction between Reformation and Reformed faith. They are not identical though related. They represent two entirely different developments that belong to two different periods in church history. First of all, the Reformation is also known as Protestantism. It was a sociological, ecclesiastical, and political movement. It began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regard to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology. The movement was held together by a common desire in denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the  principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth. These tenacious principles eventually became the core belief of more than 30,000 strong protestant followers throughout Europe. These followers, while holding on to this core belief, disagreed with one another on various other doctrinal issues as soon as the movement gained momentum in breaking away from the papal authority.

Then, Reformed faith was believably referring to the core belief of this movement. When the movement was divided by doctrinal dispute, the definition of “reformed faith” soon faded into the chaotic background. Later the name was once again being revived and associated with the teaching of Calvin and Zwingli during the time of the English Puritan in the 17^th century. This time around, the Puritan did not fight against the papal authority, but instead they fought hard to free themselves from the powerful hand of the Anglican authority. While the Reformers sought to deny the papal authority, the Puritan resorted to push for changes from within the Anglican Church. Some left the Anglican fold to pursue a greater freedom. The Puritan saw a greater need to minister to the inner man rather than the political situation. They produced a “pastoral theology” to minister to the spiritual need among the likeminded believers. This association was later confined more to Calvinism in the 18^th century, especially during the time of Methodist Evangelical revival that was under the leadership of George Whitefield and the Wesley brothers.

Reformed faith found its way into Malaysia in the early 20^th century or might be earlier and was commonly known as Calvinism. It was shared by some believers across various denominations. We can trace the influence of Calvinism on Christian thinking in Malaysia from various sources. One of them was the overseas students and Bible students who came home with their Christian learning.  Another one of them would be the Presbyterian Church. Reformed faith did not leave a good impression among the Christian community. The first Reformed Baptist congregation in Malaysia was pioneered by a group overseas student who returned from England, in the later part of 20^th century. This new church was supportive of Calvinism. The negative impression about reformed faith has not improved with the establishment of the first Reformed Baptist congregation.

What is reformed faith? Is it all about conforming to a doctrine that is known as “Calvinism”? Judging from the two periods of the Reformation and the struggle of the Puritan, reformed faith did not appear to be hanging on Calvinism alone. Indeed Calvin had contributed quite a fair share in shaping the movement, but he was not the only one to do that. His teaching was part of the whole movement. “Calvinism” was not the only banner the reformers carried. They were promoting something much larger than Calvinism. They were promoting the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were pursuing the freedom of worship as granted by the gospel. To these believers the gospel was far more important and much larger than just one shade of doctrine.

Only very few would equate reformed faith with Calvinism today. Under the close scrutiny of the Bible study, “Calvinism” has been proven “outdated” as a philosophy, and inaccurate as a piece of theology according to the standard of the gospel.  Moreover, Reformed Baptist believers would not be able to agree 100% with “Calvinism”. Reformed Baptist believers would disagree with Calvinism on the interpretation of the presbytery. Reformed Baptist believers would also find it hard to accept its idea of a “national church”. An acceptance of Calvinism minus any part that is regarded not suitable for present day application would result in an adapted version of Calvinism. An adapted version of Calvinism is no Calvinism.  If the Reformed Baptists can only accept an adapted version of Calvinism, then reformed faith cannot be equated with Calvinism.

There is a need to redefine reformed faith and to distant it away from any thinking that is narrow and does not reflect clearly the gospel of Christ Jesus. It is urgent that close examination should be carried out on every tenet that claims to represent reformed faith. Attention must be given to careful study of the Bible just as the reformers had worked out their philosophy from the Bible to challenge the papal authority. Reformed faith was a faith in Christ Jesus that brought changes into Europe. Can reformed faith give the world the same magic today?

We can now safely conclude that reformed faith is all about the gospel of Christ Jesus and never about Calvin, nor Luther, nor Zwingli. Reformed faith is for careful study of the Bible, and not for lip servicing the slogan that the Bible is the final authority of our belief and practice. Reformed faith is ultimately for radical change according to the demand of the gospel. Reformed faith would not be complete without the “reformed gut”. The good faith was there in the Bible, but without someone who was courageous enough to champion it, it would remain mere words. God had raised a generation of Christians who were courageous enough to do that. These Christians could, in no uncertain terms, said to one another, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also. The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever”.