The first thing I
ask is that people should not make use of my name, and should not call
themselves Lutherans but Christians. What is
Luther? The teaching is not mine. Nor was I
crucified for anyone...How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come
to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?
Martin
Luther
Yes, same for using the title "Calvinist". We should be careful how we use it. Its not the man (who is still in his flesh) that gives us these teachings, it is Christ. I would rather use Christian (a name that points directly to Christ) as my title than the name of a man.
ReplyDeleteYes, 'Calvinist' isn't the best term...it also scares some people away because all that they can think of when they hear that term is "ELECTION". Some people call the 'five points' the "doctrines of grace", but we normally call ourselves 'Christian' or "biblicist"(to be more pointed) or even baptist(to differentiate from other Christian denominations). Perhaps we might say, "I am a Baptistic Biblicist". But that would probably be too odd... :)
DeleteNot too odd...its direct and well, the truth. But I would rather say Christian or an adopted child of God...if that doesn't sound too Charismatic. ;)
DeleteUncle Rick was telling me yesterday that in the early days of Christian history Christians were called "Atheists" because they did not believe in the numerous Pagan gods of the day. Whatever we're called, we want our lives to be Christ-like as the Apostles addressed that in their letters more than what our title should be.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I've been called an athiest many times (by people who don't know what they're talking about)...but not for that reason. :)
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