Theological Snobbery

I was a bodybuilder in high school. Granted, I was not some muscle bound freak of nature. In fact, I was quite skinny. But in every sense of the word, I lived the bodybuilding lifestyle. I trained religiously everyday in the weight room for hours on end. I consumed a diet of high calories and protein, and very little fat, sugar, or carbohydrates. I even competed in a small bodybuilding competition my freshman year in high school. I was a bodybuilder in every sense of the word. The only problem was that I did not fit in with the majority of other bodybuilders that I knew in the gym where I worked out.

There were a few things that bodybuilders did that I did not do. And these things that I did not do separated me from the others. Most of the bodybuilders in my gym at that time took anabolic steroids. This helped them make huge muscle gains and they looked the part of a bodybuilder. I on the other hand was lean and very low in body fat, but I was small compared to them. And because of that, although I was a bodybuilder, I was not viewed as a bodybuilder by some.

When it comes to my theological leanings, I am reformed. I believe fully in the sovereignty of God in all areas, including salvation. I believe in the five points of Calvinism. I believe that salvation is not a mere human decision, but a supernatural transformation wherein God literally makes a person into a new creation. I believe in the five solas of the reformation. And I confidently affirm the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith. These are all tenants of the reformed faith.

However, as I have gotten older, I have come to see that much like my bodybuilding venture, I don’t check all of the boxes and fit in with many others who would call themselves reformed. It seems that a great many in the reformed community have added other criteria that one must adopt in order to call themselves reformed.

When I was newly reformed in my theology, I embraced many of these check marks that I will mention. But over time, I began to ask myself why. For example, many preachers feel that in order to be truly reformed, we must do away with any kind of age segregation in the church. Meaning that there are no youth groups and young children should always be with their parents in the main worship service.

Ive met some preachers who will proudly tell others that they do not believe in youth group and that their children do not go to children’s church, but sit in the main service. Its almost like a boasting right or badge of honor. And let me say that by no means am I saying that children should not ever be in the main worship service. But to mandate that in order for them to learn they must be in the main service is an over reach.

The real question we must ask is, “Are the children learning and growing in their faith?” Some genuinely may be, and praise the Lord. But many times very young children who are forced to sit in the main worship service every Sunday instead of going to a children’s church hour are not paying any attention to the preacher. And many times, its because the preacher is more concerned about being viewed as some great theological giant than he is actually relating and applying the Word of God to those whom he preaches to.

It is a fine thing for families to worship together in corporate worship. But it is also not a sin for families to allow their children to attend a class designed for their age group with peers of their own.

There seems to be what I call a theological snobbery within many reformed circles. To be truly reformed, you must do church a certain way, the puritans must be your favorite choice of books, and the preachers that you listen to must all be Calvinistic. You must attend all of the right conferences and have all the right theological leanings on secondary issues of the faith. And if you do not do these things, then you are viewed not truly being reformed.

One of my favorite preachers is Leonard Ravenhill. And he did not have a Calvinistic bone in his body. But that man preached more truth than some of the more famous modern day Calvinist preachers that I hear today. We give our eight year old daughter the option of sitting in big church or going to children’s church each Sunday. Sometimes she wants to sit in the service. And other times she wants to go to children’s church. And I can tell you that every time she goes to children’s church, she comes home talking about what she learned from scripture.

Im not saying that there is anything wrong with churches who decide not to have a youth group or children’s programs. If that is what works for your church, and disciples are being made, then praise the Lord. But on the other hand, we need to be careful about pointing a chastising finger at churches who do utilize children’s church or youth group. If that is what is working to bring their people to Christ, then to God be the glory. There is no where in scripture that tells us exactly how these things should be. The true test is the spiritual growth of those in the church.

The pharisees were really good at patting themselves on the back for their high knowledge of the scriptures and they often criticized and looked down upon others who would not abide by their man made rules. We must be very careful not to become modern day pharisees in our reformed circles. And I do not say this as an accusation. As I said opening up, I am reformed. And I am just as much prone to puff up with pride. I have to diligently guard my own heart daily.

Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that knowledge puffs up a man. Now as Christians we are to pursue knowledge and wisdom from scripture. But in this pursuit, we can easily become puffed up and wise in our own eyes. We can easily start to believe that our way is right, and everyone else is wrong.

I am reformed. But I am no longer concerned about being accepted by or conformed to what many believe it means to be reformed. In fact, I never tell people that I am reformed or Calvinistic unless they ask me. Because those words do more harm than good to those who are not of those belief systems. My greatest aim is not to check all of the modern day boxes of what it means to be reformed. Rather, I want to be biblical. And I want to meet people where they are and see them come to know the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

There was a time when I tried to check all of the boxes in regards to being reformed. But the older I get, I no longer care what other men or even preachers think of me. I only want to be pleasing to the Lord, and to be used by Him to shepherd His people to know Him. I am still prone to stump my toe on the rock of theological snobbery. All of us are. But in those weak moments, I am reminded that He must become more, and I must become less. When it comes to church, do not design your programs to fit neatly into what the majority do within a theological circle. Do what is best for your people to grow in their sanctification and in the grace of Christ.