I get asked frequently, am I reformed? Is this author reformed? Or, is this book reformed? So, what does it mean to be reformed? The following two videos are the results of my study, and my notes are below for easy access.

The video above covers my three tier spectrum of what I have found most people can mean when they ask if you are Reformed.

Part 2 Video

After my first video I had multiple people ask me to post the notes on my blog & to share a list of resources if then wanted to dive deeper into each area. This video does both, thus it is part 2.

Video 1 Notes

(Tier 1) Reformed Theology Foundations
(The Five Solas / To Be Protestant)

  • Church History
    • 30-100 – Apostolic Age
    • 30-476 – The early church until fall of Rome
    • 476-1500s – Early, Middle, Late medieval church era, then Renaissance
    • 1500s – The Reformation – The Reformers believed the Roman Catholic church had drifted from the beliefs of the One, Holy , Apostolic church (specifically regarding the doctrine of justification) and needed to be reformed according to God’s Word.
  • The Five Solas
    1. Sola scriptura: “Scripture alone”
    2. Sola fide: “Faith alone”
    3. Sola gratia: “Grace alone”
    4. Solo Christo: “Christ alone”
    5. Soli Deo gloria: “to the Glory of God alone”

(Beeke & Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology Vol.1 – p.104)

  • Pushed for reform, (Excommunicated), Protested against the Roman Catholic church.
  • “The sixteenth-century Reformation split in the 1520s into three main branches: the Lutheran churches, the Reformed churches, and the Anabaptists. As we have noted, the Reformed churches arose as a distinct branch of evangelical Christianity in Switzerland with the preaching of Zwingli and Bullinger. Later, Calvin established Geneva as a model Reformed city. Unlike Lutheranism, which concentrated itself in Germany and Scandinavia, Reformed Christianity quickly became a broadly international movement, spreading to Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Scotland, and England” (p.104).
  • Foundations of Reformed Theology(An additional piece)
    (R.C. Sproul, What Is Reformed Theology?)
    • Centered on God
    • Based on God’s Word alone
    • Committed to faith alone
    • Devoted to Jesus Christ
    • Structured by three covenants (Covenantal Theology)(Note: Not all protestants ascribe to this, or as closely as Presbyterians)
      • Covenant of Redemption – (The Father, Son, & Holy Spirit in eternity past)
        • Condition: None
      • Covenant of Work – (God & human beings at Creation)
        • Condition: Perfect Obedience
      • Covenant of Grace – (God & sinful human beings after the fall)
        • Condition: Faith in Christ (Who satisfies the condition of the covenant of works)
  • Common Phrases
    • Post Tenebras Lux – After darkness, light. This phrase as a rallying cry of Protestant Reformers, refers to the rediscovery of biblical truth in a time of spiritual darkness.
    • Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda – The church reformed, always reforming. “Since we now have a church reformed in the externals of doctrine, worship, and government, let us always be working to ensure that our hearts and lives are being reformed by the Word and Spirit of God.” (Ligonier Article)

(Tier 2) Reformed Soteriology
(Five Points of Calvinism/The Doctrines of Grace)

  • Soteriology is: The doctrine of salvation. Soteriology discusses how Christ’s death secures the salvation of those who believe. (Got Answers)
  • Calvinism/The Doctrines of Grace
    (Sinclair Ferguson: The Doctrines of Grace – Ligonier YT)
    • Total Depravity
      • The Doctrine of Absolute Inability
    • Unconditional Election
      • The Doctrine of Election
    • Limited/Definite Atonement
      • The Doctrine of Actual Atonement
    • Irresistible Grace
      • The Doctrine of God’s Effectual Call
    • Perseverance of the Saints
      • The Perseverance of the Saints

(Tier 3) Confessionally Reformed
(Westminster, 1689 Baptist Confession, etc. with ties to the Reformation)

  • 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (Reformed Baptist)
  • What distinguishes a Reformed Baptist from a Calvinistic/Particular Baptist?
    (Right Response Ministries – Pastor Joel Webbon)
    • Christian Sabbatarianism (Section 22)
      • Believes that the fourth commandment belongs to the moral law of God rather than the ceremonial law of God particular to the old covenant and to Israel. Jesus does not remove it, but renews it and moves it to Sunday by virtue of his resurrection on that day.
    • Covenant Theology (Section 7 & Others)
      • In addition to a historical, grammatical, literal, and strict hermeneutic, Reformed Baptist affirm an additional Analogical/typological/Christological piece of their hermeneutic. Thus they see more of a continuity between OT and NT.
      • Covenants of Redemption, Work, and Grace.
      • Reformed baptists don’t adhere to infant/covenant/paedobaptism.
    • Eschatology (Section 32)
      • Most Covenant Theology adherents hold to an amillennial or postmillennial view.
        • Amillenial: “The view that there will be no literal thousand-year bodily reign of Christ on earth prior to the final judgment and the eternal state; in this view, scriptural references to the millennium in Revelation 20 actually describe the present church age” (Grudem, Systematic Theology – p.1235).
        • Postmillennial: “The view that Christ will return to the earth after the millennium. In this view, the millennium is an age of peace and righteousness on the earth, brought about by the progress of the gospel and the growth of the church” (Grudem, Systematic Theology – p.1250).
  • What distinguishes the Reformed Baptist from the Reformed Presbyterians?
    • 1689 vs. Westminster (1689 was written to show how much they shared in common, but there are differences) (Chad Van Dixhoorn, Creeds, Confession, and Catechisms – p.237-238)
    • Clarity Statements
      • Statement added to 1689 that each person of the Trinity has the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided.
      • Fourteenth chapter is adjusted to be more Christ centered.
    • Revised Sections/Contents
      • Clarification of Credobaptism versus infant/covenant/paedobaptism
      • Chapters touching on covenant theology are revised
      • Lots of differences in sections on the church and sacraments (Baptism & Lord’s Supper)
      • Least amount of changes in the final two chapters on “Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead” and “Of the Last Judgment.”

Are You Reformed?
Six Perspectives for Personal Examination
(Beeke & Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology Vol.1 – p.101, 112-113, 116, 125)

  • The Term “Reformed”
    • “As late as the eighteenth century, the term Reformed, like evangelical, could be used of all churches participating in the Reformation, including the Lutheran churches. However, it is now commonly used specifically of the form of Reformation Christianity that originated in Switzerland and became an international movement distinct from the followers of Martin Luther. Churches that call themselves “Reformed” imply that the church was originally formed by Christ and his apostles according to the Word of God, then became deformed by false doctrines and corrupt practices, until Christ reformed the church by his Word and Spirit” (p.101).
  • Six Perspectives
    • A historical perspective – A movement of churches away from the errors of medieval Roman Catholicism.
    • A confessional perspective – To hold to a system of truths summarized in the doctrinal standards of various churches.
    • A theological perspective – A view of life dominated by the glory of the sovereign, loving, triune God.
    • A hermeneutical perspective – An approach to the Bible that recognizes the unfolding covenant of grace that structures God’s revelation through history.
    • “We will examine Reformed theology from polemical and experiential perspectives in the next chapter. However, before we do, it is right for the reader to pause and ask, Am I Reformed? Though participating as a member in a Reformed church is essential to Reformed Christianity, this is not a question of denominational affiliation. Rather, it is a question of whether you are a Christian reformed according to the Word of God. Use these perspectives to examine yourself” (p.113).
    • A polemical perspective – A stance of Reformed theology with regard to the assertion and defense of the sovereignty of God’s saving grace, or what are sometimes called “the doctrines of grace.”
    • An experiential perspective – Reformed theology seeks not only to address the mind but also the heart, and aims to mold God-centered souls. It does this by forming an awareness of gospel realities in the heart by the Spirit of grace.

Video 2 Notes: Book List

The books listed below are for those who want to dive deeper into these topics on their own. If you have additional resources/book you would recommend, I would love to hear about them in the comments.

  • (Tier 1) Reformed Theology Foundations (The Five Solas of The Reformation)
    • Basics
      • What Is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics by R.C. Sproul(Covers Five Solas, touches Covenant Theology, & Soteriology Five Points)
    • Other Options
      • Five Solas Series from Zondervan (2017) (Standouts: God’s Word Alone – Barrett & Faith Alone – Schreiner)
      • Beeke & Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology Vol.1 (Six Perspectives for Personal Examination)
      • A good church history or Reformation history book
      • More?…
  • (Tier 2) Reformed Soteriology (Five Points of Calvinism/The Doctrines of Grace)
    • Systematic Theologies
      • Beeke & Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology Vol.3
      • Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (eds., MacArthur & MayHue)
      • Most Systematic Theologies (Monergism and Synergism) (Salvation/Soteriology)
      • Calvin’s Institutes? (My Calvin’s Institutes Video)
    • Individual Point Studies
      • The Death of Death in the Death of Christ by John Owen (Limited Atonement)
      • Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul
      • Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards
      • The Justification of God by John Piper
      • Predestination: An Introduction by Andrew David Naselli (Crossway, Short Studies in Systematic Theology)
      • More?…
    • Some Contrasts & Critiques
      • Calvinism: A Biblical and Theological Critique (eds., Allen & Lemke) (B&H, 2022) (My Video Review of this Book)
      • For Calvinism (Michael Horton) & Against Calvinism (Roger E. Olson) (Zondervan, 2011)
      • More?…
  • (Tier 3) Confessionally Reformed(Westminster, 1689 Baptist Confession, etc. with ties to the Reformation)
    • A Good Copy of the Confessions
      • Creeds, Confessions, & Catechisms: A Reader’s Edition (ed., Chad Van Dixhoorn)
      • Reformed Standards of Unity (Westminster Seminary Press)
      • More?…
    • Overview: Why Confessions Are Important
      • Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity by Carl R. Trueman (Crossway, 2024 – Previously published as The Creedal Imperative, 2012)
    • Expositions of & Guides About The Confessions
      • A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (ed., Rob Ventura) (Mentor, 2022)
      • Confessing the Faith: A Reader’s Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn (Banner of Truth, 2014)
      • Truths We Confess: A Systematic Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith by R.C. Sproul (Ligonier, 2019)
      • More?…

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Published by Joe Collis

My name is Joe! I am a servant of the Lord, a disciple of Jesus, and a messenger of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:14-21). I love Jesus, the Bible, people, pizza, popcorn, frisbee, movies, and books!

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