How Does Reformed Theology Make Christians Live in Fear?

Are you living your life with an underlining fear of falling into sin? Are you fearful that God is up there just waiting for you to make a mistake so that he can judge you? Do you see yourself as a wretched sinner saved by grace? Unfortunately, this is the view that too many in the church of Jesus Christ have of themselves and God. This poor view of themselves as wretched sinners saved by grace, crept into the church at the time when Christianity was becoming the state religion of the Roman Empire.

The belief that human nature is depraved from birth and that even after the new birth, we are forgiven but still base sinners, originated from the mistranslation or taking certain scriptures out of context. This negative view of human nature is based on Reformed Theology, which was embraced by many church fathers. Reformed Theology teaches that when Adam sinned, all of humanity sinned as well, since we were all in Adam. This is known as the original sin doctrine. Additionally, this theology asserts that we are born with an evil nature and a propensity to sin, and that we are unable to do anything good. According to this perspective, we are totally depraved and deserving of God’s damnation. Those who subscribe to this theology believe that these tenets are found in the Bible.

They use scripture such as those listed below to prove their point:

- Romans 3:10 no one is righteous all have sinned

- Romans 3: 23 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

- Romans 5: 12- 21 Paraphrase: we all sinned in Adam and are hardwired to sin because we inherited his corrupt nature and guilt

- Jeremiah 17: 9 the heart is deceitful Above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

- Ephesians 2: 1 the natural man is dead in trespasses and sin

- Genesis 6:5 We are inclined towards evil

- Psalm 51:5 conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity

- Isaiah 53: 6 all of us like sheep have gone astray

- Isaiah 64: 6 our righteousness are like filthy rags before the Lord

If we scrutinize some of these scriptures and conduct further research, we will discover that many of them were poorly translated or taken out of context, as previously mentioned, by influential church fathers such as Augustine (354-430 AD). Irenaeus, Luther, John Calvin, and numerous other church fathers perpetuated Augustine’s mistranslations of scriptures regarding the nature of humankind, and by extension, the believer in Christ.

For example, as previously mentioned, Isaiah 53:6 and Isaiah 64:6 were specifically addressing the Jews who were in exile, so these scriptures do not apply to all of humanity or the Christian church. Additionally, another influential church father, John Calvin, used a mistranslation of Romans 3:23, which reads ‘lack the glory of God’ instead of the correct translation, ‘fall short of the glory of God’. The very fact that God created humanity in His image and likeness makes us a glorious creation; we just fall short of His glory.

Romans 5:12 is another scripture that has been mistranslated by Augustine and is still in use today. According to this mistranslation, because Adam sinned, we all sinned since we were in him. Augustine changed “because all sinned” to “in whom all have sinned,” which implies that we are sinners from birth and therefore inherently bad. However, Romans 5:12 actually states that sin entered the world through Adam, rather than Adam himself being the source of sin. The Greek word used in this passage is “kosmos,” which refers to the world or creation, not just Adam. When Adam fell, sin was already present in the world, having been introduced by Satan. Adam and Eve were influenced by the sin that was already present in the atmosphere, but ultimately, they chose to sin of their own free will.

Genesis 4:7 provides further evidence that sin is not an inherent part of us. God tells Cain, “sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” This passage implies that sin is outside of Cain, waiting to enter if he chooses to open the door to it. Similarly, James 1:14-15 suggests that sin enters a person when they open their heart to it.

The above-mentioned scriptures are just a few examples of how mistranslations or taking scripture out of context has had a negative impact on Christ’s church even today. These misconceptions have made many Christians feel like they must continually perform to be deemed “good enough” or avoid falling into sin; otherwise, God will not be pleased with them. This erroneous doctrine of Reformed Theology has caused harm to many members of the church. As believers, we are meant to rest in the finished work of Christ, rather than working to earn God’s favor. When God looks at us, He sees Christ, and we are made perfect through Him.

The truth is that The Lord Jesus Christ and The Father have a more positive view of humanity in general, and of His church.

In Matthew 12:35, Jesus acknowledged the presence of both good and evil within each person. He referred to the good man whose good treasure produces good, and in Luke 8:15, Jesus spoke of those who have heard the word with an honest and good heart. Furthermore, in Matthew 5:5-9, Jesus blessed the gentle, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. In Matthew 5:45, He noted that the sun rises upon the evil and the good alike. Therefore, Jesus recognized that some individuals have a good heart and are not inherently depraved due to Adam’s sin, as Augustine and other church fathers mistakenly believed.

If you were raised in a church that adheres to Reformed Theology and you embrace this misguided doctrine, the enemy may use it to accuse you before the Father. Therefore, ask the Father to grant you access to the Court of Mercy in Jesus’ name. Acknowledge that these false beliefs are sinful and confess and repent of holding them, as well as for having a distorted view of God and how He perceives you. Forgive, bless, and release those who propagated these incorrect teachings. Request that the blood of Christ wash away these sins in the court, and then wait for the verdict, express gratitude to the court, and depart.

For further information on how God perceives us and how to access the Mercy Court of heaven, please visit the Shop section of my website and obtain the books “Precious in His Sight” by Harold R. Eberle and “Engaging the Mercy Court of Heaven” by Dr. Ron M. Horner.