Why Events

Reformation means standing against the spirit of the age, so pastors and church leaders must join together to encourage, equip, and embolden one another in the work of the Reformation. Most importantly, a society brings the Word of God and prayer to bear on the leaders themselves, strengthening them for the work of a faithful shepherd.

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Reformation starts in your local church community. The Reformation Societies are the means to achieving the renewal of the Church, which is our Lord’s Bride. Furthermore, our Gospel is timeless in its message, relevance, and sufficiency for the building of Christ’s Church, the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Biblical standard of Gospel preaching, teaching and worship are embodied in the Solas of the Protestant Reformation and are now stated in the Cambridge Declaration of 1996. For in Scripture alone, we learn of a salvation that is by grace alone, received through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and in all this, to God be the Glory alone. Here We Stand, like-minded in His service and confident in His Work.

List of active Reformation Societies.

Reformation Society Coordinator
215-546-3696
RefSoc@AllianceNet.org
Reformation Society Blog

 
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The unconverted heart of man cannot understand the things of God. As Dr. Steven J. Lawson explains, “The Lord must give fallen man a spiritual heart to know God, spiritual eyes to see the truth, and spiritual ears to hear the truth – or there can be no salvation” (Foundations of Grace 94).

The Old Testament Historical books also teach the Doctrine of Total Depravity. From Joshua to Esther, God clearly displays man’s radical fallen condition.
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Aside from the Scripture passages already submitted, does the Bible contain a comprehensive presentation of the doctrine of total depravity?

The Bible’s teaching on Total or Radical Depravity is thorough and comprises all the genres found in the Scriptures. Rather than an isolated and obscure subject, the doctrine of Total Depravity comprehensively encompasses the totality of God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation.
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If fallen man is so radically corrupted by the fall, how do we explain and understand free will? Augustine affirmed that fallen man possesses free will, but lacks or has lost the freedom or liberty Adam and Eve enjoyed with God prior to the fall. Fallen man can and does make choices, but he lacks the ability and desire to be spiritually obedient. The free choices fallen man makes are proportionate to his innate desires, and fallen man’s natural and instinctive desire is to sin.
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Three passages from the New Testament Scriptures particularly highlight fallen man’s plight with radical depravity.

Mark 7:14-23 says:

And he (Jesus) called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:14-23 ESV)
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Total Depravity may be viewed both negatively and positively. Negatively, the doctrine does not mean (1) man is as bad as he possibly could be; (2) that sinners do not have a consciousness about God; (3) that every sinner indulges in every kind of sin; or (4) that the sinner does not do good things in the opinion of other people.