This article is a summary from the following episode: Why New Calvinism Is Not Reformed
Let’s say this right up front: we’re thankful for New Calvinism. It brought a much-needed recovery of God’s sovereignty and the doctrines of grace to mainstream evangelicalism. Many of us would never have found Reformed theology without it. But as helpful as it was—and is in some respects—New Calvinism is not Reformed theology.
That might sound harsh to some ears, but hear us out. We're not trying to pick a fight. We’re pastors. We care about clarity, especially when it comes to the gospel. And over the years, we've seen how the confusion between New Calvinism and historic Reformed theology has hurt people. So we're pulling back the curtain on a few key differences—not to argue, but to help the weary and the burdened see Jesus more clearly.
A One-Dimensional Calvinism
New Calvinism is primarily Calvinistic in its soteriology. That’s its strongest leg. It champions doctrines like total depravity, unconditional election, and particular redemption. We’re with them there. Absolutely.
But Reformed theology has never been only about the five points of Calvinism. That's like saying a car is just an engine. Important? Yes. Sufficient? No.
Historically, Reformed theology is built on five foundational pillars:
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Calvinism
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Confessionalism
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Covenantalism
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Law-Gospel Distinction
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Ordinary Means of Grace
New Calvinism grabs hold of that first piece but largely leaves the rest behind. And that’s where the confusion—and the exhaustion—often begins.
Confessionalism: Grounded in Christ for Us
Being Reformed means being confessional. That doesn’t just mean we have a favorite old document. It means we’ve tethered ourselves to a theological framework that is Christ-centered, gospel-rich, and rooted in church history.
Confessionalism keeps us grounded in the external, objective work of Christ. It protects us from drifting into the introspective, subjective spirituality that so often wears people out. When we say “Christ for you,” we mean it—and our confession helps us hold that line.
New Calvinism, on the other hand, tends to be more biblicistic and eclectic. It often mixes Calvinistic soteriology with revivalism, pietism, or even dispensationalism. Without the ballast of a confession, theology becomes more individualistic and less churchly—and over time, less clear about where our hope actually lies.
Covenant Theology: The Bible Is One Story
Reformed theology reads the Bible through the lens of covenant. We see three major covenants—redemption, works, and grace—that explain the whole story of Scripture and make sense of Jesus as the second Adam who did everything the first Adam failed to do.
New Calvinism doesn’t typically operate with this framework. Instead, it often borrows categories from covenant theology without realizing it. We’ll hear language about the first and second Adam or about substitutionary atonement and imputed righteousness—but without the cohesive theological scaffolding that makes those doctrines sing.
Without covenant theology, you might still preach a powerful gospel, but you lose the clarity and consistency that keeps Christ at the center of every page of Scripture. And that affects everything—from how we read our Bibles to how we understand baptism, church, and assurance.
Law and Gospel: Don’t Mix the Medicine
One of the most critical distinctions Reformed theology gives us is the law/gospel distinction. It’s not just a Lutheran thing—it’s a Reformation thing. And we need it.
Law is what God requires. Gospel is what God gives. The law says, “Do this and live.” The gospel says, “It is finished.”
New Calvinism often collapses these two. It rightly calls people to trust in Christ for justification, but then tends to bring the law in through the back door for sanctification. The result? A gospel that starts with grace but ends with performance. And for many, that becomes a treadmill of guilt, effort, and despair.
Reformed theology insists that both our justification and our sanctification are rooted in Christ alone. Sanctification is not about climbing spiritual ladders; it’s about learning to live from the union we already have with Jesus. The gospel doesn’t just start the Christian life—it carries us every step of the way.
Ordinary Means of Grace: Jesus Is Still Serving Us
Reformed theology believes in the ordinary means of grace—word, sacraments, prayer, and fellowship—as the primary way God strengthens and sustains His people. But here’s the twist: we believe Jesus is actually present with us in those means. Really. Spiritually. Mystically. Powerfully.
New Calvinism often has a high view of preaching (praise God), but tends to reduce the sacraments to mere symbols. Communion becomes just a memorial. Baptism becomes just an act of obedience. But for us, these are not just reminders—they’re means. Jesus meets us in them, serves us, nourishes us, and strengthens our faith.
If your faith feels weak, you don’t need another conference or another list. You need Jesus. And He’s promised to meet you in the ordinary, week after week.
Simul Justus et Peccator: Saint and Sinner
Here’s one last thing that often gets missed in New Calvinism: the saint/sinner reality. In Christ, we are righteous and holy—and yet we still battle the flesh every day. That tension is normal. Romans 7, Galatians 5, Psalm 32—they all bear witness to it.
But if you don’t have that category, you end up surprised by your struggle. Worse, you start to wonder if you’re even saved. Reformed theology gives you a better answer: you're both saint and sinner until glory. So don’t look inward for your peace—look to Christ. Rest in His finished work. He’s got you.
Final Thought
We’re not mad at New Calvinism. We’re grateful for what it recovered. But we’ve seen how many people have come out of that movement disillusioned, confused, or just plain exhausted.
What we’re holding out here isn’t a tribe or a trend—it’s Jesus. Reformed theology, when rightly understood, gives you Christ in all of Scripture, Christ in the sacraments, Christ in your struggle, and Christ for you in everything.
And that's why we’re here. Not to argue. Not to posture. But to help you rest.
