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An Introduction to Reformed Theology

A guided introduction through Theocast's Reformed perspective. Start with the question, explore the teaching, and take the reflections at your own pace.

  1. Begin with the Map

    What holds Reformed theology together?

    Theocast introduces Reformed theology through five connected themes: covenant theology, Calvinism, confessions, the ordinary means of grace, and the distinction between law and gospel. These provide a way to read Scripture and understand life in the church. The point of beginning with this map is to see how its parts belong together before treating any one doctrine as the whole. The hosts present these themes as a useful introduction from their confessional perspective.

    Based on What Is Reformed Theology?.

    Confession
    A shared written summary of what a church believes Scripture teaches.
    Covenant Theology
    An approach to reading Scripture through God's covenants and the unfolding promise of redemption in Christ.

    Listen or Read

    For Reflection

    1. Which of these five themes is least familiar to you?
    2. How might a shared confession help a church read and teach Scripture together?

  2. Rest in Christ

    What makes it possible to rest in Christ?

    Rest begins with what Christ has accomplished for sinners. In this conversation, the hosts emphasize his sufficiency both to pay for sin and to provide the righteousness believers need. That puts the foundation of acceptance with God outside the strength of our own performance. Christian rest does not mean that obedience, repentance, or ordinary responsibilities disappear. It means approaching them from the security of Christ's work rather than treating them as the price of his welcome.

    Based on Resting in Jesus Christ.

    Righteousness
    The right standing before God that believers receive through Christ, rather than earning by their own record.
    Faith
    Receiving and resting on Christ and his promise.

    Listen or Read

    For Reflection

    1. Where do you tend to treat God's welcome as something you must earn?
    2. How does Christ's sufficiency change the way you approach repentance?

  3. Distinguish Law and Gospel

    How do God's commands differ from his promise?

    The law tells us what God requires. The gospel announces what Christ has done to save sinners. Theocast keeps these distinct because a command cannot give the comfort of a promise already fulfilled by Christ. The law remains good: it exposes sin and directs our conduct. But recognizing a command as good is different from expecting it to supply the righteousness we lack. This distinction helps us hear both the seriousness of sin and the completeness of Christ's work.

    Based on An Introduction to the Law and Gospel Distinction.

    Law
    God's commands, which reveal his righteous requirements and expose our sin.
    Gospel
    The good news of salvation through Christ's finished work.

    Listen or Read

    For Reflection

    1. When you encounter a command in Scripture, what are you expecting it to do?
    2. How would you explain the difference between a command to obey and a promise to receive?

  4. Locate Your Assurance

    Where should a troubled conscience look for assurance?

    Assurance concerns our confidence that Christ's saving promise is for us. Theocast directs that confidence toward Christ and the work of the Spirit rather than making changing feelings or a record of improvement its foundation. The strength of our confidence can vary without changing the sufficiency of the one we trust. The resources in this lesson explore how faith receives comfort and why continually measuring ourselves can leave a troubled conscience without rest.

    Based on Recovering a Supernatural Assurance.

    Assurance
    Confidence in Christ's saving promise and our acceptance in him.
    Conscience
    Our awareness of responsibility before God, which can accuse us and needs the comfort of the gospel.

    Listen or Read

    For Reflection

    1. What do you usually reach for first when your confidence falters?
    2. How is confidence in Christ different from confidence in the strength of your own faith?

  5. Understand the Christian Life

    How can a Christian belong to Christ and still struggle with sin?

    The continuing struggle with sin is part of the Christian life described in these conversations. Theocast distinguishes that struggle from the conclusion that Christ has failed to save us. Recognizing remaining sin gives us reason to repent, seek help, and depend on Christ. It does not require pretending that growth is absent or that obedience is unimportant. The lesson asks us to make room for real growth and real weakness together, without turning either one into a replacement for Christ as our hope.

    Based on Why Do I Still Struggle with Sin?.

    Sanctification
    God's work of renewing believers in holiness throughout their lives.
    Repentance
    Turning from sin toward God, depending on his mercy rather than hiding or defending the sin.

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    For Reflection

    1. Do you tend to minimize sin or interpret every struggle as evidence that you do not belong to Christ?
    2. What would honest repentance and receiving help look like in your local church?

  6. Read Scripture Toward Christ

    How does reading Scripture toward Christ change what we look for?

    Theocast encourages readers to understand individual passages within Scripture's unfolding account of redemption. That means asking how a passage belongs to the larger story that leads to Christ, while still attending to its own setting and words. The aim is more than collecting examples of people to imitate. It is to understand what God has promised and accomplished, and then to consider how that shapes faith and life. The resources explore this approach in reading and preaching.

    Based on Is the Whole Bible Really About Jesus?.

    Redemption
    God's work of rescuing his people from sin through Christ.
    Christ-Centered Reading
    Reading a passage in its own context and within Scripture's larger witness to Christ.

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    For Reflection

    1. What changes when you ask what a passage reveals about God's work before asking what you should do?
    2. How can you keep a passage's original setting in view while reading it within the whole Bible?

  7. Receive the Gifts of the Church

    What do Christians receive when the church gathers?

    In Theocast's account, the church's gathering is a place where God strengthens faith through ordinary gifts: the ministry of the Word, baptism, the Lord's Supper, prayer, and fellowship. These are central to the care of weary Christians. Gathering is therefore more than a weekly obligation or a chance to prove commitment. It is a setting in which believers receive God's promises and care for one another. This lesson brings the path back into shared, ordinary life.

    Based on Have We Missed the Point of Church?.

    Ordinary Means of Grace
    The ordinary ways God nourishes faith, particularly the Word, sacraments, and prayer.
    Fellowship
    The shared life of believers as they encourage, serve, and care for one another.

    Listen or Read

    For Reflection

    1. What do you expect to receive when your church gathers?
    2. How might seeing church as a place of receiving grace change the way you care for others there?

Continue Your Study

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