What is Reformed Theology?

Reformed theology is a system of theology that is Creedal, Confessional, Calvinistic, and Covenantal.
If you take away one of these things, a church, or an individual, is not truly Reformed.
Often someone may refer to themselves as Reformed, simply because they hold to Calvinism and God's sovereignty. Usually this is to avoid using the word "Calvinism" because some view it to be a dirty word. While Calvinism is a necessary aspect of being Reformed, just because you are a Calvinist does not make you reformed.

You can be a Calvinist without being Reformed but you cannot be Reformed without being a Calvinist. Likewise for being Creedal, Confessional and Covenantal. These together make up the four-c's of Reformed theology.

What does it mean to be Creedal?
You have heard it said: "no creed but Christ", but have you ever understood that as a self-contradictory statement?
Historically, Christianity is a creedal faith.
In Christianity, a Creed is a summary of the faith. It includes the core beliefs necessary for being considered Christian.
The New Testament church was creedal. As we find Creedal summaries in Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20; and 1 Timothy 3:16.

Well known creeds in Christianity include the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, and Chalcedonian Definition.

Disagreements within Christianity has often centered on how these creeds are used (for liturgy, for membership, for church discipline, etc.), not if they should be agreed with as tenets.

What does it mean to be Confessional?
A confession is different from a creed. A creed provides the guardrail for Christianity. A confession provides the guardrail for different sects or denominations within Christianity.
A creed is dealing with first tier issues. A confession, while encompassing first tier issues, will also address second tier issues that specify the type of church.

To be Confessional means that a church or an individual holds to a Confession of Faith. In an age where many churches hold to their own, isolated, and invented statements of faith, churches historically have held common confessions that bind them together and provided theological accountability and community.

Throughout history, many confessions of faith have been written. Specifically, in the Reformed tradition, those confessions include the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession of Faith, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism), The Westminster Confession of Faith, The Savoy Declaration, and the First and Second London Baptist Confessions of Faith.

From those confessions, many 'child' confessions have been born. Specifically, in the Reformed Baptist world, after the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (commonly known as the 1689), several are worthy of mention. The Abstract of Principles is the confession written and supported by the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from the mid-19th century. It is a summary (Abstract) of the 1689. This is the confession Rock of Christ holds to. Other worthy 'child' confessions include the Philadelphia Confession and the New Hampshire Confession.

Note: In the Southern Baptist Convention, churches also hold to the confession known as the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. This confession is not explicitly Reformed, but was written to encompass the Reformed as well as sister churches in the convention with varying views. It is a broad confession rather than a narrow one.

What is Calvinism?
Calvinism is a term that is derived from the Reformer John Calvin. Calvin was a reformer who lived in the early 1500s.
Calvin would likely not have been fond of his students naming themselves with terms like Calvinist. Another term, and possibly a better term is 'The Doctrines of grace'.
Those doctrines, Calvin discussed throughout his ministry and through his book The Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Often the Doctrines of Grace are summarized by the acronym TULIP.
Calvin himself did not come up with the acronym, but was later developed by his followers after he passed away.

T - Total Depravity: Because of the fall, every part of our nature is corrupted by sin, leaving us unable to turn to God apart from His grace. Ephesians 2:1-3

U - Unconditional Election: Before the foundation of the world, God chose to save His people according to His gracious will, not because of anything He foresaw in them. Ephesians 1:3-6
 
L – Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption): Christ died specifically to secure the salvation of His elect, fully accomplishing their redemption. He did not fail to save anyone He intended to save. John 10:11, 14-15, 26-29

I – Irresistible Grace (Effectual Calling): When God calls His elect to salvation through the Holy Spirit, He effectively overcomes their resistance and brings them willingly to faith in Christ. He does this through a new heart. John 6:37, 44

P – Perseverance of the Saints: Those whom God has truly saved will be kept by His power and will persevere in faith until the end. John 6:37-39; 10:27-30

What does it mean to be Covenantal?
 Throughout Scripture, you see covenants God made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant established by Christ (the gospel). Because the Bible is covenantal, our theology should be covenantal as well.

Covenant theology deals with how we look at these covenants. How connected are they, versus how separate/unique are they?

A Reformed Baptist will have a different covenant theology from a Reformed Paedobaptist (someone who baptizes infants). Covenant theology is the reason for this disagreement. Whereas Paedobaptists stress a unity of the covenants from Abraham to Jesus (and infants were circumcised, therefore babies are baptized), Reformed Baptists stress the uniqueness of Christ's blood in the New Covenant. Christ's blood alone can save and wash us new. His covenantal sacrifice alone provides salvation. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-9


Taking the four-c's together, this is (from a high-level) what it means to be Reformed. It is a system that seeks to give all glory to God, who is God truly and reigns over all.