Confidence in our Beliefs

[WillofGod]

As I learn more about the Reformed faith (coming out of a doctrinally vague, non-denominational background a few years ago), I have quickly become aware of the seemingly countless number of issues assaulting our faith, whether it's Liberalism, Open Theism, NPP, general evangelical hostility towards Calvinism, etc. that I had no idea existed before. I am astounded at the amount of ink spilled covering these issues, and I frequently feel somewhat overwhelmed at how to navigate all of these disputes. While the church I attend and the sources I read all come from doctrinally sound backgrounds, how do I best go about defending/strengthening my beliefs without locking myself in an echo chamber? I'm aware that many on this board read from theological sources of all kinds and can effectively engage with them, but I myself don't feel confident or learned enough to engage these opposing views on my own, nor do I feel like that would be wise.

I would really like to just settle down and spend several years grounding myself in the works of the old dead guys to really strengthen the foundations of my faith (I'm currently going through the Institutes for the first time), but even now I worry about being intellectually dishonest by blocking out the outside noise. It's not that I crave controversy, I just constantly have nagging doubts that eat away at me until they're resolved. This continually draws back into the debate realm, and sometimes I wish I could just turn off that side of my brain to focus on more edifying elements of the faith.

This doubt/uncertainty has plagued me long before I became Reformed, and I will say I have found much comfort in now knowing that I've not become a Christian because I was the most unbiased or most intelligent seeker of truth, but that I was born again by God through His spirit.

Any and all wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Pomopu]

I have no idea. Not a single PB poster would claim they've achieved some golden state of intellectual indefatigable security and confidence. While we're all convinced that our confessions our true, all of us continue to intellectually wrestle with many things. Perhaps that is where you should start. Just delve yourself in the 1689 LBC (I see you are Baptist) and come to a heart knowledge of each line. Having been grounded in the confession, go from there.

Distinguish, too, between academia and the issues that assault the church via Oxford and Brill, in contrast to the assaults of the church via, like, Tik-Tok and TV. Unless you get a PHD, you don't have to worry about open theism, is my guess.

So, what to read? Read what's interesting. Read what you want to. And you can't exist in an echo chamber anyway, in 2025. It isn't possible. The internet has made it so.

And also like, why should one person be competent in engaging all heresies? In fact, one can't. One is a patristics scholar. One is a Scotus scholar. Aquinas. Barth. Calvin. Luther. Etc. And at the highest level, you have to be at that level to engage, anyway. So technically, we all have to spend a PhD amount of time in a topic to in the highest degree engage polemics/apologetics in that area of expertise. But my point is, maybe you don't have all the answers to x heresy. That's fine. Just know your Bible well, seek Christ daily, and I'm sure it will be fine.

"This continually draws back into the debate realm, and sometimes I wish I could just turn off that side of my brain to focus on more edifying elements of the faith. . ." Do it, brother. How? Instead of viewing things in terms of us-them, which you should in some measure per our Bible, of course, view it in terms of my sin-God, and like, then these years won't be spent in hunger of learning, filling head, but like; my thousand sins, my thousand idols, my thousand etc, let them be killed. Far more productive. The fascinating thing is that knowledge doesn't sanctify, in and of itself. The most knowledge may be the most depraved. And that's just fascinating to me. So anyway. You asked for wisdom and got rambles. Such as it is. But no one responded I felt bad.

Also, you know, just enjoy being Reformed. Enjoy having the supreme, the best, the creme de la creme, well, theology, the best way of receiving divine revelation. It isn't, "Know Reformed theology to debate," it is, "Know Reformed theology because it best gives the Christian a way to be Christ's disciple such that the Christian glorifies God and please God in ways foreign to other theologies." Like, because we are Reformed, our hearts are all the more burning for Christ. Our eyes, all the more clear for Christ. Our hands, all the more active for Christ. The glory of God entrances us. So we are Reformed because God is God and God demands all of us; our Reformedness isn't an intellectual thing primarily, it is a thing of deep feeling.

 

[Johan]

Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion is sort of a must-read. But then, I recently discovered the works of Petrus van Mastricht. You can read about it here.

 

[CasualWestminsterEnjoyer]

As I learn more about the Reformed faith (coming out of a doctrinally vague, non-denominational background a few years ago), I have quickly become aware of the seemingly countless number of issues assaulting our faith, whether it's Liberalism, Open Theism, NPP, general evangelical hostility towards Calvinism, etc. that I had no idea existed before. I am astounded at the amount of ink spilled covering these issues, and I frequently feel somewhat overwhelmed at how to navigate all of these disputes. While the church I attend and the sources I read all come from doctrinally sound backgrounds, how do I best go about defending/strengthening my beliefs without locking myself in an echo chamber? I'm aware that many on this board read from theological sources of all kinds and can effectively engage with them, but I myself don't feel confident or learned enough to engage these opposing views on my own, nor do I feel like that would be wise.

I would really like to just settle down and spend several years grounding myself in the works of the old dead guys to really strengthen the foundations of my faith (I'm currently going through the Institutes for the first time), but even now I worry about being intellectually dishonest by blocking out the outside noise. It's not that I crave controversy, I just constantly have nagging doubts that eat away at me until they're resolved. This continually draws back into the debate realm, and sometimes I wish I could just turn off that side of my brain to focus on more edifying elements of the faith.

This doubt/uncertainty has plagued me long before I became Reformed, and I will say I have found much comfort in now knowing that I've not become a Christian because I was the most unbiased or most intelligent seeker of truth, but that I was born again by God through His spirit.

Any and all wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

It's not wise to read heretical or erroneous writings until one is well-grounded in the truth. They tend to confuse the reader, and only one who is well-grounded in the truth is able to see through their arguments.

One thing you could read though would be something like Turretin, who presents various errors and refutes them, and you could compare those sources as you go if you want to see that he's not misrepresenting them.

 

[arapahoepark]

It's not wise to read heretical or erroneous writings until one is well-grounded in the truth.

This.
I was caught up in a few issues that challenged me before I mastered the basics. The Lord dug me out thankfully. Do not dive into controversies yet.

 

[Johan]

I have no idea. Not a single PB poster would claim they've achieved some golden state of intellectual indefatigable security and confidence. While we're all convinced that our confessions our true, all of us continue to intellectually wrestle with many things. Perhaps that is where you should start. Just delve yourself in the 1689 LBC (I see you are Baptist) and come to a heart knowledge of each line. Having been grounded in the confession, go from there.

Distinguish, too, between academia and the issues that assault the church via Oxford and Brill, in contrast to the assaults of the church via, like, Tik-Tok and TV. Unless you get a PHD, you don't have to worry about open theism, is my guess.

So, what to read? Read what's interesting. Read what you want to. And you can't exist in an echo chamber anyway, in 2025. It isn't possible. The internet has made it so.

And also like, why should one person be competent in engaging all heresies? In fact, one can't. One is a patristics scholar. One is a Scotus scholar. Aquinas. Barth. Calvin. Luther. Etc. And at the highest level, you have to be at that level to engage, anyway. So technically, we all have to spend a PhD amount of time in a topic to in the highest degree engage polemics/apologetics in that area of expertise. But my point is, maybe you don't have all the answers to x heresy. That's fine. Just know your Bible well, seek Christ daily, and I'm sure it will be fine.

"This continually draws back into the debate realm, and sometimes I wish I could just turn off that side of my brain to focus on more edifying elements of the faith. . ." Do it, brother. How? Instead of viewing things in terms of us-them, which you should in some measure per our Bible, of course, view it in terms of my sin-God, and like, then these years won't be spent in hunger of learning, filling head, but like; my thousand sins, my thousand idols, my thousand etc, let them be killed. Far more productive. The fascinating thing is that knowledge doesn't sanctify, in and of itself. The most knowledge may be the most depraved. And that's just fascinating to me. So anyway. You asked for wisdom and got rambles. Such as it is. But no one responded I felt bad.

Also, you know, just enjoy being Reformed. Enjoy having the supreme, the best, the creme de la creme, well, theology, the best way of receiving divine revelation. It isn't, "Know Reformed theology to debate," it is, "Know Reformed theology because it best gives the Christian a way to be Christ's disciple such that the Christian glorifies God and please God in ways foreign to other theologies." Like, because we are Reformed, our hearts are all the more burning for Christ. Our eyes, all the more clear for Christ. Our hands, all the more active for Christ. The glory of God entrances us. So we are Reformed because God is God and God demands all of us; our Reformedness isn't an intellectual thing primarily, it is a thing of deep feeling.

Reading the reformed confessions is also a good starting point, WCF, Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dordt.

 

[py3ak]

I would really like to just settle down and spend several years grounding myself in the works of the old dead guys to really strengthen the foundations of my faith (I'm currently going through the Institutes for the first time), but even now I worry about being intellectually dishonest by blocking out the outside noise. It's not that I crave controversy, I just constantly have nagging doubts that eat away at me until they're resolved. This continually draws back into the debate realm, and sometimes I wish I could just turn off that side of my brain to focus on more edifying elements of the faith.

It's good to be on guard against intellectual dishonesty, but remember also that there were discussions Paul called on Titus to avoid (Titus 3:9). Whatever questions may arise, the resources to answer them are found within the Bible and the system of doctrine it contains. Read your Bible extensively, reread the confessions, and dive into the edifying writings of those who finished well. They will challenge you to consistency in your faith and doctrine in a way that skeptics, objectors, quibblers, and opponents will not. Assuming you did engage in debate, how would you recognize the misunderstandings and misrepresentations from the arguers unless you were more familiar with your own side than they are?

When you feel like you ought to engage with debate in some way, it's wise to recognize your limitations. It's impossible to keep up with everything since of making many books there is no end, and especially since any fool can ask more questions than a wise man can answer. It can't be your obligation to hear and formulate a response to every objection, so what's your selection criteria? Except possibly for when there are people in your life who are troubled by them, it's not a moral responsibility to engage with arguments.

 

[MW]

If you study the Westminster Confession of Faith you will be exposed to numerous errors that are biblically and conclusively corrected, and you will be able to discern these old errors in their new dress.

 

[SolaScriptura]

I concur with Matthew... my suggestion is study the WCF (and then, I'd suggest the Larger Catechism) and then go from there.