All I said was that to me the Old Testament God is something more Zeus-like then Christ-like. As far as what makes sense to me, isn't that what you Protestants/Baptists preach and promote? If it is not you that is a measure of your faith, than what is? The Baptist Church? The Reformed "Magisterium?" The official truth? The most popular view? Or is it that which "makes sense" to you regardless how many others agree with you?
You consider yourself a Reformed Baptist. The Reformed in the Baptist community represent only 10% of the members of this community. What makes you a Reformed Baptist if not because Reformed theology for some reason makes sense to you? Do you have a certificate of authenticity somewhere posted in the sky that says "Reformed theology is true?" No, of course not. You are Reformed and Baptist because it makes sense to you.
But, I think that my individualism bothers you only because it disagrees with you, because it doesn't make sense to YOU.
Oh, I am guilty, as charged, that if something makes no sense to me I will question it. John 6:57 makes no sense to me at all! But neither do official commentaries on it; neither the verse itself, given who Jesus is, nor with respect to the context of the whole chapter. Christ says:
"I live because of the Father"
Wow! This is the same Word who was with God in the "beginning" (what beginning?), the same Word who was God?
But someone will say, this is Jesus speaking in His human nature, which is then true. But the Bible tells us that it was not the Father but the Spirit that overshadowed Mary, yet the whole context that precedes this verse talks about life coming from heavenly manna, and that by eating His flesh we shall live.
Jesus never had to eat anything in order to live, so there is no comparison (the eternal Word took on human nature and became man, so if this is about His human nature is is not related to the rest of the chapter.
When I first came to faith, I didn't know enough to know whether the whole Bible made sense. It didn't matter to me at the time, I had faith. All I knew then was that there was a loving God out there and that Christ did love me and wanted to save me. That made sense. But then, as I became more sanctified in the word of God I saw that everything in God's word DID make sense. The only measure of my faith is God Himself. I am not a believer because another man, men, or institution says so. I have a personal relationship with God, so such things are between Him and me.
You consider yourself a Reformed Baptist. The Reformed in the Baptist community represent only 10% of the members of this community. What makes you a Reformed Baptist if not because Reformed theology for some reason makes sense to you? Do you have a certificate of authenticity somewhere posted in the sky that says "Reformed theology is true?" No, of course not. You are Reformed and Baptist because it makes sense to you.
I've never seen a survey on Baptist membership. I did see that FR article about 10% of Baptist pastors saying they were Calvinist. However, the SBC accepts Reformed theology as tolerable. I happen to think that a lot more Baptists are actually Reformers in their thinking, but just don't know it yet. That was exactly the case with me. :) Becoming Reformed was no great leap for me at all.
Now, as to "how" it happened, God leads His sheep, and He led me. When my wife and I got married and moved into our house we visited several local churches to find one we liked. The Baptist church was the one that was most interested in preaching the word of God, so that's where we went and are now. It was that simple, and I know it wasn't an accident.
Oh, I am guilty, as charged, that if something makes no sense to me I will question it. John 6:57 makes no sense to me at all! But neither do official commentaries on it; neither the verse itself, given who Jesus is, nor with respect to the context of the whole chapter. Christ says: "I live because of the Father"
Well, obviously the verse does not refer to Christ's divine nature, since the Bible is clear it was uncreated. It "could" refer to Christ's appointment as Mediator. That He was appointed is no reflection on His nature. As Barnes says, George Washington was not in any way inferior in talents or abilities to those who commissioned him. Alternatively, I like the explanation from the Geneva notes:
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
In that Christ is man, he receives that power which quickens and gives life to those that are his, from his Father: and he adds this word "the" to make a distinction between his Father and all other fathers.
Christ means that although he is man, yet his flesh can give life, not by its own nature, but because his flesh lives by the Father, that is to say, sucks and draws out of the Father that power which it has to give life.
This comment also appears to address your later concern about the flesh of Jesus giving life.
Wow! This is the same Word who was with God in the "beginning" (what beginning?), the same Word who was God?
Presumably, the beginning refers to the beginning of creation, but we both know that they were together with the Spirit "before" that. The statement is still true, just not exhaustive.