Reformed Professor Steve Brown: not so Christian

I don't normally post from anyone from Team Pyro, however this is an exception. Dan Phillips gives information on PCA/Reformed Theological Seminary professor/Author/Radio Talk Show Host Steve Brown. Phillips sets up his opening remarks and preface here which is Part 1 and brief. Part 2 is the meat of the matter.

I bring this up simply because Steve Brown seems to exemplify more and more Reformers these days. In other words, in my view based on the things Phillips reports about which is based on a few messages Brown gave at RTS, Brown is liberal. Reformers are liberal. And I do believe its because they stress a "greasy grace". This is also one reason why I won't use the label "Reformer", with the other reason being I don't adhere to the basics of Reformed theology nor their view of history. I am a Sovereign Grace Baptist.

Of interest I found points 8-12. Specifically:

8.He says some things that are absolutely, barkingly, wildly irresponsible; and if his students take any of them seriously, they will ruin their ministries and other people. For instance:

(A) Brown says that, when one is preparing a sermon, and he thinks of saying something but his conscience or judgment tells him he shouldn't — he should anyway! Because that's probably God talking to him. So, in the Brown universe, verses likeProverbs 10:19; 12:18; 15:28; 17:27; 21:23; and 29:20 are not as important as expressing oneself in a personal pursuit of "grace."

1. (B) Brown also tells Christians they should disagree with their pastor once a month, period, just because it's healthy for their assertiveness.
   (C) Brown speaks of a Christian leader who fell morally, badly, and says in effect that he's glad he did, because it was good for him. Too bad about the guy's family and church, I guess.
   (D) Brown urges all of them to cuss, just to do it. I don't recall an exposition ofEphesians 4:29.
   (E) Brown keeps talking about dialogues he has with God, and quoting (usually without qualification) things God supposedly says to him, Steve Brown, that are not in Scripture. But it's okay, remember, because he says believes in the Reformed position on the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Bible, and he isn't a charismatic, and maybe he's hearing God wrong. (Those are his "covers.")

   9.Brown says weird things about repentance. I listened twice, and still can't quite explain it. He denies the Biblical teaching that it means a change of mind which necessarily issues in adorning fruitful actions... though those elements come back into his teaching at other points. Just another weird aspect of his teaching. [UPDATE: I listened again. Brown says that he used to teach something like that forgiveness was apologizing for spilling the milk, repentance was cleaning it up. He now regards that as a terrible error and false teaching, for which he apologized everywhere he had preached it. Repentance is not change, he insists emphatically. It is understanding who God is and what He did and who I am (?!!). So it's a New Agey realization; it isn't a decisive change of mind that issues in a change of behavior, because we can't change (Matthew 3:8; Acts 26:20; Romans 12:1-2 and etc. to the contrary notwithstanding).]

12. Again and again Brown trots out his creds: I am a Christian, I am orthodox, I am Reformed, I am a five-pointer, I am conservative, I believe in literal 6-day creation, and on and on. But then he says...

(A) that if this unsaved Jewish rabbi he personally likes doesn't go to Heaven, he (Brown) doesn't want to go, either (which means that the rabbi's presence is more important to him than Jesus' presence, though I'm sure Brown doesn't intend that meaning); and...
(B) Brown says that there are no "super-Christians," except maybe (Mary-worshiping proponent of a Gospel-perverting sect) "Mother" Theresa, and (longtime doctrinal compromiser) Billy Graham — so, in other words, these two may well be above every other living Christian, including John Piper, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, and everyone else; and
(C) Brown frequently speaks of how much insight he's gotten from this or thatRoman Catholic or otherwise heretical writer, on various aspects of Christian living; and
(D) Brown enthuses about what a great and real relationship with God unbelieving, apostate Jews have; and
(E) Brown mentions how he wears a New Age bracelet for some physical ailment, quipping that he "tried Jesus" and it didn't work, so he is trying this ("and I thought I heard the angels laugh"); and...
(F) frequently says in passing how well this and that apostate heretic "understands grace." And...
(G) Brown says that (unrepentant antinomian murderess) Annie Lamott is a wonderful Christian person who he thinks is so great and loves to feature on his radio show.
(H) Brown says that Harry Emerson Fosdick was a Christian, and probably would be "on our side" (or some equivalent) if he were alive today

End quote. (bold original, red original, blue is my emphasis)

But this is what is happening in the Reformed circles a la Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, John Piper. Its also the same with Warren who easily convinced Piper of being sovereign grace. This is such a shame and a sham. Examples of this are elsewhere at RTS as well as the ETS and other places.