What are the influences of Reformed Churches in the Philippines?

Answer 1

It must be remembered that even Reformed churches in the Philippines come in varieties. A Reformed church is basically a church that adheres to the ideals of the Calvinistic Reformation in continental Europe and the British Isles. Two families are to be considered as Reformed churches: The Presbyterians which originated in England through John Knox who was student of John Calvin and the Reformed (or Continental Reformed) which originated from Calvin's labors in Geneva spreading to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Bohemia, etc. Reformed Churches stand by the Five Doctrines of Sovereign Particular Grace (T.U.L.I.P.: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints) and the 5 "Solas" of the Reformation: The Bible alone, Faith alone. Grace alone, Christ alone, God's Glory alone. There are certain Baptists who claim to adhere to these tenets but cannot be technically called "Reformed" or "Calvinistic" since they deny the Biblical doctrine of the Covenant in their rejection of infant baptism. A true historically Reformed church condemns the error and heresy of Arminianism, that is also "Free-willism" and "conditionalism." Sadly most of the so-called Reformed churches in the Philippines have abandoned these doctrines and tolerated the damnable errors of Arminiansim. It may be said that the influence of these unfaithful churches is sadly to add only to the wide corrupting spiritual influences of the modern Arminian evangelical, Pentecostal-Charismatic, Methodist and other groups in the Philippines. Other Reformed churches pride themselves in holding to historic Reformed tenets but tolerate Arminians and extend sacred Christian fellowship to them. Sadly, they also add to the Arminian crowd except that they have an elitistic attitude concerning themselves.

True Reformed churches fight the old battles of faith against the false gospel of "free-willism" and "conditionalism" in salvation. They are misunderstood as "hypers", "extremes" and even "cults" because of their abiding "anathema" against that old Pelagian error, Arminiansim. The influence they exert in the Philippine religious world which is unnoticeable is that they "divide" Arminian churches in their faithful adherence to the Gospel of pure Grace. They don't join ecumenical prayers and don't pray for a so-called "world peace." They don't produce noticeable influence in the Philippines for they are unpopular. One important influence though emanates from these unpopular churches: they sow the seeds of the true and unadulterated Gospel.