True Rest

Alex has long brought up the issue of rest in reformed theology. Perhaps starting with him finding every corner of attack against Tong's theology: Squeezism (of which I have an entry else where here). So when he wanted to create the notion that "restlessness" and "reformed" are incompatible or oxymoronic, I challenged him. Also, I sincerely do not know what he was talking about...what (A) New-Calvinist movement lacks understanding of rest - the "Puritan way!" and (B) that I need to read more reformed classics-"historic reformed writings". I might not have knowledge of either one, but it is interesting how Alex's default choice was  to presume (B) first. If I don't even know (A), why should I discern (A) using (B)? Perhaps he also meant that I must read Neo-Calvinist materials as well. That's a lot of reading...I think I would just take the advice of the ancient wise sage:

我从不做那种寻章摘句，引经据典的学问，那是迂腐书呆子们的事情，与兴邦立业豪无关系。。。可如今书生们张口经典闭口古训，整日忙碌于笔砚之间，我 看这些人恐怕只会数黑论黄，舞文弄墨而已！

Sigh, Richard Baxter, what have you done to my dear dear Alex.

The idea came from the author of the book titled "Young, Restless and Reformed" by Collin Hansen, not that I have read it nor plan to read it (Neither Baxter's nor Hansen's). Obviously, he meant it to be young, eager and reformed. Interestingly, in the Sunday sermon right after Alex's post, Bijan's topic was also on Rest, based on Psalm 62, what a great chapter on the topic, and a great sermon. It was Bijan who affirmed me the notion of "eagerness". He thought it was appropriate to use the word "Restlessness", though he wouldn't use it himself. When I got the rare opportunity to ask him right after his sermon, he preferred the phrase: "Young, Restful and Reformed".

Of course, it all comes down to the definition of the term. The semantics. Perhaps some do not wish to define "Restlessness" as anything beyond stress, anxiety, absolutely without rest. However, restlessness is being used beyond such definition in literature, even in reformed literature. It has been used to describe the works of John Calvin in positive way as well as that of Martin Luther both positively and negatively.

"Laborious" is another good term that can be of equivalence. What I wouldn't use is "anxious" or "overworked" or "denying rest".

I think the word "Restless" has a sense of perspective. From the viewpoint of person A, person B appears to be restless, but B has no anxiety nor feeling worn out, in fact, B couldn't be more joyful in his work! But because A couldn't understand B's work, A could say "B is restless" in amazement, seeing how joyful B was yet not understanding the source of B's joy. In this sense of amazing perspective, A is using the word "restless" in a positive way, a mysterious admiration, if not praise. To take A's choice of word "restless" as a negative definition (anxious, weary, devoid of rest), in such frame of reference, is rather disingenuous, if not jealous or shallow.

Richard Gaffin puts it best: A faith that rests in God the Savior is a faith that is restless to do His will. (from "By Faith, Not By Sight").

Because I can associate restlessness with joy in hard work, diligence, I could deal with the beautiful paradox of "being restful in restlessness". Something I'm surprised that someone who loves to play word games even beyond reality like Alex would not indulge in. Must be having to do with the whole anti-Tong thing or something.

My challenge to him was as always, to bring him to reality, when I asked him to bring practical examples which would force him and I to not just talk across each other but deal with real life people (perhaps including those pertain to his supporters) rather than mere theories of people. He became speechless, with whatever excuses that suit him.

In the end, I've concluded this important fact on one's view of the term "restlessness", in order to have a well balanced definition of it:

We can actually tell whether one is selfish, lazy, not caring or irresponsible, when one tries to justify rest over restlessness too much; we can also tell whether one stresses restlessness over rest too much by one's complaints and lack of joy in one's works.