Reformed people are bad at theology.

What I mean by that, is that, often, Reformed people are bad at living out what they claim to believe.

This is from Ray Ortland's blog:

I like Reformed theology. I believe it's what the Bible teaches. But I don't like Reformed culture. I don't believe it's what the Bible teaches.

Reformed theology is all about grace deciding to treat people better than they deserve, for the sheer glory of it all. Sometimes Reformed culture doesn't look like that, feel like that, taste like that. It gives people exactly what they deserve, as judged by the Reformed person. But who exalted him as judge in the first place? Our true Judge stepped down to become our Friend. That theology of grace must translate into the sociology of grace as we treat one another better than anyone deserves, for the sheer glory of it all.

"If our theology does not quicken the conscience and soften the heart, it actually hardens both; if it does not encourage the commitment of faith, it reinforces the detachment of unbelief; if it fails to promote humility, it inevitably feeds pride."

J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness, page 15.

I'm guilty.

I really think the cure for this is daily if not hourly meditation on God's law, confession of specific sin, confession of the gospel, and focused time in thanksgiving to God. Our flesh and our enemy will not be able to puff us up with pride if our eyes are on our Lord and Savior, and our strength is constantly coming from him.