Published: September 11, 2025 at 05:00 PM
Tags: book-review, reformed-theology, gospel, bible, local-church, faith
I recently finished reading Why I Am Not Reformed by Matthew Cain, a short but direct little book that does exactly what the title suggests. Cain takes the time to lay out why he cannot align himself with the Reformed system, even while appreciating the good that came out of the Protestant Reformation.
What struck me most about this book was its tone. It isn’t angry or dismissive, it’s careful, scriptural, and written from the perspective of someone who values truth over labels. Cain acknowledges the importance of the Reformers and their recovery of justification by faith, but he shows where their system stretches beyond the Bible.
The book is arranged in straightforward chapters: Israel and the Church, Covenants and Baptism, The Law and the Gospel, Calvinistic Excesses, Charismatic Openness, and Local Church Truth & Practice. Each section feels rooted in Scripture, not in philosophy. Cain draws clear lines between what God has revealed in His Word and what man-made systems have built up over the centuries.
I especially appreciated his clarity on the distinction between Israel and the Church, and his insistence on keeping the gospel as a universal invitation to all. The critique of Calvinism is fair and careful, not denying God’s sovereignty, but refusing to reduce the gospel into a system that, at times, robs it of its simplicity and power.
By the time I reached the end, I felt refreshed. Cain points us back to the basics: Christ as Head, the Spirit as our guide, and local assemblies gathered simply in His name. That reminder matters in a world where it’s easy to get tangled in denominational machinery and theological systems.
If you’ve wrestled with questions about Reformed theology, or if you just want a clear call back to the simplicity of New Testament Christianity, this little book is worth your time. It’s not an academic tome, but a believer’s earnest appeal to measure all things by the Word of God alone.