Well, I’ve listened to the interview. I wonder if Guy Waters understands what he sounds like to those outside his own Southern Presbyterian / Baptist convergence zone.*

His two big point were that “the Federal Vision theology” does not allow for assurance and that the Federal Vision theology is dangerous because it will allow too many people to have assurance too easily. It seems that, according to his version of “mainstream covenant theology” our preaching is supposed to be filled with questionings to make sure that people are continually asking themselves if they’ve been truly born again.

This, to me, is a pretty big sign that Waters is backing somewhere it won’t be comfortable to be. He is pitting the requirement for a “conversion experience” against the doctrine justification by faith. Encouraging people to trust God’s promises in the gospel encourages saving faith and nothing else.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is trustworthy, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
(*I realize that “baptistic” has been raised in its threat level to some sort of horrible slur word–but I’m simply describing a situation in which a “mainstream covenant theologian” just happens to fit, without any sign of friction, on a Baptist radio show, to attack fellow Reformed teachers.)