I was going to comment on some more material in Bryson’s book, but I’ll leave that for Tuesday evening’s DL. I’ll content myself this Lord’s Day evening with noting Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Tim. 3:14: “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them.” I grew up in a Christian family. I heard about Christ, and the cross, and sang “The B I B L E” from my earliest days. My first memories have to do with the faith, and some of my most precious recollections are connected with baptism, the church, and testifying of my faith in a public school. I remember late night New Year’s Eve prayer meetings, Christmas cantatas, Vacation Bible School, and Scripture memory drills. I wonder if Timothy had similar, though culturally different, remembrances from his youth?
I learned a few years ago that I have four great grand-parents who came here to the US from Scotland (hence my natural aversion to being hugged by strangers!). In fact, one of those great grandparents was a Presbyterian minister who became a Baptist upon arriving in the US (now isn’t THAT ironic?). As far back as I’ve been able to determine on my father’s side, there has been a continuous line of ministers.
I don’t have one of those conversion stories that takes 35 minutes to relate and that gives you goose-bumps. I wasn’t saved out of drugs and sex and alcohol and gangs and the like. The Lord was merciful to me at a very young age, so I never got into all of those things. But as I consider Paul’s words to Timothy, I rejoice. I am so thankful for those who taught me God’s truth.
Update on the above: The redoubtable l0g0s read my comments above and actually had the temerity to twist my own experience into evidence of “Reformed covenant theology.” Is there no end to what his fertile imagination can come up with? Seems not. What my Baptist upbringing, including my parents teaching me about the cross, calling me to repentance and faith (a very bad no-no according to the AAPC speakers), a profession of faith, baptism following the profession, and growth in grace over time has to do with the idea of infant baptism joining me to a covenant outside of faith and repentance I haven’t the foggiest. Then again, this is the same fellow who can close his eyes so tightly to reality that the exegesis of Galatians 2 provided weeks ago on this blog just disappears into thin air, so we really shouldn’t be overly surprised at the flights of his imagination. Amazing, truly amazing.
