I wasn't raised on Reformed theology. I didn't start out with a rugby ball in one hand and the Heidelberg Catechism in the other.
In fact I'm not sure that had read any serious theology until, aged sixteen, I had a knock on the door from the Jehovah's Witnesses and a conversation that triggered some serious research. My roots were in the right place regarding the doctrine of the Trinity, but they weren't down deep enough.
But, looking back on those mid to late teen years, I'm grateful for those first books that informed me about the exegetical basis for the two natures and one person of the Lord Jesus Christ, books that I read late into the night.
My point is that we need books to help us grow in grace and knowledge, to help us think deep thoughts about a great God, and to set us on a path of further reading and reflection on the riches of the Christian faith. Truth has edges and boundaries. Step outside of these, or behave as if they don't matter, and you will walk into a spiritual minefield.
A non-doctrinal faith is impossible. A faith wrongly informed because it has been fed on false doctrine is disastrous. A faith rooted in an experiential, subjective moralism, can easily pose as Christian faith, but it is no substitute for faith in a gracious Saviour, who is both God and man, a faith rooted and grounded in the Word of God. And not to care about these matters is really not to care about God.
On these points this is a helpful video:
(HT: Jonathan Thomas)
1 comment:
Great post. I hope that people heed your advice. I know this has been true in my life.
And, of course, don't forget reading of THE book, the Bible. I find that many errors today come simply from the fact that people just really aren't even familiar with the Bible at all.
For example, people say, "Jesus never condemned anyone..."
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