In 1967 I was in the second grade at Mark Twain Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri and I can’t remember one thing I learned. All I know is that I learned whatever I needed to learn to make it to the third grade. And now here I am using big words like “Missouri” and I know Mark Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens. That’s the way learning is: start with the elementary things (hence, Elementary School") and work your way up.
On my recent sabbatical I was able to complete a few writing projects, including this week’s edition of “Steve’s Newsletter” (still haven’t come up with a better name). The difference this week is that this article was published at The Gospel Coalition, so it will be read by several thousand more people than usual.
But before I give you the link to the article, let me prepare you for what you are about to read. It’s not elementary.
The word “disciple” in the New Testament means “learner, student, pupil.” To follow Christ is to become a life-long learner of the Bible. Of course, kindergartners don’t start with English Literature and calculus. In first grade, the foundation is laid for second grade, and then third. Each course of study is built on the last, from elementary to advanced classes.
The same principles apply to learning from Christ. The Bible, after all, is a big, grown-up book, so it shouldn’t be surprising that this is a life-long endeavor. And the good news is that no one expects you to do it alone. Through his church, God gives you teachers and classmates.
So if you are new to Christianity and you’ve just begun to investigate the claims of Jesus, this article may seem puzzling at first, but you might be surprised how much you will understand. If you have been a Christian for only a little while, still in the “elementary school” stage, it’s good to be exposed to some of the subjects you will be studying later. And if you’ve been following Christ for many years, well, you should be theologically literate by now and this will be a good opportunity to learn some more or review what you once knew, but forgot.
Finally, here’s the article and I hope you enjoy it!
Defend the Doctrine of Original Sin Like It’s 1776!
