Make sure you believe what you believe.

I believe I have mentioned before that I am a confessionally reformed baptist and that I gladly and willingly am a member of an Orthodox Presbyterian Church.  The Duchess of Hips is in the same boat as I am.  We were discussing infant baptism, and she had some really good questions.  While she is studying through it I was reminded that we should always make sure we believe what we say we believe.  I'm a Credobaptist, but have I studied both sides?  Well, actually, I have.  Several times.  But am I willing to have my mind changed by scripture?  I sure hope so.  In light of that, when I stumbled upon a book called "Covenant Children Today:: Physical or Spiritual", I was intrigued.  And when I saw that it was written by Alan Conner I couldn't resist it!

Alan Conner was my Pastor at Northwest Bible Church when we lived in Oklahoma (many moons ago).

This book is only 122 pages long, and has 15 chapters and 4 Appendix.  I find this interesting because after the 15 chapters it was like he couldn't stop and just kept thinking of one more thing to add.  It reminded me of my series on Modesty with all my preface's.

Anyway, he had so many well thought out arguments that I had never even thought of, or come across in my studies before.  He also had the normal ones about household baptisms (ch 14) and circumcision (ch 10).

Pastor Conner brings out the beautiful contrasts between the Old and New Covenant and urges his reader to not bring the "old, worn-out skins of the Old Covenant" into the New Covenant.  He does this by doing a wonderful word study (I did just call a word study wonderful, I LOVE them!) on the word New.  It does not mean Renewed.  He also brings out passages of the Bible to show what God said about the New Covenant, such as Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:13.  The latter verse says, "When He said, 'A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete.  But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear."

This book is not a highly academic book that only a Pastor or student in seminary would read.  This is a book that is chalk-full of scripture, and it is a book for the masses.  I was so very blessed and renewed in my belief that the Bible does in fact teach a credobaptist view.  And if you are a Presbyterian, I would share with you two things about the book::

• Pastor Conner starts the book with a Preface in which he makes clear to his reader that he does have love for his Presbyterian brethren.  I think this is important because he is realizing that these views, while important, are not a cause to break fellowship!
• He does use the word "obviously" a lot.  Why do I bring this up?  Because for someone disagreeing with where he is coming from, it is NOT obvious.  Please, still read the book, just go into it knowing it will be there and don't take offense where it wasn't meant.

You can find the book here for only $9.00.  A great value, and I guarantee you will learn something!