Back to the start

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son… –Hebrews 1:1-2a (NIV)

I first decided that I needed to be baptized in 1970. I was eight years old. My father, a long-time Bible class teacher, and the smartest man I knew, asked me why I thought I should be baptized. I told him I didn’t want to go to hell. He told me I needed a better reason than that. He convinced me that God was not looking to send 8-yer-old little boys to hell, and we committed to study the topic further.

We discussed God and Jesus and sin and salvation on and off over time, operating at my pace. He would give me scriptures and materials to read, then circle back around to see what I thought about them. Even at that age, he respected my ability to think for myself, weigh evidence, and gradually get to know the Lord. He knew that fear, though an effective motivator in the moment, was not the basis of a lasting relationship. More than that, he was hopeful and prayerful that I would find joy in a lifelong love of God.

Is hell real? Of course. Evil exists. God will judge, and hold evil-doers accountable. Unrepentant sinners will be punished. Those who believe in Jesus and respond in obedient faith will have their sins forgiven and be saved from that judgment. But if I relegate my faith to a form of fire insurance, I am missing the best part of eternal life, an ever-growing, ever-deepening relationship with the Lover of my soul, the Creator of the universe, who also happens to be my Father.

Here is the text of a letter I wrote shortly after my baptism, which finally came in the summer of 1975:

Dear Scott,

Sunday night two weeks ago, July 20, 1975, I was baptized. Larry Wishard told me I should write a letter to myself. He’s the preacher who baptized me.

I had been seriously thinking about it for about three years. I shouldn’t have waited so long, but I’m glad I didn’t do it when I first had the notion – I would not have been ready. I was scared to go up in front of all those people. I asked Daddy to ask Larry after the worship service, so there wouldn’t be so many people, but there were still people outside talking and Larry told them to come back in. It wasn’t all that bad once I got up there – I couldn’t see them from the baptistry without my glasses anyway!

Larry had me repeat after him, “I believe... that Jesus Christ… is the Son of God… resurrected from the dead.” But it’s a lot more than that. I’ve believed that statement ever since I was a little kid. You have to realize you’re a sinner – you’re not going to Heaven unless you follow Jesus.

After we got out Todd said, “Now you have to be nice to us (Kevin and himself), since you’re all baptized and stuff.” (Kevin and Todd are my two younger brothers.) I know I won’t ever be perfect, but with some help from Jesus and me trying hard as I can, I’ll try to come as close as possible.

Yours truly,
Scott

You see there a pretty rudimentary understanding of theology and Biblical principles, but maybe a heart that was willing. I thought of how I started my Christian walk while studying the person of Jesus this week and thinking about how I was drawn to Him in the first place. I am grateful that my Dad modeled his faith, and instructed and encouraged me to form my own in a safe way without pushing me. May you be blessed today as you think back on your journey. We aren’t home yet, but He’s brought us too far to turn back.