"... building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."(vv.20-21)
In the 16th. century the Protestant Evangelical Churches, under the influx of many converts, saw the need for teaching tools and in response to that need they compiled their "cathechisms" .
Today we see many new converts and as they embrace the Christian faith, the need for fundemental teaching of beliefs is great again, since many are coming to faith away from the structured Church settings as we know it.
The importance of a sound, doctrinal and practical understanding of the Bible as the basis for Christian thinking and as the foundation of a victorious Christian Life cannot be stressed enough.
"..... We commence our Christian life under the protection of the
blood and righteousness of Christ and from there it is impera-
tive that we go on toward knowledge. It is, therefore, important
that our young people read, pray, and study their spiritual
position in Christ and what is involved in our relationship to
our Lord. The possession of an intelligent grasp of Christianity
is necessary for a strong, vigorous, useful Christian life. A
sound balance of study with devotion to the Lord enables the
believer to enter into a healthy Christian life and also be more
useful in service.
The reason that the wave of liberalism has found its way
into so many sections of Protestantism is because portions of
the various Bodies have failed to enforce the contents of their
own creeds and catechisms into the lives of their people.
The condition of things in Christendom today is a startling
warning to real evangelicals - to be continually on guard against
the subtle encroachments which on every hand tend to lead
our young people away from the "faith once delivered to the
saints".
Our Lord and Saviour gave us the philosophy of the whole
New Testament when He said '--Ye shall know the truth and the
truth shall make you free". The Apostle Paul in Romans 10:17
led us to the source and understanding of what our Lord gave
in the Gospels when He said, "Faith cometh by hearing and
hearing by the Word of God". Therefore, we are admonished to
grow in grace and in the KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ."
J. Eustace Purdie, D.D.
I have drawn extensively on the wrings of Rev. J. Eustace Purdie D.D. and Rev. Dr. Charles Ratz (my teacher and mentor), in putting together this website.
My prayer is that many will be build up and strengtened in their faith and their walk with the Lord.
For His Honour and Glory,
"Lord, bless the reader and students who find themselves reading these words."
