MY TALKS WITH ELDER JEFF LITTLE UNION ASSOCIATION OF OLD REGULAR BAPTISTS

 

MY TALKS WITH ELDER JEFF LITTLE UNION ASSOCIATION OF OLD REGULAR BAPTISTS

 A few weeks ago, I contacted Elder Jeff Little of the Union Association of Old Regular Baptists in Kentucky. What a delightful talk we had! He is an avid Baptist historian like me. He is currently doing research for a book he hopes to write about the origins of the Old Regulars. He has traced his association all the way from the Philadelphia Association down to the present time. He readily admits on his website, that some traditions which speak of Old Regular history are in error, and he speaks the truth. How refreshing!

   As we talked, we both discussed at how perplexed we are at some who hide their history, or worse yet, lie about it. Why lie, especially when it concerns doctrine? There is no shame in changing your doctrine if you believe it contradicts Scripture! Isn't that what being a Baptist is all about? Scripture above all! Yet some seem they have to maintain a false story of what they now believe, feeling that if they admitted to the truth, it would invalidate them. The only thing that "invalidates" is when the Bible is forsaken for a tradition. We talked about how our love of history, when intersecting our love of theology, forces us to think very hard at times.

   We talked about his association's articles of faith and how differing terms mean different things to different people, such as the third article of the Union Association which states "we believe in election by grace". For some, that means a limited atonement view, for others a general atonement view. The Union Association rejects the limited atonement view, yet Jeff was totally willing to acknowledge that the simplicity of that article may have been an attempt to "refuse" to go into depth as both views were acceptable when Regular Baptists and Separate Baptists, and later the United Baptists agreed to disagree over the issue. We talked about when the Old Regulars parted ways with the Primitives over extreme hyper calvinism. We talked about baptism, music, etc and our two different traditions within the Baptist family. We also discussed the Old Regular view on doubt and assurance. We both agreed that there is a vast difference between mere "hope" and a "blessed hope"...a hope that is blessed is a hope that cannot be lost, and will endure to the end.

   As our talk went on, we got more and more personal, with him telling me of his family. We were on speaker phone and his wife was hearing our conversation, and she asked to speak to me. She told me about her granddaughter who had a severe case of appendicitis over the Christmas holidays, and how God intervened and spoke to them, leading them to the hospital just in time. The doctor who was present was just the one that was needed for such an emergency, and the girl has fully recovered, praise God! I prayed for them over the phone, and tears filled all our eyes as we felt the presence of of the Holy Ghost. He has invited me to come up to Kentucky and stay in his home for a visit, and I may just do that.

   Why am I writing about this you may ask? Well, several reasons the foremost of which shows that we can have an honest conversation without compromising what we believe. Another reason is because I thought it important to show that tradition, even among Baptists, can sometimes get in the way. How can we scream "Scripture alone!" on one hand, then refuse to see past OUR OWN TRADITIONS on the other? Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses cover up their history and doctrinal changes with a cult mindset, and God forbid that we Baptists should fall into that boat! That boat is one that is full of holes and will surely sink. It is a boat I refuse to get into. How about you?

   Thank you Brother Jeff Little, my brother in Christ and new friend! We will have an eternity to discuss all we have learned, and to praise our Lord for all His goodness and kindness towards us!I pray God as touched your heart in the reading of this little testimony. Ken Mann



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