The Puritans' Example

In America, the word "puritan" frequently has a negative connotation. We often think of cold and boring people dressed in black. Yet, most people in the U.S. (and around the world) have no idea what these believers contributed to our faith heritage some 300-400 years ago.

I've been reading about the Puritans lately(from the magazine pictured above), and have rediscovered how great their contributions to Christian thought and practice really were. Like many others in the Reformation, the Puritans placed a great emphasis on the Word of God as the center of life. Also, Puritan pastors such as Richard Baxter are remembered for energetic preaching and home visits. To the surprise of some, Pastor Baxter also considered the latter more important than the former. Only by doing these, he argued, could a pastor be sure that those in his parish really knew Jesus.

Due to their frequently precarious situation, the English Puritans were also big supporters of religious toleration for all. They wanted everyone, including their religious opponents, to be able to worship freely and without intimidation. What a lesson this is for many nations in our world today!

Another thing encouraged by the Puritans was the development of the mind. They did not teach others to pursue empty intellectual pursuits(cf. Ecc. 12:12), but to develop their thinking in a way that would honor God. Though some contemporary Christians have embraced a kind of anti-intellectualism in recent years, the Scripture makes it clear that believers should be intellectually alert(cf. Romans 12:2,2 Timothy 4:2-4).

The early Puritans were also strong believers in having a Christ-centered family. Parents knew they were accountable to God for how they treated each other, as well as for how they raised their children. Devotional times were an important part of the daily schedule, as they helped to bond the family spiritually. Though such truths have been forgotten by many in the current day, we would all do well to remember these lessons from our spiritual ancestors.

Finally, the Puritans viewed all of life as belonging to God. This included not only the home life and church life, and but also one's vocation. Virtually every job can be "spiritual" if we work at it as to God rather than man(cf. Eph. 6:7). Further, the workplace should not be a place of drudgery and boredom, but rather one of joy, fun, and fulfillment. Shouldn't we also have this perspective?