Why do you need to study Theology? Part 2

By Ricardo Barber

A great many folks frown upon studying theology. It is readily considered boring, irrelevant and complex. But for those who want to KNOW God, the study of theology is vital.1 The word “theology comes from two Greek words, theos (meaning God) and logos (meaning word). If you want to have a meaningful relationship with God, you must have the correct knowledge of him. For me to have a healthy relationship with my wife I must invest time in getting to know her better than when we first met. The more I learn of her, the more my love will increase for her, the more I will enjoy her because of my intent on increasing my knowledge of her. Knowledge is the goal of theology.

"Knowledge without devotion is cold, dead orthodoxy. Devotion without knowledge is irrational instability. But true knowledge of God includes understanding everything from his perspective. Theology is learning to think God’s thoughts after him. It is to learn what God loves and hates, and to see, hear, think and act the way he does."2

There are clear connections in scripture between knowledge and worship, between knowledge and love, and between knowledge and behavior. Notice the passage in Hebrews 5:11-6:1, it teaches that if we deepen our theological understanding we will be able to discern right from wrong, and it exhorts believers to mature in their knowledge of God and his ways:3

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity.

Charles Schulz in one of his “Peanuts” cartoons, shows Lucy and Linus looking out the window, watching it rain. Lucy begins the conversation:

Lucy: Boy, look at it rain… what if it floods the whole world?
Linus: It will never do that… In the ninth chapter of Genesis,God promised Noah that this would never happen again, and the sign of that promise is the rainbow.
Lucy: You’ve taken a great load off my mind…
Linus: Sound theology has a way of doing that! -Robert L. Short, Parables of Peanuts

Yes it does!!!!

1 Adapted from the ESV Study Bible, the section entitled “Biblical Doctrine”
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.

Why do you Need to Study Theology?

By: Ricardo Barber

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

We need to study theology for several reasons. First because everyone is a theologian, everyone thinks about God, his existence, his work, his purposes, his will. Since everyone is a theologian, why not be a good one? Studying theology removes subjectivity from our thoughts about God and provides the opportunity of understanding God truthfully. It moves us from feelings to rational truth, not what just seems right or our own opinions. It can help us critically evaluate popular displays of religion and be able to discuss and present the truth of God to counter them. It helps us defend against new presentations of spiritual life. New religions and new expressions of old religions are constantly appearing on the religious landscape. We are called upon to defend our faith, this defense is known as the study of apologetics. Historical theology is particularly helpful here. The study of theology allows us to satisfy our intellectual cravings. Even though our culture has worked hard to subdue intellectual pursuits through TV, video games, over-busy lives, sloth, we have been created to desire intellectual pursuits and critical thoughts.(See blog titled "Are we raising Anti-Intellectual Kids?) “An unexamined truth is not worth believing.”

Studying theology also provides absolute truth in our relativistic culture. This culture denies absolute truth and Christianity claims there is truth and there is an absolute standard of truth- God and his revelation. The study of theology produces Biblically informed truth that grounds us and protects us from swaying in the wind with the whims of our culture and our own minds. It grounds our Christian life of worship in truth. It also produces a life transformed according to the truth of God’s word. Studying theology grounds our teaching/preaching in truth; and it protects our congregations from falsehood. Lastly it grounds our worldview in a biblical/theological culture rather than in the world’s culture.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)