The What, Who, The place, and When of Theology

Steerage Via Scripture

On the command of the angel of the Lord, Philip the evangelist traveled south to a desert highway. There he encountered an Ethiopian court docket official who was returning dwelling from Jerusalem, the place he had worshiped the God of Israel. The person sat in his chariot studying the phrases of Isaiah about one who quietly submitted to loss of life like a meek lamb. Philip requested him if he understood what he was studying. The Ethiopian replied, “How can I, besides some man ought to information me?” (Acts 8:26–33). Anybody who has spent greater than just a little time studying the Bible has skilled this want, questioning, “How can I perceive except somebody guides me?” This steering is the work of theology.

What Is Theology?

Theology frightens some individuals and fascinates others. It introduces us to an unseen world, one far larger and extra lasting than the world we see and contact. Doing theology is crucial job that any human being can tackle. Actually, as R. C. Sproul mentioned, “Everybody’s a theologian.”¹ Even the atheist’s rejection of God is an act of theology.

The phrase doctrine means “instructing.” Christian doctrine is the church’s instructing primarily based on the Bible, God’s phrase (2 Tim. 3:16). The time period theology actually means “phrases or speech about God,” and thus it’s the examine of God and questions concerning the doctrines he has revealed. Extra particularly, Christian theology is a human description of the authoritative data and knowledge that God has revealed in his phrase in order that we could know him and stay unto him by Jesus Christ.

Systematic theology solutions the query, What does the entire Bible train about every of its main subjects and its relation to different subjects? Louis Berkhof mentioned that systematic theology “seeks to provide a scientific presentation of all of the doctrinal truths of the Christian faith.”² It builds in our minds a mind-set during which every doctrine is clearly understood and rightly linked to different doctrines. It proves how each a part of doctrine is deeply rooted within the Holy Scriptures. It neither ignores the theologies of the previous nor accepts any certainly one of them blindly. Reasonably, systematic theology compares all issues to the phrase of God with a purpose to defend true Christianity whereas deepening our understanding of God’s revelation. Systematic theology isn’t just an outline of what individuals have believed prior to now however an try to declare God’s phrase to the current technology.

The goal of theology must be a proper relationship with God by Christ (2 Tim. 3:15). Paul says, “I rely all issues however loss for the excellency of the data of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I’ve suffered the lack of all issues, and do rely them however dung, that I could win Christ” (Phil. 3:8).

William Ames wrote, “Theology is the doctrine of dwelling to God.”³ Petrus van Mastricht barely expanded Ames’s definition to “the doctrine of dwelling to God by Christ.”⁴ This definition exhibits that theology is a cautious examine of “doctrine,” which is the instructing of God’s phrase. Theology is about God. The objective of theology is “dwelling to God”—that’s, looking for his pleasure and glory. We are able to do that solely by the Mediator (“by Christ”).

Theology is each data and knowledge. Data is necessary as a result of we should know the reality about God and his methods to have a relationship with him. Knowledge refers to ability or competency. Typically knowledge is ability in a commerce or artwork. However extra typically it’s ability in a single’s complete lifestyle. Knowledge contains data. However knowledge is broader than data, together with the flexibility to stay skillfully and joyfully for the glory of God.

Theology entails each idea and observe. We don’t want to decide on between having full heads with chilly hearts and empty heads with heat hearts. We should know God in a way that engages our heads, hearts, and fingers. Jeremiah 9:24 says, “Let him that glorieth glory on this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I’m the Lord which train lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, within the earth: for in this stuff I delight, saith the Lord.”

Figuring out God entails figuring out his attributes and actions that set him other than the false gods of man (Jer. 10:1–16). Nevertheless, theology calls for motion, for figuring out God strikes us to glorify him: “Who wouldn’t concern thee, O King of countries? For to thee doth it appertain” (Jer. 10:7). Additionally, figuring out God means imitating him: “He judged the reason for the poor and needy; then it was properly with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord” (Jer. 22:16).

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Who Does Theology?

Within the artwork of pictures, one essential issue is the standpoint. For instance, you may take an image of a volcano wanting up from the bottom or down from a helicopter. Equally, in doing theology, we should take heed to our standpoint. Theology is “the data or knowledge of the divine issues that God has revealed to individuals on this world . . . and that he has tailored to their functionality.”⁵

First, we do theology as creatures of God (Gen. 1:1). We’re not God. Due to this fact, we should acknowledge that he’s past our capability to completely perceive (Rom. 11:33). One hazard of theology is that “data puffeth up” (1 Cor. 8:1). John Owen rightly mentioned, “Our ideas, our meditations, our expressions of him are low, a lot of them unworthy of his glory, none of them reaching his perfections.”⁶ The true theologian does theology with an perspective of dependence, submission, and godly concern towards the Lord.

Second, we additionally do theology as God’s picture bearers (Gen. 1:26–27). A part of being created in God’s picture is the flexibility to know and acknowledge God (Col. 3:10; cf. Rom. 1:21). Nevertheless, our theology will not be God’s theology however “picture theology,” or solely the faint echo and dim reflection of the unique. Franciscus Junius mentioned that our theology is “a sure copy and, relatively, shadowy picture . . . [of the] unbounded knowledge which God possesses.”⁷

Third, we do theology as sinners towards God. Nobody on earth does theology from a standpoint of neutrality. Our first response to true theology is resistance: “That is the condemnation, that mild is come into the world, and males cherished darkness relatively than mild, as a result of their deeds have been evil” (John 3:19). Mankind generates its personal false theology by which it might probably by no means discover God (1 Cor. 1:19–21). John Calvin mentioned, “They don’t due to this fact apprehend God as he provides himself, however think about him as they’ve customary him in their very own presumption.”⁸ Due to this fact, we should repent of our resistance to God’s phrase. We should rely every single day on Christ to open our minds to grasp the Scriptures (Luke 24:25, 45).

Fourth, we do theology as born-again kids of God, if by grace we’ve repented of our sins and trusted in Christ alone for salvation. God is our interior trainer (John 6:45). This doesn’t take away the necessity for learning God’s phrase. It doesn’t imply we don’t have to study from the human lecturers that the Holy Spirit provides to the physique of Christ. However it opens a complete new world of potentialities. We have been blind, however now by grace we are able to see (2 Cor. 3:17–18; 4:4–6).

Fifth, we may additionally do theology as pastors and lecturers within the church, if God calls us to serve him in these methods. Pastors and lecturers have a particular calling to review theology, for they’re despatched by Christ to construct up the church in “the unity of the religion, and of the data of the Son of God” (Eph. 4:11–13). God requires them to be “apt to show” (1 Tim. 3:2) and “ready by sound doctrine each to exhort and to persuade the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9). Pastors and lecturers ought to by no means relaxation in what they already know. Paul exhorted Timothy, “Meditate upon this stuff; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting could seem to all” (1 Tim. 4:15).

Doing theology is crucial job that any human being can tackle.

The place Do We Do Theology?

The place, on this case, doesn’t consult with our location however to our scenario amongst males.

We examine theology amongst mankind in insurrection towards God. True theology all the time takes a stand towards the world. The calling of a theologian is to undergo persecution (Matt. 23:33–35). He’s a servant of the gospel that the world rejects. The theologian can say with Paul, “I endure all issues for the elect’s sakes, that they could additionally get hold of the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with everlasting glory” (2 Tim. 2:10).

We study theology within the church. The apostle Paul doesn’t sharply distinguish what’s taught to ministerial college students from what’s taught within the church. He says, “The issues that thou hast heard of me amongst many witnesses, the identical commit thou to trustworthy males” (2 Tim. 2:2). We want the church. Perseverance in sound doctrine and holy dwelling requires godly relationships (Heb. 3:13; 10:23–25). Paul says that our theology is enriched as we worship with the church: “Let the phrase of Christ dwell in you richly in all knowledge; instructing and admonishing each other in psalms and hymns and non secular songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).

Life will not be about merely exchanging concepts by studying and writing however face-to-face fellowship with actual individuals. John mentioned, “Having many issues to put in writing unto you, I might not write with paper and ink: however I belief to return unto you, and communicate head to head, that our pleasure could also be full” (2 John 12). Communion with God and godly individuals is the objective of theology: “That which we’ve seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye additionally could have fellowship with us: and actually our fellowship is with the Father, and together with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

When Do We Do Theology?

In asking, When will we do theology? when doesn’t consult with seasons in our lives or instances in our schedules however to the time of historical past during which we stand.

Christians are theologians throughout their pilgrimage to glory. We’ve not but arrived (Phil. 3:12). We’re vacationers and wayfarers. Smart theologians, just like the saints of previous, have “confessed that they [are] strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13). Solely silly and immature Christians assume that they already reign and have turn out to be sensible (1 Cor. 4:8, 10). So our theology will not be but the theology of imaginative and prescient, for we don’t but see Christ (1 John 3:2). “We all know partially,” however in the future we’ll see “head to head” (1 Cor. 13:9–12). Junius mentioned, “The extra we’re known as alongside in the entire course of this our depressing life, the extra we really feel our personal ignorance and weak point.” Thus, “true humility . . . occupies the primary and most necessary place in theology.”⁹

Christians are additionally theologians over the past days. The “final days” should not simply the few years earlier than Christ’s return. Reasonably, they’re your complete interval between Christ’s first and second comings (Heb. 1:1–2). Theologians at present have the privilege of studying the complete revelation that God’s Son gave us after his incarnation. Doing theology within the final days additionally implies, nevertheless, that our job is filled with hazard. The final days are instances of error within the professing church (1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 2:18). We due to this fact should not shrink from the decision to defend the religion and to self-discipline professing Christians when false teachings infiltrate the church.

Conclusion

We could examine theology to the telling of a narrative. It’s the grand story of God, creation, the autumn of man, redemption completed, redemption utilized, a brand new individuals shaped, and the restoration of all issues. It’s not only a story that we learn however our story. Due to this fact, we can not faux to be impartial or indifferent observers. As a substitute, we should do theology conscious of our place within the story.

This text is tailored from Necessities of Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley.

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