Posted on 01/01/2010 11:25:31 AM PST by Gamecock
2.Why is the study of theology important?
From the dawn of human history, every people group across the world has been struggling with the great questions of human existence: “Who am I? Why am I here? What am I doing? How do I find meaning and happiness?”. Different civilizations and different persons have formulated different answers to these questions, ranging from the ultra-hedonistic principles of Cyrenaicism to the ultra-ascetic principles of the Hindu Jainists. However, both of these extremes, and every other human philosophy that lies somewhere in between, is insufficient to answer these questions.
The great underlying supposition of theology is that it is only the God who created mankind that can reveal what mankind's purpose is, and show how we may obtain meaning and happiness. If we look for the answers to life's deepest questions within ourselves, we will never find satisfactory answers; but if we look to the One who made us, and conform our lives to his words and commandments, then we will find certain answers to all of our questions. Riches, fame, power, knowledge, and all the other things that humans pursue will never finally satisfy; but as God declared through the prophet Jeremiah, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom and let not the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Therefore, theology is not just an interest or hobby that we can add to our list of favorite activities and diversions. It pertains to the whole of our lives, and must shape and inform our thoughts and activities in every sphere of our existence. Without the knowledge of God, the knowledge of ourselves becomes distorted and futile, and any meaning and ultimate satisfaction becomes utterly impossible.
Our theology drives our every aspect of our lives.
Well said, the extent of what God has done and is doing for the Elect astounds me. I am sure that when folks like us get to heaven we will look back on all He has done and just fall on our knees in worship.
His Grace and Mercy will be evident and that it occurred every moment of our lives. The magnitude of what He accomplished on the cross will be plain, and I cannot help but imagine that the feelings of love for who He is and what He has done will be overwhelming.
The rest of 24:shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiachNAU Jeremiah 9:24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am YHvH who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares YHvH.
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Don’t wish to be the turd in the punchbowl here, but I’m confused. If theology is the study of God, then, as the headline suggests, the study of theology is the study of the study. It almost sounds like something Richard Dawkins would endorse, in the hope of finding some deformed gene responsible for a belief in God.
I’ll just assume that it all means that theology is a good thing, and thank God for His blessings and tender mercies, and go on with the new year.
Left out a key piece.
Just like when we say we are save by faith, it is not the faith itself that saves us, but the object of our faith.
The headline refers back to the object of Theology, not Theology itself.
Christmas Eve I attended a church where my daughter was a featured musician so I of course listened to the sermon. The punchline, if you will, of the sermon was that the reason Jesus came is that any parent who loved his child would do this.
My daughter quick to mention afterward in the car, that in fact, we were not His children when He came, but were, in fact, children of wrath. Second, the deeper meaning, due to poor theology, was lost - that God glorifies Himself, that He came to seek and save those who had no use for Him, that He was building His bride, that He was displaying His character of redemption, and so on.
Theology matters.
Thanks for posting this. We need more of these threads.
You wrote:
“Our theology drives our every aspect of our lives.”
Not according to Mr Rogers here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418596/posts
Yes...
...and show how we may obtain meaning and happiness.
Yes...
If we look for the answers to life's deepest questions within ourselves, we will never find satisfactory answers;
Yes...
...but if we look to the One who made us,
Yes...
...and conform our lives to his words and commandments, then we will find certain answers to all of our questions.
Uh, not really. I mean, yes, Jesus emphasized doing God's will (John 7:17), but the way this is worded isn't the real New Testament emphasis.
This is what is called a "law" orientation--trying to conform our lives to his words/commandments.
That is in contrast to a gospel orientation: at best, we don't conform to His Words; instead the power of His Word transforms us (Romans 12:1-2).
When the New Testament talks about "conformation," it's usually in two contexts:
(1) God does the conformation to His Son's likeness (Rom. 8:29) -- not us & He accomplishes the overall sovereign conformation according to His purposes/will (Eph. 1:11)
(2) Our role is to keep from conforming to the world (Rom. 12:2) and our desires (1 Pet. 1:11)
The difference in all this, outlook wise? Hey, if all we needed was...
...God's law,
...God's commandments,
...God's will,
...and God's word,
then Jesus dying on the cross was irrelevant.
The gospel is that we were at enmity with God;
He brought at-one-ment (atonement), reconciliation, & harmony thru Christ's death on the cross;
And it also allowed the Holy Spirit to come & inhabit us, live and operate through us--so that the transformation is both external (the gospel of the cross & the Word) AND internal (Holy Spirit initiating an inside-out transfo).
This is in contrast to a strict external, law-oriented conformation approach.
I doubt Gamecock will be surprised to find vlad has it wrong again.
““Our theology drives our every aspect of our lives.”” applies to individuals. OUR individual beliefs about who God is and what He wants drives OUR lives.
States and governments are comprised largely of non-Christians. They are in rebellion against God, and they oppose those who cling to God.
Again: “13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” - Heb 11
We are foreigners. We don’t belong to the world. We are not of it. And why? Because our theology - our beliefs about God - drive our lives, and it does so contrary to the prevailing wind.
The government will never be our friend. At best it will have sufficiently limited power that it cannot effectively oppose us - but that is always a temporary situation. Government is not our friend. Governments have no souls, and do not believe in God, nor are they redeemed by God.
You wrote:
“I doubt Gamecock will be surprised to find vlad has it wrong again.”
Don’t assume you know what Gamecock would say on this issue.
Beautiful post.
“Don’t assume you know what Gamecock would say on this issue.”
I wrote “I doubt...”, not “I know...”.
You wrote:
“I wrote “I doubt...”, not “I know...”.”
I know what you wrote. The problem is that you apparently don’t write what you mean or mean what you write. I already pointed that out. If we actually take what you write as what you mean then you have many logically indefensible beliefs.
Very good. You just demonstrated the usefulness and definition of “Theology”.
Therefore, theology is not just an interest or hobby that we can add to our list of favorite activities and diversions. It pertains to the whole of our lives, and must shape and inform our thoughts and activities in every sphere of our existence. Without the knowledge of God, the knowledge of ourselves becomes distorted and futile, and any meaning and ultimate satisfaction becomes utterly impossible.
Theological study is
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Strange how God's make-up is how He desires us to live, isn't it?
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