Building the Body Through Theology
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· 2 viewsThe Body of Christ must be astute in it's faith because of Theology
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Introduction
Introduction
A sermon doesn’t replace church
Body Building 2020!
Building the Body through Prayer - Review
Building the Body through Theology
Building the Body through Holiness
Building the Body through Evangelism
Why is the world would I think that Theology is something that the body is built up by? Why should the topic of Theology be on the list of four, for building up the body?
Good Theology is the scaffolding surrounding the Bible that enables us to climb up and build a more clear understanding of the mind of God!
I’m hoping in our time together to help you understand more clearly the need for good theology in our church. And this is for very good reason...
Main Idea - Good Theology is Vital for the Strengthening of the Body of Christ
Main Idea - Good Theology is Vital for the Strengthening of the Body of Christ
There are three questions I will ask and answer this morning that will hopefully help you to understand why good theology is crucial to a healthy and strong Church.
The questions we need to ask are...
What is Good Theology?
Why should you be Concerned about Theology?
How can I grow in Good Theology?
1. What is Good Theology?
1. What is Good Theology?
When people hear the word, “Theology” they might get really nervous! Maybe they feel intimidated or, worse yet, they really don’t see any relevance for them personally.
Are they right? Is it something that should make us nervous? Should we even care? Aren’t there more important things for us to sink our intelectual energy into? Shouldn’t the average “rank and file” believer just leave theology to the professionals?
Well, allow me to answer each one of these questions and while doing so answer the question, what is good theology!
No, theology shouldn’t make you nervous - Theology is done all the time - When someone is thinking about God, they, in sense are doing “theology.” Of course, this means the Theology that is done can be good theology or bad theology! So we need to be careful.
Muslims do theology, Buddhists do theology, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormans all do theology, Catholics do theology, even Atheists do theology! Just because theology is being done, doesn’t mean it is good theology! So, theology shouldn’t make you nervous, but you should be concerned about the kind of theology you are engaging in.
And this leads to the next question, should we care?
Yes, you should care and care a lot - Why? Because Jesus cared a lot about theology! Good theology!
As true followers of Christ, our theology must come from and be rooted in God’s Holy Word, the Bible!
Our theology ought not originate and stay in our head, rather it should come from the very words of Christ and thus change our thinking!
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
“TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.”
God has given us his text to change our thinking, change our heart, and change the way we live our lives. Good theology helps us understand God’s thinking so we can align ours with His.
Is this effort worth our time? Is there anything more important that we should do?
No, there is nothing more important to sink your mental energy into - Theology is known as “The Queen of the Sciences.”
And so, by all means sink your mental, spiritual, emotional and physical energy into the pursuit of theology!
Jesus is God very God and therefore His Word is authoritative and profitable. Therefore we, as followers of Christ must understand all that He has revealed to us in His glorious divine Book. We must spend much energy there so we can know the mind of God.
Wayne Grudem, in his wonderful book, Bible Doctrine says, “The emphasis of (systematic) theology is on what God wants us to believe and to know...” (pg. 18)
What better pursuit is there than to believe and know God?
But shouldn’t I just leave it to the religious scholars?
No, do not leave it to the professionals - Theology is attainable. The Bible, especially the New Testament was written for the average person, not the religious scholar...
Theology is done all the time - When someone is thinking about God, they, in sense are doing “theology.” This means that the Theology that is done can be good theology or bad theology. Muslims do theology, Buddhists do theology, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormans do theology, Catholics do theology. Even Atheists do theology!
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus is God very God and therefore His Word is authoritative and profitable. Therefore we, as followers of Christ must understand all that He has revealed to us in His glorious divine Book. We must spend much energy there so we can know the mind of God.
Wayne Grudem, in his wonderful book, Bible Doctrine says, “The emphasis of (systematic) theology is on what God wants us to believe and to know...” (pg. 18)
Theology is attainable. The Bible, especially the New Testament was written for the average person, not the religious scholar...
Good theology is based in the belief that God exists, is personal, can be known, and has revealed himself. These presuppositions motivate theologians to devote themselves to a passionate pursuit of knowledge from God’s Word. Unfortunately, the word “theologian” is used almost exculsivley for vocational theologians rather than for anyone earnestly devoted to knowing God. On one level everyone who thinks about God is a theologian. But a believer whose life is consumed with knowing his Lord is most certainly a theologian, and theologians are committed to truth. (ESV Study Bible, pg. 2505)
Now listen, we thank God for those who have given their lives to study theology at a deeper level than perhaps the rest of us. They are a gift to the church.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Some of the people who have helped me understand the Bible the most are those that have dedicated their lives to the disciplined study of the Word of God. Especially in particular areas.
Also, I praise God for my scholarly friends who live on my shelves. They are always there for me when I need help understanding some fine point of difficult theology.
Show a sampling of resourses...
Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns
Know What you Believe by Paul Little
The ESV Study Bible
And this leads to the next question...
How does one obtain good theology?
Follow the Theological Process!
The Theological Process (ESVSB - Pg. 2506)
Exegesis - The process of seeking to determine the correct meaning out of a particular passage of Scripture.
Biblical Theology - The study of scriptural revelation based on the historical framework presented in the Bible.
Systematic Theology - A study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today about a given topic?”
Historical Theology - The study of how believers in different eras of the history of the church have understood various theological topics.
Philosophical Theology - The study of theological topics primarily through the use of the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning and information gained from nature and reason (“general revelation”) apart from the Bible.
Practical Theology - The study of how to best apply theological truths to the life of the church and the world (including preaching, Christian education, counseling, evangelism, missions, church administration, worship, etc.).
Apologetics - The study of theology for the purpose of defending Christian teaching against criticism and distortion, and giving evidences of its credibility.
What does good theology look like?
Theology is attainable. The Bible, especially the New Testament was written for the average person, not the religious scholar...
Major Categories of Study in Systematic Theology
Method and foundation - Prolegomena
The Bible - Bibliology
God - Theology proper
Humanity - Anthropology
Sin - Hamartiology
Christ - Christology
Holy Spirit - Pneumatology
Salvation - Soteriology
Church - Ecclesiology
Last Things - Eschatology
So, what exactly is Good Theology?
The study of theology is considered by many to be dry, boring, irrelevant, and complicated. But for those who want to know God, the study of theology is indispensable. The word “theology” comes from two Greek words, theos (“God”) and logos (“word”). The study of theology is an effort to make definitive statements about God and his implications in an accurate, coherent, relevant way, based on God’s self-revelations. Doctrine equips people to fulfill their primary purpose, which is to glorify and delight in God through a deep personal knowledge of him. Meaningful relationship with God is dependent on correct knowledge of him. (ESV Study Bible, pg. 2505)
So this is what “Good Theology” is. It is the process one goes trough to rightly know God - Which is, in fact, the gospel.
The Gospel is the Crown Jewel of Good Theology!
The Meta-Narative of the Bible (Creation, Fall, Redemption and Restoration) all point to the Gospel - And this is not only good theology, it is the best of the best!
Share the gospel...
Review - Good theology is vital for the strengthening of the Body of Christ
What is Good Theology? - Good theology is the process we go through to rightly know God!
2. Why Should You Be Concerned about Theology?
2. Why Should You Be Concerned about Theology?
Following a recipe
Following a recipe
Fixing a car
Installing a furnace
If God has communicated to us through the Holy Scriptures, then we must take great care to rightly understand the Sciptures. For it is in the Scriptures that God reveals himself to mankind!
Theology, good theology helps to unlock the divine mysteries. And so we “follow the recipe” to rightly understand God!
And as we understand God,
Good Theology Helps Us Love God
Good Theology Helps Us Love God
Any theological system that distinguishes between “rational propositions about God” and “a personal relationship with God” fails to see this necessary connection between love and knowledge. The capacity to love, enjoy, and tell others about a person is increased by greater knowledge of that person. Love and knowledge go hand in hand. Good lovers are students of the beloved. Knowledge of God 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. Knowing how God thinks is the first step in becoming Godly. (ESVSB pg. 2505)
Good Theology Helps Us Love Truth
Good Theology Helps Us Love Truth
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Explain -
The Galatians were walking away from God because they were changing His truth!
There is only one truth - one Gospel. Everything else is a distortion.
It doesn’t matter from whom you hear it, a false gospel is still false - and thus deadly.
This is so important, Paul repeats himself...
Paul is willing to be accured (forever separated from God) if he miscommunicates the gospel.
This is so important, Paul doesn't care what people think!
The point Paul is making here?
Eternal truths have eternal consequenses
Eternal truths have eternal consequenses
So close and yet so far!
So close and yet so far!
“…the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
“98% truth is still a lie.”
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Listen, Good theology will get you to a right relationship with God!
Bad theology, no matte how good it sounds, will get you an everlasting curse!
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
You not only need good theology for yourself but for those you teach!
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
1 Timoth 6 3-5
Review - Good theology is vital for the strengthening of the Body of Christ
What is Good Theology? - Good theology is the process we go through to rightly know God!
Why should you be concerned about Good Theology? Because Good theology Helps us to rightly love God and Truth!
3. How Can You Grow in Good Theology?
3. How Can You Grow in Good Theology?
Theology is attainable!
To Grow in Good Theology will Cost You Time
Role up your sleeves and get to work!
Role up your sleeves and get to work!
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
To Grow in Good Theology will Cost You Money
To Grow in Good Theology will Cost You in Emotional Energy
But...
To Grow in Good Theology will Pay You in Ways You Can Never imagine in this life and the next!
Good Theology will make you a better Human
Good Theology will make you a better Thinker
Good Theology will make you a better Spouse
Good Theology will make you a better Parent
Good Theology will make you a better Worker.
Good Theology will Change your life for the better
And even if it didn’t do anything for you in this life, good theology will prepare you for the glories of the next!
Be purposed in Reading the Bible Annually
Be purposed in Reading a good theology - Start with Paul Little’s book “Know what you believe.”
Get into a group that discusses theology - “Discipleship Essentials”
Conclusion
Conclusion
Good Theology is the scaffolding surrounding the Bible that enables us to climb up and build a more clear understanding of the mind of God!
What are you willing to do to help this body grow in Theology. When you grow in theology, this body will grow in theology!