We are all Theologians
Dr. Valson Abraham
“Theology”
is a word that causes deep misunderstanding among many kinds of people. There
is a general misconception that theology is only for religious specialists who
spend years in college and seminary and church pastorates. Not true. In truth,
we are all theologians. Theology is the study of God, and whether our beliefs
are well-formed or half-baked, all of us have ideas about God and the world in
which we live. Our decisions and our att itudes about life are infl uenced by
those beliefs.
Therefore,
the wise person sets out to determine just what his beliefs about God are and
to correct those that are wrong or defective.
Our
beliefs about God come from various sources: (1) our own family backgrounds,
whether positive or negative experiences and (2) the culture and society in
which we have been raised. (3) All of this must be evaluated and corrected in
the light of the revealed Word of God which is the fi nal authority. We should
each clarify what we actually believe about God and whether our beliefs agree
with the revealed Word of God-The Bible. It may be that what we say we believe
is not what we actually believe in practice.
The
word “theology” is derived from two Greek words, “theos” meaning “God” and
“logos” meaning “word or doctrine.” In short, theology is teaching about God
and the things of God. We must make a conscious and constant eff ort to align
our beliefs with Scripture to help us make wise life decisions and decisions
that aff ect us and those around us for eternity.
Christian
theology is based upon the revelation found in the 66 books of the Bible. On
the other hand, there is also natural theology which what God has revealed
about Himself in nature. But natural theology is incomplete without the
revelation of divine will in the Bible. The main divisions of Christian
theology include (1) exegetical theology (interpretation and study of
scriptural texts), (2) historical theology (the history of doctrinal thought),
(3) systematic theology (arranging the teachings in a logical order which includes
apologetics and ethics, the doctrine of origins to the doctrine of last things)
and (4) practical theology (salvation, preaching, education, administration,
worship, the Great Commission).
To
eff ectively live our Christian lives, we must have strong foundations in each
of these various areas. This means we must make a regular habit of studying our
Bibles and reading books by reputable Christian authors who help us to
understand and think through our beliefs. In this regard, all of us have areas
of strength and weakness. We all have areas of inconsistency that we must
correct if we are to more eff ectively serve God and the people around us.
Of
course, Christian theology is more than the sum of correct beliefs about God.
It involves our response to the work of the living God in our lives, moving us
to act in love and obedience toward Him. Our correct beliefs become a living
faith as we listen to God and learn to do His will in our lives.
For
example, if we say we believe in an omnipotent God, we will trust God to do
great things in our lives and the lives of others. We will give ourselves to
prayers of faith. We will not become discouraged when things do not always go
our way. We will trust God to be stronger than the circumstances that surround
us. We will hunger aft er the promises of God, expecting Him to be faithful in
honoring them even if God does not follow our timetables.
We
will also get our priorities straight when it comes to the Great Commission. We
will more readily see the lost world around us and ask God how He can work
through us to accomplish His redemptive purpose among the spiritually lost at
home and abroad. In India, millions of people remain in spiritual confusion and
because of diabolically distorted and darkened perceptions of God. Join us with
your prayers and resources to insure that the Bread of Life reaches all who
hunger for it.
Take time to evaluate if God is calling you to
study the Bible seriously, to correct your faulty theology, to make sure that
it is aligned with the authority of God’s Word. It may be that God is even
calling you to come to India Bible College and Seminary or one of our other
schools to strengthen your theology and determine how to practice it. Pray
about this today.
Father God, help me to know what and why I believe that I may more eff ectively serve you and those whom you love and seek for your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
