Everyone has Theology

Theology is the study of God and His ways, beliefs about God, and or beliefs about religion. The word comes from two Greek words: “theo” meaning “God” and “ology” meaning “the study of.” Cambridge states theology as: "the study of religion and religious belief, or a set of beliefs about a particular religion." Hence, theology is the study of God and or beliefs about God and or religion.

Everyone has theology.

Not everyone has correct theology.

And no one has all theology.

Why is it that some Christians are hostile towards theology? It makes no sense to me. Theology is study leading to the knowledge of Christ Jesus and His ways.

Paul, the apostle, bellowed: …that I may know Him (Philippians 3:10). Paul prays:

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…

Ephesians 1: 17-18

Knowledge is good, and yet, knowledge of the Bible does not mean that one knows God. The Word of God reveals God. Jesus is the Word, the Logos, of God (John 1: In the beginning was the Word (Logos) and the Word (Logos) was with God and the Word (Logos) was God). Why wouldn’t someone who is a believer in Jesus Christ want to know Him? Belief in Jesus Christ and knowledge of Jesus Christ are related, but different. The only way to know God with certainty is to know Him through His Word: Logos. That takes an interaction with the Holy Spirit as He reveals God to us through what is written. 

Luke carefully investigated and then wrote the exact truth in order to teach others. The Gospel of Luke begins:

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word [Logos], 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write [it] out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

Luke 1:1-4

How can we accurately handle the Word of God unless we have correct knowledge of it? 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). Furthermore, God said in Hosea 4:6 that His people were destroyed due to their lack of knowledge. Teaching in the Charismatic church is far underrated, which has led to great problems in both practice and understanding.

God deliberately hides truth treasures for us in His word that we might ravish in their finding through depth of study. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter (Proverbs 25:2). Yes, the Holy Spirit must be involved, for it is He who takes the things of Jesus and reveals them to us (John 16:13-15). The Holy Spirit can and does reveal the things of Jesus at random, however, He also delights in revealing the things of Jesus through study. As the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters during Creation (Genesis 1:2), so too He continues to move over the water of the Word on the pages and the word we have stored within us.  

When discoursing about theology, people have rebutted with “the greatest of these is love”; basically saying, “You take your theology and I’ll love instead.” True, 1 Corinthians 13 states that the greatest of faith, hope, and love is love, but how do they know that? It is through knowledge of His Word. His Word revealed that love is indeed greatest (1 Corinthians 13). Loving God and loving people sum up the whole Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). Again, how do we know that? It is through knowledge of His Word. Contrary to popular opinion, what is love? Was Jesus loving when He calculatedly wove together the whip used on the money changers? Was He loving when He told the adulteress to stop sinning, or when He struck Paul blind, or when He told the churches in Revelation to repent or else…? Yes, God is love and love is the greatest, but love is not always soft or sweet.

Love is strong.

Love is powerful.

Love leads to changed lives.

…sometimes through painful means.

We want to know God accurately through the study of His Word and experientially through encounters with the Holy Spirit. How do we know if the experiences we encounter are the Holy Spirit? It is through knowing the Word and knowing the Holy Spirit both. The Word and the Spirit agree. 1 John 5:13 states: These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. But 1 John 3:24 says that we know by the Spirit He has given to us. So which is it? Both. We know we are His children because His Spirit testifies within us of the truth which is written.

Get out your Bible and read it.

Let it heal the raw, bring comfort, and restore.

Let it speak to you.

Let it refresh you.

And let it rip you apart when needed and then put you back together again.

It is a powerful sword... 

For the word [Logos] of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Hebrews 4:12-13