Theology versus Religious Studies . It’s a relevant area. Yes, doctrinal truths are often presented with unfamiliar and complicated terminology. and shall not be put to shame,” (Psalm 119:41-42, 46), “You see the infinite distance between his power and your weakness, between his holiness and your sinfulness, between his unchangeable nature and your fickleness. 38 This is the great and first commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38, “Loving God with all of our minds certainly means more than theological study, but it certainly does not mean less than that.” (Wilson). When you know doctrine, you are able to defend your church from those who would want to lead it astray. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”. What you learn of God should always motivate your worship. We must study theology to know what is good fruit and what is bad. but I do not turn away from your law. First, the Christian who systematically studies the Word of God knows truth. Theology is the study of God. Ligonier. We cannot rightly judge doctrinal fruit unless we know what good doctrinal fruit is. We didn’t realize how childish and worldly our previous idea of God was. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. “When you know doctrine, you are able to rebuke anyone who wanders from it, and you are responsible for doing so. What are the benefits of studying a Charles Sturt theology degree? To learn our duty to him, the means of enjoying his favor, the hopes which we are authorized to entertain, and the wonderful expedient by which our fallen race is restored to purity and happiness. Every person is a theologian. To ascertain the character of God in its aspect toward us. In every corner of our public world, we find people arguing about, mobilizing, and developing politics around things theological. “Often, this ignorance of God demonstrates itself in idolatry—not the ugly and obvious idolatry of statues and shrines by the subtle idolatry of refashioning the true God into an image that fits our lives. It’s the secret to living the most joyful and satisfied life. I take comfort, O Lord. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Details: Intimacy and Maturity There is no better way to saturate one’s mind with Scripture than by sitting under expository preaching and studying systematic theology. KEDS Director of Studies Dr Stephen Vantassel explores the practical benefits of a theological education in a short but useful essay that ought to be read by anyone considering enrolling on a Bible college or seminary programme. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. We cannot just give any old answer. Studying theology helps us to know God more perfectly. In Acts 17, Luke describes a time when Paul and Silas visited Berea. “We ignore the global impact of religion, in my judgment, at our peril”-ex-U. To serve him, the most honorable and delightful purpose to which we can devote our time and talents. Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth. He has given us His Word to sanctify us and make us stronger in the faith. “Churches are bound together by the beliefs they share. but in fact we know only a god of our imagination.” (Snyder, p. 32), Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. However, Scripture the only infallible, inerrant, completely sufficient source of Truth. Click... 2. The study of theology prepares you to explore abstract ideas from different perspectives, as well as communicate these ideas to others. By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and a pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. Theology is essentially knowledge of God. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Scottish pastor and theologian John Dick (1764-1833) gave the following reasons in his systematic theology. It takes into account context, an understanding of the culture of when and where a passage was written, to whom the passage was written, by whom the passage was written, what type of literature the passage is, and the original languages. There is also a practice called eisegesis. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16). “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. As Christians, God expects us to study His Word to know Him more fully. We are expected to handle His Word rightly. When we really study the true God of the Bible, we quickly realize that we are not actually the center of the universe. The Bible is about God. The better we understand who God is, the more pure and true our worship of the Creator will become. The book we’re using, Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology), was published by Zondervan in 1995 and is generally recognized as the best systematic theology … Most people don’t study theology at all in college—especially those who attend public universities and colleges. If our idea of God deviates from what He has described of Himself, we have created an idol. That is why we engage in theology.” (Sproul, p. 13). There will be many on Judgement Day who will have believed they had the right God all along. Intimacy and Maturity There is no better way to saturate one’s mind with Scripture than by sitting under expository preaching and studying systematic theology. and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105). As we grow to fear God more than we fear man we also grow to fear for man’s soul more and take every opportunity to share with everyone the Good New of Christ’s atoning work. And as you see it, you are humbled. We may ask or say things like: “Why would God allow this to happen to me?” “What is the purpose of life?” “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?” “At least I am not as bad as her?” “I need to be in control.” These are genuine and understandable questions/statements. Check out the parable of the seeds: Theology can be thought of as loving God with your mind. In a sense, theology is the study of a religion from within that religion's traditions and perspectives, while religious studies take a more external perspective. Studying theology matures us in the faith. Both will enhance one’s spiritual maturity. We feel as though we are seeing God for the first time. This is to read a passage, in context and practicing proper hermeneutics to determine what the passage is actually stating. Studying theology will also drive us to be more correct in the way we worship. It moves you with the incredible mercy of God as expressed in sending his Son to die for you. The fact that there are and will continue to be false teachers within the professing church is an undeniable fact. This blessing has fallen to me, Therefore, it is of supreme importance that we commit ourselves to the study of doctrine. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, Instead, it is inextricably connected to assurance and conviction. If God is truly the Creator, the Sustainer, the Savior, and Sovereign, why wouldn’t we want to study theology? It is the content of our faith, our belief system. {Are they mad at God because of a great tragedy or abuse? Studying theology teaches us how to properly read, interpret, and understand God’s Word. … To know this mighty Being, as far as he may be known, [which] is the noblest aim of the human understanding. A knowledge of theology can help us 'diagnose' unbelievers who have heard the gospel but are still resistant. Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth, RESOURCES: Depression & Spiritual Discouragement, Satan’s Permission to Sift You like Wheat, Avoid Taking Communion in an "Unworthy Manner". Worshiping God in the way we want to is not really worshiping God but rather worshiping our experience. We soon discover how absolutely wretched we are; how bad our sin really is. Hermeneutics is the science of proper interpretation. We realize how small we really are and realize how impossible it is to fathom how big He really is. and keep your law. Divorcing your study of theology from the local church. When I say every Christian must be a theologian, I don’t mean that every Christian must be an academic or that every Christian must be a scholar or that every Christian must work hard at giving the impression of being a know-it-all. Contrary to the way some idolaters of doubt would have you believe, the Christian faith is founded on facts. 4 Benefits of Studying Systematic Theology Crossway Articles. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (1 Timothy 3:16-17). “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, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. “Every Christian must be a theologian…So I tell my church what I don’t mean. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Benefits of Studying the Old Testament Warren Baldwin Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy … This list is derived from Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth, John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, general editors. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Does Romans 13:8 Teach It Is a Sin to Borrow Money? Theology today is the study of religious beliefs and the divine. Grudem says yes and offers three benefits for studying systematic theology: It helps guard us against imposing our ideas on Scripture. Knowing the right God is vital. We can certainly cite many Benefits and Blessings of studying theology, but perhaps the best reason is because God commands it. This is my comfort in my affliction, This answer must be one in which we will have a “good conscience” that our answer and the way we answer aligns with a “good behavior in Christ.”. The most important tool we have in properly understanding and interpreting Scripture is to read the passage in context. Indeed, the study of theology has often run afoul of the legal separation of church and state. You cannot know God and be arrogant.” (Challies). Theological research is applied to all religions that include belief in a deity. When we study that attributes of God, scales on our eyes start to fall away. “Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, To love him, the most worthy exercise of our affections. “The more we read, study, meditate on, and prayerfully apply the word of God, the more we will find ourselves in awe of Him. “We do want to progress in our knowledge and growth in our understanding, but we have to be careful not to be lured into the temptation to come up with something new just to be novel.” (Sproul, p.10), “Purposeful theological study of God, as an expression of love for God, cannot help but deepen our love for God.” (Wilson). “But the answer to formal scholasticism or dry intellectualism is not a neglect of theological study. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. The more we understand theology the better we become as understanding what we can and cannot unite with. Because we’re human (and sinners), we’re apt to find some biblical teachings hard to embrace. In studying theology we actually learn what the true definition of grace, mercy, love, justice, sin, and other words we misuse every day. Not only should Christians know what it is that … Error: There is no connected account for the user 4017433232 Feed will not update. Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, Nobody likes an egghead. benefits of studying theology provides a comprehensive and comprehensive pathway for students to see progress after the end of each module. False theology is not of God and must not be associated with by those who claim to be the Bride of Christ. Charles Sturt teaches theology in a way that covers many different disciplines: history, philosophy, psychology, social sciences, textual analysis, linguistic study, and symbol. Both will enhance one’s spiritual maturity. The stronger our theology grows, the stronger the unity within Christ’s Bride grows. Copyright © 2021 A Narrow-Minded Woman | Kalon by : Rara Theme | Powered by: WordPress. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that for the Christian, faith is not some leap into the dark. What do we say when someone asks us why we study the Bible? The Perspective of Biblical Context. your salvation according to your promise; A church that cares little for doctrine, and a church without people who know and love doctrine, is a church that will necessarily be blown and swayed by every wind and wave of doctrine.” (Challies). Sanctification is another word for growing or maturing in the faith. Luke describes these people as being more noble than those in Thesalonica because they were studying the Scripture to judge whether Paul and Silas were teaching what was in accord to the God’s Word. You cannot see God and be proud. Unless we study theology, we are unable to do this duty and are weak to stand against false teaching. Studying theology matures our discernment and protects us from being deceived. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ (John 4:23–24)” (Wilson). 6 October 2014. Your love for God is limited by your knowledge of him, so that you can really only love him as far as you know him. In other words, we may profess to know the God of the Bible. Due to the fact that we’ve been created in the image of God with a conscience stirred by an innate God-consciousness, we all have an interest in theology. The more you know of God, the more you can worship God and the more you will want to worship God. There are a myriad of benefits, but I want to mention five main areas where the Christian profits from the study of theology. God’s Word commands us to Study Theology (Sound Doctrine) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Benefits and Blessings of Studying Theology. Humbled is the only word that comes close to describing it but it hardly seems an accurate statement. If our answer is not the truth or is not something we have actually determined for ourselves through the study of Scripture, we cannot claim to be acting in “good conscience” or with a “good behavior in Christ.” In order to answer in “good conscience” and with a behavior that Christ would be pleased with, we must study what His Word has said. What accord has Christ with Belial? We can identify many benefits of pursuing, developing, and maintaining sound doctrine as a result of studying theology: Theology is required for salvation.
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