You always get me thinking
I had an interesting conversation with a friend a few weeks ago. He (a strong Christian himself) told me that he doesn't like theology. "You put God in a box by trying to define Him..." he told me, "and usually theology just leads to endless disputes among scholars and pastors."
Now that's not something that I haven't heard before... but this time it was slightly painful to hear those words because they were coming from someone that I once considered to be a theologian in-the-making.
I thought about what it means to "put God in a box" ( there should be a mutual agreement that God is not bound to any other power, much less that of the mortal realm. So, His divine nature is not affected at all by human word or logic). The problem lies in the idea that theology DEFINES God. But what is wrong with that? As if though God is obliged to whatever words we use to describe Him? Even so, these are the very words that we pull from Holy Scripture, that was God-breathed to begin with! I refuse to believe that my precious Lord would deceive His creation into thinking He is something that He's not. Why have so many authors of the Bible spent so much time speculating on and praising God's character? BECAUSE GOD INSPIRED THEM TO DO SO!!!! If my Scripture-based definition of God (along with reasoning and logic) can help me understand more of (and draw closer to) the Holy Creator of the Universe, shouldn't my exploration be encouraged?
And yes, it's a travesty that the study of God has let to alot of controversy and disputes and divisions in the church and such... but remember that God is not responsible for these problems. It is our own sin and pride and stubborness that causes us to disconnect when it comes to certain doctrines. I believe that there is one truth, and the more we earnestly search, the closer we will get to it. May your passion for the truth never die!
******************************
Romania Countdown: 46 days
Now that's not something that I haven't heard before... but this time it was slightly painful to hear those words because they were coming from someone that I once considered to be a theologian in-the-making.
I thought about what it means to "put God in a box" ( there should be a mutual agreement that God is not bound to any other power, much less that of the mortal realm. So, His divine nature is not affected at all by human word or logic). The problem lies in the idea that theology DEFINES God. But what is wrong with that? As if though God is obliged to whatever words we use to describe Him? Even so, these are the very words that we pull from Holy Scripture, that was God-breathed to begin with! I refuse to believe that my precious Lord would deceive His creation into thinking He is something that He's not. Why have so many authors of the Bible spent so much time speculating on and praising God's character? BECAUSE GOD INSPIRED THEM TO DO SO!!!! If my Scripture-based definition of God (along with reasoning and logic) can help me understand more of (and draw closer to) the Holy Creator of the Universe, shouldn't my exploration be encouraged?
And yes, it's a travesty that the study of God has let to alot of controversy and disputes and divisions in the church and such... but remember that God is not responsible for these problems. It is our own sin and pride and stubborness that causes us to disconnect when it comes to certain doctrines. I believe that there is one truth, and the more we earnestly search, the closer we will get to it. May your passion for the truth never die!
******************************
Romania Countdown: 46 days
posted by sarah braica @ 6/15/2005
5 Comments:
At 4:10 PM,
Anonymous said…
I agree with you Braica, if we use the scriptures to "define" God then it only leads to a deeper understanding of Him and draws out praise and joy from our hearts. We know who our God is, and exploring his character by using His word should be encouraged!!
At 12:38 PM,
Dan Ciupuliga said…
hey..interesting post... first of all to say that your defining God is erroneous because God has no definition.. theology is just getting to know more of his infinite qualities through the study of scriptures... I think that through theology people might find stuff about God that does not fit in their selfmade image of God... if someone thinks of God as a loving God.. theology will reveal that he is also a vengeful, a jelous, a wrathfull God at times.. read Romans 9 for example..
At 9:58 PM,
Doctor Andy Nixon said…
bravo booger! you got to pondering what God's Truth and is and what "truth" can be given to us. you've always encouraged me to stay strong in what i believe and you know how stubborn i am when it comes to these things... especially theology!! i hate the fact that something so beautiful has been so corrupted... but maybe i'm naive to think that anything even COULD remain pure!! theology will NOT explain to me how i view God, that is God impressing His image in my heart through His Word and through a growing relationship with Him. all theology nonsense aside which has no existential practicality... sayyyy predestination/free will, or dispensationalism/covenant theology, or any view of millenialism. i think as Christians we've MISSED the picture and just want to look clever that we've figured out a challenge and then arrogantly(if not to be too presumptuous, falsely) claim that we have a better understanding of God, which logically we would conclude would bring us closer. but i ask the person who figures out the millenialism arguments, so what are you going to do next?? HOW does that change your worship?? by looking at Scripture, would God reward that person for figuring it out?? it's great that some people love to read the Bible and study it, but we've missed the boat and point if what we're doing is trying to solve a problem to make our names look great!! how skeptical i am of the intentions of man, that i don't believe ANY theologian does it to have a better understanding of this Creator Whom loves us more than any of His other creations!! i love God and i love His Word, even though i don't read it enough =/ theology is great, to an extent! let's not forget that understanding theology does not necessarily mean we know God better if the Bible is the bottom book under the commentaries, bible dictionaries, and any other research accessory we can possibly find.
At 8:15 PM,
Dan Ciupuliga said…
You say that you cannot truly believe that people use theology to get closer and know God more intimately (im a bad speller)but instead they use it to better their name. Theology's single purpose is to strengthen our faith through a better understanding of Christ through study of the scriptures. Thus if people use it to better themselves it is impossible to call that true theology. Why do some get the impression that theologists boast with their wisdom? maybe lack of understanding, maybe jelousy of the wiser, or simply because the poor (in this case the poor in understanding) always finds a method to make himself feel better about his situation.
Will it improve my worship if i solve the millenialism puzzle or any of the other theological debates? It will definately improve it, even if only taking the simple fact that God is so amazing that he would reaveal some of his infinite wisdom to an imperfect vessel such as me. That alone, leaving aside the fact of greater understanding, is another reason to praise God.
I agree we have MISSED the PICTURE! But I believe most Christians missed the picture because they fail to study the word but instead base their faith on few cleverly ordered messages of love and forgiveness. People go to church to feel better about themselves, to find out that its ok if they mest up, God's love is infinite, but often they do not care about the way out of sin, the proccess of becomeing more like christ, the weapons of spiritual warfare, apologetics or methods of defending your faith from attackers and other things found trhough the study of scriptures or theology.
Why do we need theology God says simply ask for wisdom and it will be given to you... God will give you wisdom to understand his word, and he will help you get out of any temptation (he says none are greater than our power to overcome it) but all this knowledge is in his word and with His wisdom entrusted to us we can use it to better our christian walk and win our spiritual battles
At 11:25 AM,
Doctor Andy Nixon said…
i agree ciupa... (by the way, miss ya man!) i have definitely looked at the things i believed and it was driven by hate, so my scepticism and dishonor/disrespect, of hard working theologians sincerely searching for Truth outside of truth, was wrong and misplaced. the motivation that led to this mentality was definitely from hate and annoyance/rage from the inside of me. i respect many theologians these days and still want to talk about it... but what i will never regret is realizing how much hate can build from nonsense. i'll always argue theology with people that manipulate God's character into whatever the hell they want it to be so they will see why in front of the Almighty God they are mere fools trying to construct visions and ideas of Him. ever since the conversation with booger, i've thought much about these things and God's been humbling me... so i thank Him for using Sarah and circumstance to show me where i was wrong and what to understand to be true. love you sarah! you too ciupa! =D
Post a Comment
<< Home