About Me

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I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

What Is Theology?

Theology is literally the study (ology) of God or Theos using the Greek. It is like a "God-talk." Theology has a bad connotation for some but I hope to clear this up:

I want to make it clear that every believer ought to have at least a working knowledge of basic doctrine and preferably to know the way around the block theologically. There are negative connotations to the word "theology" but it is about a doctrinal credo that we pursue.

Theology is not an "abstract science"  (according to R. C. Sproul, one of America's most influential theologians), like economics with many conflicting schools of thought and interpretation. It is the "queen of the sciences" because it deals with the truth of Jesus who is the embodiment of truth. It is not a fool's errand of speculation, but a revealed knowledge from divine revelation. We could not know God apart from revelation because the finite cannot penetrate the infinite--God must take the initiative because no man can see God and live.

Great preachers are those who have honed their theology to perfection and can then deliver the goods. Every Christian is a theologian, what kind of theologian is open to question. We all have a theology; the question is whether we have sound theology.  Note: You can have sound theology and an unsound life, but you cannot have a sound life without a sound theology.  Soli Deo Gloria!

1 comment:

  1. I like best the comment that every Christian is a theologian, but what kind of theologian is open to question. LOL.

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