One of the most common assumptions many church members are in danger of making is that studying theology is just for pastors, seminary students or professors. This assumption could not be any more false! If you are a believer in Christ and have desire to know God, it is inevitable that you must give yourself to the study of theology. So, what is theology? The word "theology" comes from the two Greek words, θεὸς - theos(God) and λόγος - logos(word). In his well know book Christian Theology, Millard Erickson writes, "Theology in a Christian context is a discipline of study that seeks to understand the God revealed in the Bible and to provide a Christian understanding of reality. It seeks to understand God's creation, particularly human beings and their condition, and God's redemptive work in relation to human kind." In light of these things, it is important for one to ask, "Am I a professing follower of Jesus Christ? Do I have a desire to grow in my knowledge of God so that I may grow closer to Him in relationship?" If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you too should cultivate a desire to study theology.2 Timothy 4:1-5 says,
1.) I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2.) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3.) 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, 4.) and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5.) As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (ESV)
If we're not careful, we can be guilty of taking a passage like this and saying, "this doesn't apply to me." Yes, it is true that in this passage the Apostle Paul was calling Timothy (a young pastor) to remain committed to learning and teaching sound doctrine. However, there's a lesson that every believer can take from the warning in 2 Tim 4:3-4. Paul reminds us that one day (i.e. right now) there will be people who do not want to hear sound teaching. He also tells us that these people with itching ears "will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." It is imperative that we all pick up on this warning from the Apostle Paul. All human beings, even born-again Christians, living in a sinful world are prone to wander. That is why it's important that we 1.) surround ourselves with teachers who are committed to faithful expository teaching of the Bible and 2) seek to know God through our own faithful study of the word in order to develop a sound theology.
This passage is also here to encourage church members to hold their pastors and teachers accountable. If I were beginning to teach a soft Gospel or "fluff" at First Baptist Hartselle, I would expect the members to call me out on it. By doing this, you would be keeping me accountable and exhorting me to give myself over to deeper study and preparation, that I may faithfully exposit what the biblical text is teaching. However, the ability to gauge and discern whether a teacher or preacher is actually teaching sound theology is an acquired skill that is developed through study and practice.
During my childhood, high school and college years, I spent a lot of time playing golf. I've been taught by a long of list high school, college and professional coaches. Although I don't play as much as I used to, I could still teach someone how to play the game. I could even help point out and correct problems in a really good golfer's swing. Why? Because I've spent time doing it. I've studied the game of golf. I've spent hours on the golf course practicing. You have to give yourself over to studying theology if you plan on growing in your knowledge of and affection for God. You must study theology if you want to be adequately prepared to hold your pastors and teachers accountable within the church. When you commit yourself to studying biblical theology it will become second nature for you to discern whether teaching or preaching is sound. Do you think that I could adequately coach Drew Brees on the fundamentals of being a NFL quarterback? No, because I haven't given myself over to studying the art of being a successful quarterback. Therefore, if you don't commit to the study theology, you will be much more prone to "turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Tim 4:4). So, give yourself over to studying sound doctrine, because you (and I) are all prone to wander.
For every believer, there are untold benefits to studying biblical theology. . . more benefits than I am able to cover in one blog post. Over the next few weeks (through several more blog posts), we will take a deeper look at some of the specific benefits of studying biblical theology. We will discuss how the study of theology deepens our relationship with Christ, how it prepares us for times of suffering, how it makes us better disciple-makers, and how it drive us to do missions. Furthermore, I will offer some practical suggestions and helps for beginning a study of the Bible and theology on your own. Growth and change begin with desire. Aspire to know God and the Bible on a deeper level! Aspire to be a Christian theologian!
