I have been reading various blogs lately and have noticed quite a bit of arguing. There are blogs that specialize in arguing for or against things. My blog has turned, at times, into a debate between Arminians and Calvinists, but most of the time I try to be as godly as I can toward even those who disagree with me over theological issues. However, having spent some time reading various other sites, I realize that people can get passionate about their positions to the point of it becoming sinful. It seems to me that sometimes we can make theology our god rather than Yahweh.
I wanted to try to set out my thoughts on when a theological debates become sinful or wrong. I don’t like the word “sinful” in this case because theology is not sinful in of itself. It simply can be turned to sin by our flesh. And yet I do believe that Satan can mislead us even in good things such as theology. It is possible to know a lot of information about God and yet still not fully know God. Jesus said that this would be the case of those who would stand before Him in judgment in Matthew 7:21-23. He makes it clear in Matthew 7:24-27 that those who are His disciples are those who take His teachings and put them into practice. James 1:22-25 repeats Jesus’ thoughts as James warns his readers not to be hearers only of the Word but doers. Hearing Jesus’ teachings goes hand in hand with obeying Jesus’ teachings (John 8:31-32; 14:15).
There are some people who avoid theology altogether. I believe that a serious disciple can’t help but get into theology simply because reading our Bibles and studying our Bibles and seeking to make disciples of Jesus involves the knowledge of God, and that is theology! Matthew 28:19-20 instructs us not to just go and make disciples but to teach to obey all that Jesus taught us. That involves theology. No one can truly know God in a relationship with Him (Romans 8:15-17) without knowing truths about God and His gospel. Theology can’t be avoided!
But I write to those who are passionate about theology to the point of excluding the true purpose in studying theology: God Himself. The chief end of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever. Our theology should drive us to be passionate about God Almighty well before we are passionate about our favorite theologians or about our favorite preachers of the Word. We can become so engrossed with our own theology that we become full of pride, conceded, arrogant, rude, unbecoming, and unloving (2 Timothy 3:1-5). I don’t want to be that way. I want to be full of the compassion of Jesus for the lost and for those who I disagree with.
So when does debating theology become wrong or sinful?
1) When I lose my zeal for Jesus and become zealous for my theological positions.
2) When I forsake evangelism for debating other believers.
3) When I isolate myself from all others because I think I’m right and everyone else is wrong (Proverbs 18:1 NKJV).
4) When I begin to view the Bible as a textbook to be studied instead of God’s inspired Word meant to transform me into His image (Romans 12:1-2).
5) When I fail to be a 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 disciple especially toward those of the household of faith.
6) When I would rather read a theologian above praying and seeking God’s face.
7) When the Gospel becomes synonymous with my theological positions or with my favorite Bible teacher.
8) When I begin to filtrate what I see or read by the words of a preacher or Bible teacher instead of with Scripture itself.
9) When I know more quotes by a theologian or by a book I’ve read than from the Bible itself.
10) When 150,000 people die each day and that doesn’t break my heart because I am too busy studying my theological positions.
11) When I treat people in the world with more respect than my own fellow disciples even with whom I disagree.
I know that some of my points are not applicable to all. We all struggle with different things because we are all created differently by God. However, my prayer is not that we should abandon theology. I actually feel that the Church needs more sound doctrinal preaching. Yet I do pray that we would learn to balance our passion for God’s Word and theology with a passion for God Himself. John Piper is correct when he observes that God is the gospel. The gospel is not confined to one denomination or one group or one theologian. The hope of the gospel is found only in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. My prayer is that I would not be ashamed of Him and His gospel (Romans 1:16-17) but would proclaim His salvation until I die (Philippians 1:20-21).
For now, all of us see through a glass rather dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12) and in eternity we will probably laugh at some of our debates, but the most important thing we can do now is this: love Jesus with all our hearts, minds, soul, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31).
[Link to original post and comments on Roy Ingle’s website.]
