Theology. It’s a scary word. Sometimes I avoid all questions about theology as if they were the bubonic
plague (or an ex-girlfriend). But, there
is certainly a lot of importance for theology, and there is a place for
it. It’s important for our theology, as
the Church, to be sound, explainable and correct
(at least as far as we can know it to be).
But…let us remember, correct theology
does not make you right with God. Nor
does it prove to be much value in leading others to Christ when what you’re
concerned with is ‘being right’. After all, Jesus was 'right' in every sense of the word, and He still went to the cross.
Yes, have a sound understanding of biblical theology, but do not use it as a tool to beat others into submission to Christianity. Instead, remember what Paul says, “knowledge puffs up, but loves builds up” and “If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not know as he ought to know.” (1 Cor 8) There is much we do not know guys…learn to be ok with that. God is yet a mystery. Live in the mystery of what he offers us – the Life of Jesus in us. And share that love, because that is the only thing that will move people.
Yes, have a sound understanding of biblical theology, but do not use it as a tool to beat others into submission to Christianity. Instead, remember what Paul says, “knowledge puffs up, but loves builds up” and “If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not know as he ought to know.” (1 Cor 8) There is much we do not know guys…learn to be ok with that. God is yet a mystery. Live in the mystery of what he offers us – the Life of Jesus in us. And share that love, because that is the only thing that will move people.
As far as I can understand,
Christ’s theology was this…He is the only Way to Life. In Him alone is the Truth and a Life worth
living…and only by believing in Him, are our broken lives restored to God. Now some might say that we are not broken and
in no need of restoring ourselves to God, but whoever says this should only
speak for Himself because I know that I am in desperate need of saving and when I look around the world I see the
same thing in nearly every person I’ve ever met or even seen from afar. So I tend to believe that the person who
thinks this way is only fooling himself and living in, what may be, sincere denial of what his heart may already know is true…that he
is a man (or woman) in need of help.
Most likely, he is too afraid, or more likely, too hurt, to admit this. And
sadly, this is something that Jesus also said would happen…that many would
reject Him. And how “blessed is the man
who is not offended by Me.” Yet so many are offended!…but I don’t think they are
actually offended by Jesus.
Follow me in this...is it not that they are usually offended because
they have their theology of Jesus
wrong? Or perhaps they are offended in
the manner Jesus was presented to them?
Or that just maybe they are offended by someone who follows Jesus and has then turned that offense towards
Jesus? So maybe this isn’t their fault? I
mean, let’s think about it, Jesus has been presented so wrongly by so many
well-meaning people, some even calling themselves Christians, that it’s no wonder that so many are turned off to the
idea of Christianity. If one were to truly encounter Jesus, or even
just someone who was truly a disciple of Jesus (and by disciple I mean someone who Jesus is living in and through, which of
course is the only way that anyone could ever really be a true Christian) then I would think that that person would walk away
thinking they have just met the truest and most real person they had ever
met…that this person was the least judgemental and most loving person they had
ever encountered…that this individual had a peace and an easiness about them
that made one think they were truly happy, but not in the outward showy kind of
way, but in the inward deeply abiding kind of way. Or
that the person had such an overflowing joy, as one who has experienced
hardship and pain, yet has emerged with such a deep strength and hope, that joy is merely the byproduct of some truth that they are actually living instead of just believing.
Wouldn’t that be something? Yes it would…
Look at Jesus in
scripture…He didn’t really seem to be too big on theology at all. In fact, He
seemed to rather like turning much of the modern theology of His time on its
head. He talked to people he wasn’t supposed to talk to…and touched people He wasn’t supposed to touch…and healed people in
ways and at times when He wasn’t supposed
to heal. So what was He saying though
all this? Well, maybe it’s just as
simple as this… “We are all broken…and we
need saving...and He’s the Man for the job.”
He was broken for us, so that He, and He alone, could save us.
We have no choice in the matter of how we are to be saved…this is the only
Way. We didn’t invent the Way, God
did…so our choice is whether we choose to accept His Way or not. That is what saves us…and no amount of good
deeds, which God deems as filthy rags
so long as they are intended to be some sort of penance for our bad deeds, or
even worse, as earning something with God.
But here’s the thing…Jesus’ theology goes on to say that His Way is
harder…in fact it is narrow. And our
way, the easier way, is pretty wide.
That His Way will take us to places that are far outside of what we
think is comfortable and safe, but
God has little concern for our comforts,
as we think of them, and is more concerned that we are becoming more like His
Son. In fact, if we choose His Way, we
may experience pain, get made fun of, we may lose that job we really wanted, or
not make as much money as we thought we should, we may have to go places we
never wanted to go, we might have to stand up for something we know is right
even if we are standing alone, we might be struck with cancer, or lose a loved
one, or even die ourselves…there’s a chance we might face persecution, or even
be put on a cross…after all if Jesus experienced much pain, and then died on a
cross, why would we think to experience different from the One we are
following? And yes, we are to follow.
Here’s where theology turns from believing
to doing.
We are not leaders anymore (at least not in the sense we were before), now we are followers. Jesus says we are
to follow him…that if we truly believe in Him, then we are to follow. We are no longer the authority over our lives…now He is.
Truth is, if we really ever thought we were the authority over our
lives, we were just fooling ourselves…when there is a God who created us (along
with everything we walk on and see and touch and breathe) who can snatch us off
of the earth at any second that He chooses, and promises to accomplish His will
whether we allow Him to or not…well,
then we were never truly the authority over our lives we thought we were. And the very heart and mind which allows us
to reject Him, is the very ones He gave us to begin with…so really, what He is
offering is the chance to willingly join Him and be restored to our place as
sons and daughters to Himself…a place where He will guide us and reveal His
love to us and help us to be of the likeness of His Son. And in turn, we become more ourselves than we have ever really been. But
we can reject Him…it’s our choice. He
loves us enough to allow us to have our way if we choose…the wide way is an option…but don’t forget
that He has warned us, “the wide way leads to death.” And He has provided the Way out. Yet this only happens when we believe and follow. Don’t forget to ‘count
the cost’…because when we follow Him…well, it can get tough. But He promises to be with us to the end of
the age, and that we will never have to do anything alone. In fact, nothing in Heaven and earth can
separate us from His love. A love that
is deeper and stronger and calms the storms of life, and the storms in us, and shapes our hearts to be able to love
others in ways we never thought possible...
So when I think about
the theology of Jesus...and I write
it out and put it in words as best I know how…well, it seems to me, this is a
far cry from the theology of some
very well-meaning people…
