THEOLOGY MATTERS
Theology Matters. The subject of this part of the blog and the subject of this post. This post comes about as I have reflected on Ephesians 4:15…
Ephesians 4:15 (ESV): Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
This passage is used a lot to outline the basic model of ministry in evangelical circles. This is a model of ministry I thoroughly support. But, there are two things I want the flag up that often don’t get mentioned. One is a something underplayed that we cannot say often enough. The other is a mistake we can often make.
A thing underplayed…
Theology Matters. We are to truth in love. As Christian brothers and sisters, we are to speak the truth in love to each other as often as we are able? Why? Well that is verse 14. So we are not blown all over the shop by every wind of doctrine. Here’s the point. How do we speak the truth in love to one another in a way that guards against false doctrine. We speak true doctrine. Putting down deep roots in true doctrine, in good theology, that is what guards us against error.
So, we must take every opportunity to help one another put down deep roots in healthy doctrine and theology. We can do this by reading the Bible together, by reading books together, by speaking gospel truth in our everyday conversation and applying this to our every day lives.
We grow in this together as we speak to one another. And as we work to deepen our understanding of the Word of God so we can better build one another up.
A slight word to pastors and teachers here. Your job is to train and equip the saints, so don’t skimp on doctrine and depth. Train your congregation in healthy doctrine. That is what they need.
A mistake we can often make
False teaching and false doctrine does not always have it’s source from within the church. You’d be amazed at how frequently the prevailing ideologies of our culture can creep into our minds and our world view and then impact our theology.
Maybe we start to worship our careers and give them a place in our lives higher than we ought. Tossed to and fro by a false theology of work.
Maybe it’s money and possessions. Maybe it’s our understanding of dating, relationships and marriage. Maybe it’s gender issues, our take on other religions or anything under the sun.
The message of our world around us whispers to us and without healthy doctrine we are sitting ducks. Without a Christian mind, a mind shaped by Christ and the truth of his gospel, without the ability to clearly see and refute the errors therein, we will be like “children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
So let’s not underplay it. Theology Matters. Let’s speak theology.
