I realized about a year ago that nobody thinks they're wrong. Nobody thinks that their current ideology, theology, sociology, psychology, philosophy or way of living is an incorrect way of living. This is because if we decide that any of the above thought patterns are wrong, we would stop and/or change them. I later realized that the fuller, more correct sentiment would be this: nobody thinks they’re wrong, even me. I don’t think I’m wrong, in fact, I like to think that I’m right about most things. Now, there are some areas where I do not know enough to be correct or incorrect, such as astrophysics, and there are other areas where I do not care enough to be right or wrong, such as cricket, but concerning those things which I hold dear to myself, theology for example, I like to think I’m correct in my thinking.
However, this is particularly important when it comes to theology. Theology is thinking or speaking about God, and it is very important. I base its importance on a verse I recently read at the very end of the book of Job;
“The LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” Job 42:7
God takes seriously what we think about Him. This verse demonstrates that what we think about God (our Theology) can be right or wrong. Thinking the wrong thing about God is Heresy. Because of this, knowing what to think about God is important, but perhaps more to the point, knowing what to say about God is even more important. This is why James tells us that not many should teach the Bible, because those who do will be judged with greater strictness. If I think something incorrect about God, I’ve only mislead myself. However if I speak and so teach others something incorrect about God, I’ve mislead a congregation, which is much more serious.
Let us cling fast to the revelation of God in the Scriptures. These Scriptures are the measuring rod (‘the canon’ comes from the Greek meaning ‘reed’, against which things would be measured) against which we weigh all thoughts, prophesies, philosophies, ideologies and fancies about God. Let us never get so sure of ourselves that we trust our interpretation of Scripture more than Scripture itself.
2 comments:
Good post! I'm spending my sunday evening studying the links between Exodus 32-34 and John 1. Very exciting stuff! As you say, we have to make the Bible our standard. Good post.
Oh by the way, Jacobus Armenius was denounced as a heretic ;)
We are ALL heretics to a greater or lesser extent, and whereas God will always be faithful to His word, He is often not so thrilled with our understanding of it. Theology is good, and good theology is even better, but to be content with only good theology is to miss what it's really all about - experiencing the presence of God.
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