“What is your theology?”

      Orthodoxy in Christian theology has been measured by many different things. Volumes have been written to fill libraries and debates that have fractured whole nations have been a part of holding to and clarifying these basic ideas.  Much of the controversy is justified. Theology is important. What we believe determines how we behave. Yet, it is a sad and unfortunate reality that many Christians will create untold strife and discord over matters that are of secondary importance. We love to make mountains out of mole-hills when it comes to theology. 

      At the school of evangelism we place great value upon Paul's teachings to “keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace”, to “esteem others better than yourselves”, as well as to “above all have fervent love between one another”. These verses and many similar ones, should temper our theological studies and how we communicate and discuss them, particularly with our brothers and sisters with whom we may disagree. After all, it is the practice of our Christianity that is of greater importance than our affirmation of a particular creed or theological position. In the words of 19^th century evangelist Charles Finney, “the church is mighty sticklish about correct doctrine, but awfully loose about correct practice.” He went on to describe how many would not allow someone behind their pulpit who didn't subscribe to the Trinity or denied the resurrection, yet we readily fill our pulpits with men who are clearly eaten up with pride, vanity, cowardice and many other blatantly ungodly characteristics, which are in many ways an even greater denial of Christ.

      The Apostle Paul, when describing the qualifications of elders or deacons in the pastoral epistles of Timothy and Titus does not mention any theological litmus test (thought I think we can reasonably assume that there was a creed of which one being considered for such office would have already given assent to) but rather lists in detail everything to do with character and integrity of practice. How is their behavior? Is their character tested and proven to be solid? Will they give into the temptations of lust, drink, greed, self-glory, etc. that shipwreck the leadership of so many of our churches. Unfortunately today those qualifications are some of the last things dealt with in our Bible colleges and seminaries, and rarely sought after amongst congregations seeking leaders. Administrative skills, speaking ability, and business sense have replaced much of Paul's “qualifications”. Surely it is no surprise that we see American Christianity plagued with it's current distresses.  Now, it is true that what you believe will determine how you live, and thus theology, ones beliefs about God, is extremely important. But men can fake it, what they say they believe is not always what they actually believe. If Joe says he believes x,y,z yet his behavior is consistently the opposite of x,y,z then Joe probably doesn't believe x,y,z, no matter how much he may say he believes x,y,z. Looking at ones practice is thus all the more important than looking at what one professes to believe.

So what do you believe?

            I want to stress again that a humble disposition is vital to ones theological undertakings. The more one studies theology the more one realizes they have a lot to learn and that there are many, many nuances and complexities to serious theological study.  All of that being said, as stated earlier, we believe that there are at least two primary or “major” doctrines that we would say one must hold to if they are to be called a brother or sister in Christ: A correct perception of God, and a correct perception of our relationship with Him.

About God    

            By correct perception of God I am referring to several basic attributes and qualities that the Bible ascribes to Him, which distinguish our understanding of our Creator from many of the idols that have been concocted in the imaginations of men throughout the centuries. Things like, His holiness, His love, and His rationality are important characteristics to understanding our Creator. There are also things like His being all powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and ever present (omnipresence), that would go into a proper understanding of God's nature. One could also include His incarnation in Christ. These are complex matters and although one certainly doesn't need to have a perfect or complete knowledge of these things to be a Christian, to be redeemed and to have a place in heaven, they are vitally important in defining Christianity.

About salvation

            The second vital doctrine is that of salvation, how we come into right relationship with God. There is much more disagreement on this matter than on the previous and this is where we want to aim the focus of this article. Christian theologians have divided themselves into two major camps, those who place some degree of works as necessary to compliment Christ's atoning death on the cross, and those who see Christ's atoning death on the cross as wholly sufficient to justify man in God's sight. We believe that ascribing certain “good works” as a part of how one attains God's forgiveness, be it baptism, sacraments, feeding the poor, giving to the church, catechism, confirmation,  or any other thing is heresy. Martin Luther helped to spark the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century when he proclaimed the Apostle Paul's simple words, “the just shall live by faith”. From this came the phrase “justification by faith alone”, or as they called it in the Latin, Sola Fide. This simply means that what Christ did on the cross is sufficient in atoning for our sins, completely. That if we come to God in repentance and faith, He can forgive us, without us having to do anything but simply bow our hearts to Him and believe.

True conversion and life in the Spirit

            Another important aspect of the Christian doctrine of salvation is regarding those who will make claims something to the effect that so long as one has prayed a prayer they are “eternally secure” and that “no one can pluck them out of God's hand”.  Whether one believes they can depart from the faith or not, this teaching is clearly a line of heresy not found in Scripture and has led to the false assurance of millions. 

            Jesus said, “Many will say in that day, 'Lord, Lord'... and I will declare unto them, depart from me, you who work iniquity I never knew you.”(Matt.7:21-23) Jesus is saying that ones behavior demonstrates whether they actually do “know God”, whether they actually are a child of His.  True faith produces a change of action, a change of behavior. Repentance (change of mind) goes hand in hand with faith and is an indispensable part of salvation. 

            Paul defines this concept of true conversion further in Romans 8 vs.14 when he says “they that are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God”. The evidence of being a son of God is being led by the Spirit of God. What does it mean to be led by the Spirit of God? Paul makes it clear in the context of the passage, “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”(vs. 1). In Galatians chapter 5, Paul describes the battle between the flesh and the Spirit and defines what the “works”, or “evidence” of the flesh and of the Spirit are.  He says of the works of the flesh, “they that do (practice) such things will not inherit God's Kingdom”(vs. 21). He also says in the passage in Romans 8, “if you live after the flesh you will die”, clearly not talking about physical death, because he says in the same verse, “but if you through the spirit, mortify the deeds of the flesh, you will live”(vs. 13). Obviously we are all going to die physically, so this passage is not talking about physical death but spiritual death.

            Paul is saying in Romans 8 as well as Galatians 5 that you either walk in the spirit and do not fulfill the lust of the flesh (5:16) and you will inherit eternal life, or you walk in the flesh, and there is therefore condemnation, you will die, you will not inherit God's Kingdom. How is this consistent with “justification by faith”? Very simply. True faith, the faith that saves, is a rational commitment and trust in God that produces in us a change of behavior; namely a Spirit-filled and Spirit led life.

            Some might say, but what of His grace? Ephesians 2 tells us we are saved by “grace through faith... not of works lest any man should boast” (vs. 9). But it doesn't end there. It goes on to say we are His workmanship, created for good works (vs.10).  Titus chapter 2 tells us that God's grace, “which brings salvation” teaches us “to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age.”   It goes on in the next verses to tell us that we were redeemed so that He might make a people unto Himself, “zealous of good works”(vs.13).

            The whole purpose of salvation is not just to save us from hell, nor to secure us a mansion in heaven, but rather to produce beings who would love Him, walk with Him, and be conformed into His image, through the power of His Spirit. That is His grace operating in our lives, both for salvation and for sanctification. This is how John could say in his first epistle,”If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1: 6,7) and again in the next chapter, “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments, he that says 'I know Him', and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (2: 3,4)

            God wants us to be holy, to be pure, and He has provided that for us through His Spirit.  Does this mean we are always perfect? No. Just the opposite, it means we recognize our fallen and sinful condition and walk in repentance, brokenness and contrition in His presence. A heart that is broken and bowed before God has no place for the lust of the flesh, nor for self-righteous “false perfection”. As Jesus told the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the one who was “not like other men” but was self-righteous, went away condemned, whereas the tax collector stood in the back of the temple, beat his chest, and declared “Be merciful to me a sinner”. This was a demonstration of true repentance and true faith. Jesus said he went away justified. “The Lord is near unto those who are of a broken and contrite heart”. One will never be more holy than when they fall on their face in genuine repentance before the cross of Christ. This is what our God requires of us. This is what our theology should bring about.

Is that all that matters?

            There are many doctrinal debates that have a huge affect on how we live our lives that would not be “primary” doctrines. They are not doctrines that determine whether we are Christians or not, nor are they doctrines over which Christians should divide and break fellowship. For example, what we believe about pacifism versus the justification of the use of force, our view of divorce and remarriage, speaking in tongues, Calvinism vs Arminianism, conditional versus unconditional eternal security, the purpose and application of the Old Testament law for today, and a whole host of other issues are vitally important. Yet Christians on different sides of these issues will be standing together in the Kingdom of our Lord. If they are saved and the Holy Spirit is fellowshipping with them than so should we. A good dose of humility, and an understanding that the unity of the body of Christ is as important as any of these issues, (though they are very important issues) will go a long way in helping us not just in formulating our theological convictions but also in the broader work of the Church in advancing God's Kingdom on the earth.

“though...I understand all mysteries and all knowledge...but have not love, I am nothing.” I Cor. 13:2