In the first part of my short series on the importance of theology, I mentioned how some people denounce theology as a waste of time or as an intellectual pursuit that just divides us and takes us away from the heart of Christianity. To an extent, I can understand these sentiments. Battles over seemingly tangential or insignificant doctrinal issues have left many people embittered and hurt and have caused countless churches to be divided.

It is not a mystery as to why many people react so strongly against theology. However, I think it is important to clarify that what people are reacting against are distorted conceptions of theology that have left bad tastes in their mouths. In the same post back in September that I mentioned in the last post, we saw how theology on the one hand could be something so radically subjective that is was almost undefinable, and on the other hand could be so objective that it loses a lot of its meaning and becomes a more scientific and intellectual pursuit. The former extreme drives people away from the Church because it is empty and hollow; the latter because it is beset by arrogance and pride.

Often, especially in our more postmodern times, there is a remarkable aversion to the idea that we can know anything rightly. The assertion that one type of theology is more biblical than another is criticized or brushed aside. However, in this posture we find a remarkable similarity to the skepticism of the relativistic atheist who claims that we can know nothing for certain—which, of course, entails an audaciously objective claim at the same time. The irrationality evident in this attitude is exactly the same as in the attitude that sees no place for theology.

We are finite beings, it is true. Our knowledge is limited. But God, in his great mercy has revealed himself to us so clearly that there is no excuse for ignorance (Rom. 1:19-20). To be sure, we must worship God in humble adoration of the awe and wonder of His incomprehensibility, but we also worship because we know Him to be great, almighty, loving, and gracious. If we could not truly know God (and the literal definition of theology is the study of God), what reason would we have to worship Him? If we cannot be certain of our theology, what reason do we have to hope? To know God is eternal life (John 17:3), and this is not just to know about Him, but to know Him intimately because He has brought us into a covenant relationship with Him.

Charged with the task of making Christ known to the world and being prepared to give a reason for our hope (Matt. 28:16-20, 1 Pet. 3:15) requires that we have theological knowledge. Any communication of the Gospel is necessarily theological. To "go and make disciples of all nations" also entails that we engage in the task of theology, because theology is the application of God's Word by persons to all areas of life. Discipleship is the task of mentoring people as they seek to bring their lives into conformity with God's will as it is revealed in His Word. The two go hand in hand.

If our aversion to theology is to its distorted forms, then we are right to shy away from it. But we must embrace theology as it is properly understood because it is from this point that we come to know what is required of us to live faithfully as children of God. Let us "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18).