This post has been quite a while in coming – since September, actually, and it has been brought to the forefront of my mind multiple times since then – in October in a devotional, in January again, February, March, and again last week as I was reading excerpts from Tim Keller’s book on prayer. It’s the “why bother” question – why bother studying theology? What’s the point? Does it really change anything? Much every way, when studied responsibly, and most importantly, prayerfully. As long as we don’t make it an exercise in knowledge accumulation.
That, I think, is probably a widespread conception: that at the end of a theology study one’s mind is filled with lofty arguments and cerebral doctrine, and it’s all completely divorced from any practical impact. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be though. Wayne Grudem, in the preface to his book Systematic Theology notes that theology studied rightly leads to growth and worship. He further points out in chapter 1 that we don’t find in Scripture examples of anyone studying doctrine for its own sake or in isolation from life, or appropriately using it simply to win arguments. Rather, a right study of theology teaches us to think rightly, so that our actions are influenced and changed accordingly. Paul David Tripp says it quite succinctly: “The purpose of theology is not knowledge but holiness.” (New Morning Mercies, October 20).
That theme of theology teaching us to think rightly has been thought-provoking for me. A wise woman who poured into my life in my early teen years wrote once that “Our thoughts and words today lead to our actions tomorrow.” Her point at the time then, equally valid now, was that a mind filled with holy thoughts, or a mind that has an accurate view of God and man and God’s relation to man (which should be what we gain mentally for a study of theology), leads to holy living. Tim Keller addresses how right theology influences our prayer life when he writes, “The clearer our understanding of who God is, the better our prayers.” (Prayer, p46)
A question I’ve asked myself recently is “Was it worth it?” I’ve spent 24+ weeks voluntarily reading a theology textbook, writing papers, and attending class. Was the time worth it? There’s really only one answer: Did it change my thinking? Even if I don’t see a practical impact right now, if as a result of those efforts and activities, I think more rightly and accurately of God now than I did before we started, then it was worth it and I trust the Lord to bring the fruits.
I agree, it was worth it. Knowledge in itself is nothing unless it is used. If I would memorize every recipe for making bread, but then didn’t make any and more importantly, share it, the learning would have been a waste of time. Our time studying theology did change us. We are aware of things that we didn’t know before. It is up to us to use it in the way that God wants us to. The more we know about God and His wondrous workings He does within us, the more we can do His work here and in the future.