k I think it is very important that Christians are theologically informed even if it is
not to the degree that one would receive from formal education and training. Many
believers are Biblically illiterate and do not know their left from their right and this
greatly hurts the overall body. Every believer does not need to know doctrine
terminology or even theology that does not pertain to salvation. The theology of
transubstantiation V.S. consubstantiation for instance does not rank very high on
the average believers things they need to know. However, the doctrine concerning
why the church partakes in the Eucharist is important, even if they are unfamiliar
with the term. I believe that as a pastor leads the sheep will follow and according
to our text book reading many of our pastors are not well versed in theological
principles as evidenced by 21% believing that the Bible is made up of “fables
legends, history, and moral precepts.”1 How can we expect believers to become
more grounded when leadership is failing?
k k k k k k k k k k When believers are not well informed they become easy targets for the
enemy to attack and destroy. The scriptures call him a “roaring lion, seeking
someone to devour” (1 Pt. 5:8 NASB). k Considering that these verses are written to
a group of believers it stands to reason that he is seeking Christians to devour and
lions will always go after the weak on the fringe of the herb animals before the
strong middle of the herd animals. I am unaware if contextually it is the best verse
but the concept I believe is biblical founded when speaking about priest Hosea
stats that “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. ‘Because you have
rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priest’” (Hosea 4:6). Christians need to
have at least a basic understanding of theology in order to defend themselves
from the attacks that the enemy will use against them. Doctrines such as sola
gratia, atonement, and justification to name only a few are helpful to keep
believers from falling away and also for defending the faith that they claim. As
John Nicholls explains that Paul’s words to Titus actually meant not to silence but
to muzzle any theological opponents.2 It is hard to lead others to Christ if you do
not know where you stand before your maker because you have adopted a works
over grace mentality or a grace plus works combination.
k k k k k I highly favor the study of scripture but also the study of church history
because if we do not know history then we are destined to repeat it. It is important
to understand why did the church in general not oppose the Nazis in Germany as
the systematically slaughtered millions of Jews and other “undesirables”. How can
the church look back and repent of this mistake and move forward with the
knowledge to prevent similar actions in the future? Where will the church fall on
the side of history with more recent movement such as BLM and is there a close
connection between these two times in history?
Word count:510
1. Rebecca McLaughlin, Confronting Christianity: 12 Questions for the World's
Largest Religion, (Wheaton, ILL: Crossway, 2019), 96.
Via Lydia Saad, "Three in Four in U.S. Still See the Bible as Word of God," Gallop,
June4, 2014, http://news.gallop.com/poll/170834/three-four-bible-word-god.aspx.
2. Todd Wilson and Gerald Hiestand eds. Becoming a Pastor Theologian, (Downers
Grove, ILL: IVP Academic, 2016), 155. Jason Nicholls, " The Pastor Theologian in
the Pastoral Epistles".
