Illumination—Revealed by the Spirit

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

As we have seen over the past few months, revelation, inspiration, inerrancy, and canonicity make theological and historical claims about the Scripture. Revelation says that Scripture is God’s written revelation of his nature and will, including the good news of deliverance and glorification, to humanity. Inspiration teaches that Scripture was breathed out by God and written by human authors. Inerrancy refers to the truth of the original transcripts of Scripture. It says that Scripture is true, conforming to reality and speaking the truth in everything it affirms. Canonicity is a historical concept that refers the authenticity of Scripture.

Illumination is different in that it makes a theological claim about God's interactions with his people with regard to Scripture. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit clarifying the meaning of Scripture to believers who are maturing in faith and fellowship with Jesus. The Spirit's illumination can take place directly with each believer or indirectly through the spoken or written words of teachers. Whatever the means, illumination is always a work of the Holy Spirit connecting the mind of God with the minds of his people. God gave us the Bible because he wants his people to understand. He then helps us understand by acting as our guide to the meaning and significance of his Word. God the Spirit illuminates the Scripture as we engage its truth.

The Spirit illuminates the Scripture, helping believers to understand and know how to live out that understanding. He reveals the things of God that have been hidden (Ephesians 1:15-23). He uncovers the deep things of God, interpreting the significance of spiritual things that human wisdom cannot explain (1 Corinthians 2:6-14). He illuminates the Scripture for believers who are maturing in Christ, but does not do so for those who cater to the flesh (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).

Illumination is one side of a two-sided partnership, for it requires our participation. Believers must take a prayerful approach to Scripture. We must hone our skills as we practice the principled study of Scripture. We must practice informed and open listening to Christian teachers who unfold God’s Word through spoken word, the written word, or life.

Sources
Ephesians 1:15-23
1 Corinthians 2:6-14
1 Corinthians 3:1-4
C. C. Ryrie. Illumination. Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 590–591). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Canonicity--Discerned Authority

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

Life is full of gray. We all face choices that are difficult or unclear. Who gets to speak into those choices? Whose voice do you trust? We likely have family and friends who we trust to help us, but sometimes they don't know any more than we do. Whose voice is authentic and has authority to speak? Whose voice always brings wisdom?

Proverbs tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). God is that authentic and authoritative voice. But how do we know which words are God's words? Canonization is the process by which the people of God have answered that question for over two millennia.

Before the birth of the Church, the people of Israel discerned and recognized the Old Testament Canon over a span of about 1,300 years, recognizing various documents and collections as authentic and authoritative: (1) speeches and sayings, (2) individual books, and (3) collections of books. The Old Testament Canon (known as the Tanakh, which includes the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings mentioned by Jesus in Luke 24:44) was fixed around 164 BC.

The New Testament followed a similar path over a span of about 350 years. During the first century, some writings were already recognized (for example, the writings of Paul were recognized by Peter in 2 Peter 3:16). During the second through fourth centuries, lists of books appeared noting sacred writings appropriate for worship and private devotion. In AD 397, at the Council in Carthage, the New Testament Canon was fixed.

Canonicity is a quality of those sacred writings that have divine authenticity and authority. God's people discover this quality; they do not determine it. We recognize the Canon; we do not regulate it. It guides and commands life and ministry (Deuteronomy 31:24-29), and it is our task to read, meditate, and obey (Joshua 1:8-9).

A life well-lived can only happen through wisdom, and wisdom begins by respecting, honoring, and worshiping God. The 66 books of the Christian Bible are the written word of God, discovered and recognized by prayerful believers over centuries and confirmed through use and obedience over the centuries until now. So let us fear God, study his book, and live out the wisdom only he can give.

Sources
Deuteronomy 31:24-29
Joshua 1:8-9
Numbers 21:10-15
Joshua 10:12–14
1 Chronicles 29:26-30
Luke 24:44-49
2 Peter 3:14-18
J. R. McRay. Bible, Canon of. Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 155–156). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Inerrancy—True Truth

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

Let’s say you’ve headed out on a driving trip across the country. You have your trusty map-app in hand, stops are all planned out, and the car is packed. All goes well for the first couple of days. On the third day, you arrive at a crossroads and take the one the app says leads to your next stop. You end up on the “shore” of a swamp. This is not on the map. The map says this is a cute bed and breakfast. The map was mostly true. But not today. Truth is important.

Inerrancy refers to the truth of the original transcripts of Scripture. It says that Scripture is true, conforming to reality and speaking the truth in everything it affirms. Scripture is not false. It conforms to reality. It is the true, written word of God. A correct understanding of the truth in Scripture requires proper interpretation, using appropriate bible study methods and assumptions. At a minimum, these tools and assumptions include considering the whole of scripture and approaching the text with the assumption that God’s Word does not contradict itself.

God always speaks truth, so his Word is truth, and he himself is a sufficient basis for the assumption of biblical inerrancy (Hebrews 6:16-18). God never lies (Titus 1:1-2). Scripture follows the same rules that it makes for prophets. The Old Testament set strict criteria for those who spoke for God. First, even if a prediction took place, the person making this prediction was not to be followed if he encouraged listeners to follow other gods (Deuteronomy 13:1-5l). Second, those who spoke for God were to declare only what God himself had said. If what they declared did not occur, the declaration was not from God (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Just as a prophet of God must always speak that which is proved true, so also Scripture always speaks that which is true. The Scripture claims this truth and authority for itself (2 Timothy 3:14-17).


Our life in Christ is a journey. We have companions and spiritual leaders along the way, but Scripture is the only true and completely trustworthy map. We must put forth every effort to understand this trustworthy map and follow it alongside our brothers and sisters as we journey together to becoming like Christ.

Sources
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
Hebrews 6:16-18
Titus 1:1-2
P. D. Feinberg. Bible, Inerrancy and Infallibility of. Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 156–159). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Inspiration—Truth Breathed Out

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

When we think about inspiration, we often think of something along the lines of, “I feel so inspired…” But biblical inspiration is not about feeling. It is about history and reality.

With regard to the text of Scripture, inspiration means that through the influence of the Holy Spirit, the writings of God-selected persons (prophets) are also the trustworthy and authoritative Word of God. Inspiration has to do with this influence, describing the process whereby the breath of God—his spiration—works through his prophets, making their written words his Word.

The family of terms translated “breath” in the New Testament, namely, pneuma and related terms, is used concerning the creation the universe (Genesis 1:2) and of humanity (Genesis 6:17) in the Greek version of the Old Testament. God spoke, and the universe became. God breathed into the human's nostrils, and he became a living being. God breathed into the writings of the prophets, making those written words the very Word of God.

Because the Scripture, this written text, is breathed by God, it has value for our growth as persons in community in Christ. The prophets understood they were writing the words of God. They understood inspiration and their part in it. They communicated this each time they used the phrase, “This is what Yahweh says.”

Feeling moved, awed, or convicted in response to Scripture is good. It is important to feel the feelings rather than set them aside as useless or analyze them into non-existence. But feelings are not the foundation of faith. Truth is. And the inspired Word of God is our primary source of the truth about God. Feelings must not be the filter through which we select which biblical passages are authoritative and which we set aside. The entire Bible is authoritative.

Biblical truth, gleaned from the entire Bible, is a sure foundation. It is always worth our intellectual, emotional, and behavioral engagement. Know the truth. Feel the feelings. Do God's work.

Sources
2 Peter 1:16-21
1 Peter 1:10-12
1 Corinthians 14:36-40
2 Peter 3:14-18
C. F. H. Henry. Bible, Inspiration of.  Ed.  Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 159–163). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Revelation--God Unveiled

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

The revelation of God’s power and divinity surrounds us, for nature reveals these (Romans 1:20). We watch waves crashing upon the shore and tides flowing in and out, giving us glimpses of God’s power. We learn math that echoes God’s orderliness and beauty. We gaze upon a newborn infant, and our hearts leap at the reflection of God’s divinity in this tiny human form. The revelation of God is all around us, but this general revelation, given by nature, does not tell us everything God wants us to know. His power and divinity are crucial, but he also wants us to know who he is and what he desires for us. God gave us special revelation, namely, Scripture and the incarnation of Christ, to communicate this truth. Last year we studied the doctrine of Christ; this year we focus on Scripture.

●   Scripture reveals God's nature. It shows us that God is self-existent, eternal, steadfast, all-knowing, unique and pure, correct, good, love, in charge, all-powerful, and always present.

●   Scripture reveals God's will. From the laws and prophets of the Old Testament to the commands and instructions of the New, Scripture tells us what God expects and requires of his people.

●   Scripture reveals the good news of salvation. In it we see God telling his people Israel that they will be his people and he will be their God. We see him declare himself as the God who delivered his people from slavery and oppression in Egypt. We see the Savior foreshadowed as the Prophet, Priest, and coming King. We see the life, teaching, and people of this Savior, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

So, what is our proper response to the revelation of God, both general and special? Let's return to Romans 1 for some insight. The foolish see nature’s revelation, but do not give God honor. But we shall. The foolish do not give thanks to the Creator. But we shall. The foolish become futile in their minds. But we shall become fruitful. The foolish trust their own minds and hearts. But we shall seek and trust the Spirit and his illumination of God's revelation. The foolish choose to worship nature. But we choose to worship God and God alone.

This is what Scripture reveals.

Sources
Revelation 1:5b-8
John 1:1-5
Hebrews 1:1-4
Romans 1:18-23
C. F. H. Henry. Revelation, Special.  Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 1021–1024). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Bibliology - The Doctrine of Scripture

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

Throughout 2018, we will be looking at the Doctrine of Scripture, known as Bibliology. This month, we look at its unity, truth, significance, and power.

The Bible is one text. The Christian bible is composed of the Old Testament (39 books, also known as the TaNaKh) and the New Testament (27 books). The TaNaKh was finalized in 20 BC and was the Scripture used by Jesus and his apostles and mentioned in the New Testament. The 27 books of the New Testament were written in the first century AD and recognized as Scripture by the church as the New Testament Canon. The church officially declared the canon closed in AD 397 (canonicity).

The Christian Bible was written by around 40 human authors and one divine author, God, over the span of about 2,000 years. Despite the many human authors and the span of years, the Bible is one text. It is God’s communication of himself in text (revelation) and was breathed out by God (inspiration) and written by human authors.

The Bible is true. It is without error in what it affirms (inerrancy), for what it says happened, actually happened, and the truths it proclaims are true. It will not fail to achieve the purposes God has for it (infallibility).

The Bible is significant. While nature reveals God’s power and divinity (Romans 1:20), the written Word reveals Christ, law, salvation, and much more. It is important to understand this written text, for understanding is good (John 20:31; 1 John 5:13).

The Bible is powerful. It works in the lives of the people of God, teaching, reproving, correcting, and instructing in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). As believers read and study the Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us its import (illumination) and guides us as we seek to understand what it says and what it means (interpretation).

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

Sources

Unity of the Bible (https://answersingenesis.org/the-word-of-god/3-unity-of-the-bible/)

R. H. Mounce. Bible. Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 152–153). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Knowing Jesus is the Point

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

What is the point of theology? Of godly behavior? There is more, and God tells us this through three very different means of communication.

The Incarnate Word

As we have seen during 2017, Jesus is God's ultimate communication. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. …And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1-3, 14 ESV).

The Book of Nature

This nature that Jesus made proclaims his power, greatness, and majesty (Psalm 19:1). Its proclamation flows like a continuous stream: day after day, year after year its witness of God's glory speaks and reaches every corner of the universe (Psalm 19:2-4).

The Written Text

Nature's witness is persistent, but there is more to God than glory. The witness of Scripture is complete and life-giving. Even more, God's verbal proclamation of himself will never pass away: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35 ESV).

 "The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7 ESV).

In 2018, we will be thinking through the doctrine of Scripture, known as Bibliology. The most important concept, the most critical point to keep in mind is that Scripture is not an end in itself. It is the very word of God, but its purpose is that we might know Jesus and become increasingly like him.

Knowing theology is not the point.

Knowing how to be a good person is not the point

Knowing Jesus is the point

Photograph: “Reflected” by LKSpringer (2016) at http://gloryology.blogspot.com/2016/01/reflected.html

Depicted Mural: The Word by Kent Twitchell (created 1989-1990 Biola University, Bardwell Hall)

Sources
John 5:39-47
Colossians 1:15-20
Hebrews 4:11-14
John 1:1-5
John 1:14-15
John 17:17

We are the Fellowship of the Holy Ones

By Laura K. Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

I like Baptist red punch. It was a staple at the potlucks I attended as I child. For me, church fellowship is often pictured with cups of red punch. Maybe it's the same for you. But fellowship is not potlucks and Baptist red punch. It is more than something we do or attend. Fellowship is something we are.

The church is the fellowship of holy ones. She is the community of the children of the Father, of siblings who participate in one another's lives and partner in the Father's work. She is the community of those made holy by the blood of Jesus and called to be holy by this same Jesus. 

The church is a community of siblings who depend on the one holy God for life. We live our lives as an offering of respect for our life giving and holy Father (1 Pet 1:17-19). He is the Judge who is to be feared. He is the Savior who gave the blood of his precious Son to give us life and holiness. 

The  church  is  a  community  of  siblings who share responsibility as individuals and as community for our holy life together. We commit ourselves to personal holiness and from that commitment flows our daily choice to love. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22 ESV). Love for one another continues the commitment by encouraging holiness (1 Peter 4:8; 4:9, 10; 5:5, 14). 

So, what about Baptist red punch and potlucks? They give us an opportunity to get to know one another and enjoy one another’s company. And this is a good thing. But such opportunities can be so much more. Potlucks and patio time and small groups and worship service are all gatherings where we can practice being the fellowship and begin to love one another toward holiness.

To learn more about the New Testament images of the church see Minear, P. S. (2004). Images of the church in the New Testament. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press. 

Discovering a Biblical Theology of an Idea, Word, or Theme

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Biblical theology traces an idea, word, or theme in a biblical book, author, genre, testament, or the entire Bible. While the process can be long and involved and requires careful thought, the steps are quite simple.

1. Determine the idea, word, or theme to be studied. In this example, I will use the word "heart" (Gk. kardia) in Matthew's Gospel. You can use the search tool at biblestudytools.com. I used it, chose "interlinear" in the sidebar, and clicked "kardia" to fine all the uses of kardia in Matthew.
2. Next, read each verse in its paragraph (!!!) and determine what this particular verse says about the idea, word, or theme. Make brief notes.
   
• Matthew 5:8 can be pure; related to the perception of God
  
• Matthew 5:28 can sin
  
• Matthew 6:21 intention revealed in use of treasure
  
• Matthew 9:4 related to response; ca do evel/good
  
• Matthew 11:29 can be humble
  
• Matthew 12:34 source of speech content; evidence of character
  
• Matthew 12:40 interior
  
• Matthew 13:15 related to understanding
  
• Matthew 13:19 can have content stolen by evil one
  
• Matthew 15:8 can be communal (had by a community); determines intention
  
• Matthew 15:18-19 source of speech content/behavior
  
• Matthew 18:35 location of true forgiveness of others
  
• Matthew 22:37 able to love
  
• Matthew 24:48 source of decisions/behavior
3. Spend time reading over your notes. Look for the structure of the concepts, write the key concepts in bullet form, and cite the appropriate passages.
• moral component, 5:8; 5:28; 9:4; 11:29
• cognitive component, 5:8; 13:15
• volitive component, 6:21; 9:4; 15:8; 15:18-19; 18:35; 22:37; 24:48
• character component, 12:34-35; 15:18-19
• vulnerable to evil, 13:19
4. Read through the passages in their groupings and create a full sentence outline of the biblical theology.
• The heart is the location of our moral decision-making (5:8; 5:28; 9:4; 11:29).
• The heart is the gatekeeper and ultimate means of understanding (5:8; 13:15).
• The heart decides our thoughts, motivations, and behaviors (6:21; 9:4; 15:8; 15:18-19; 18:35; 22:37; 24:48).
• The heart is the reservoir of character (12:34-35; 15:18-19).
• The heart is vulnerable to evil attack (13:19).
5. You now have a biblical theology of the idea, word, or theme you have studied.
   
6. Now, venture out on your own and trace heart in Mark's Gospel. If you would like, post your results in the comments.
   

The Passionate Pursuit of Christ Produces Spiritual Growth

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Claim: Spiritual growth is the fruit of our passionate pursuit of Christ.

Note the following verses (emphasis mine).

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 ESV)

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Rom 7:4 ESV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:22-24 ESV)

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col 1:9-10 ESV)

In each case, fruit results from connection with Christ. This is not to say we sit idle while Jesus does all the work, for this is not the case. As Paul says in Philippians 2:12, we are to work out the salvation that God has put in. But, working out our salvation--producing fruit--cannot occur by our own effort alone:, for as Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.”

Our motto for this past year has been, "Passionately pursuing spiritual growth in Christ." It is a very good motto and the programs flowing from that motto have encouraged many at TFB to begin bible reading and reflection they may not have practiced regularly before.

As we prepare for 2010, might I suggest we think about the true means to spiritual growth? You see, bible reading and reflection is good and necessary, but it is not enough. If we read the Bible and reflect on it regularly, but do so to "make ourselves holy" or "fulfill duty" then we have missed the point. The point of Bible reading and reflection is connecting with, trusting, and obeying Jesus.

In 2010, let us gather in small groups and large, thinking and praying together, figuring out how to pursue Christ, and deciding to trust and obey him with passion and persistence.

The fruit will, I am certain, astound us.

Must Christian Fellowship be Face-to-Face?

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Each Sunday, we gather for worship, possibly sharing a meal after. Once a week, we gather for small group. Now and then, we gather off campus to eat or play.

These gatherings are important, but insufficient. The relative infrequency allows for too much life apart. Our conversations, though they are many, are insufficient to carry our stories. Time and geography hinder more frequent gatherings.

What should we do?

Connecting in the New Testament

The New Testament (NT) describes many ways of connecting with other believers. Believers gathered face-to-face (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19; Col 4:15) and connected through letters (2 Cor 13:10; Phil 3:1; Col 4:18) and intercessory prayer (Rom 1:8-15; Phil 1:3-11). Whether in the same house church or across the Mediterranean Sea, the soul-to-soul connections were very real.

Soul-to-soul connections are important, but because we have bodies, face-to-face connections are primary. Just as NT Christians gathered in homes (Rom 16:5) and temple porches (Acts 2:46), so Christians today gather in worship centers, Sunday school rooms, and living rooms. Such face-to-face participation is necessary for the spiritual growth of the community (Eph 4:15-16).

But what about connections that are not face-to-face? Are texting, email, Facebook, and Twitter valid ways to connect with fellow believers?

Connecting Soul-to-Soul

We are physical, but we are also spiritual. We see glimmers of this when we sit in a crowded room of strangers, talking with a friend on the phone: the connection with the strangers is likely minimal, while the connection with the friend is stronger. Another hint is seen in the story of Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt 17): somehow, the three disciples knew Moses and Elijah, presumably without ever having seen them before: they knew their souls. Soul-to-soul connections are real and valuable.

So, we are left with a question: What should non face-to-face connection look like?

Prayer for the Infirm and Lonely

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.
Previously published on Laura’s Writings

Theology is more than ideas; it is also life and, sometimes, life is difficult. Theology has something to say, and so, I offer this prayer.

God,

all in existence depends on you.

I ask you to give health to those

who suffer the body's rebellion.

I thank you for wisdom,

gained over centuries and across cultures,

working within your created systems,

to bring health, sufficient

not only for daily tasks,

but also for periodic enjoyment of your bounty.

God,

we, your people, walk together toward you.

I ask you to grow hospitality in these,

who suffer the soul's unwilling disconnection.

I thank you for humanity's relational nature,

yearning for the other,

building neighborhoods wherever we give love,

forming community

shoulder to shoulder

and heart to heart.

God,

you give deep purpose to our ordinary lives.

I ask that you use these

your infirm and lonely ones.

I thank you for the wealth of possibilities,

worked out in every facet of life,

giving back our skills and capacities

as offerings to you

as we serve and guard nature

and walk and work with one another.

Training as Christians in Ordinary Life

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

In vocational training, the most effective programs use the movements and activities of the intended vocation. This is why apprenticeship and internship remain required elements in courses of study like psychology and business. I am beginning to realize that Christian training has much in common with vocational training.

What does this mean for the educational practices of the gathered Body?

Some insight can be gained from the educational notion of praxis. In praxis, practice and theory are interwoven, each intentionally informing the other. Practice expresses underlying theory and we use known theory to reflect on these underlying theories in order to correct and improve both the theories and the practices based upon them.

When properly administered, apprenticeship and internship programs are applications of praxis, guiding the learner in intentional reflection on both theory and practice. Two related goals are in mind: proper theory and proper practice. Both are necessary.

In many discipleship programs, the notion of praxis is nowhere to be found–unless our intended vocation is small group participant or some such. On the other hand, if our intended vocation is a life well-lived, expressing our passions and cultural language and moving toward the twin goals of Christlikeness and proper image-bearing, then most of our discipleship programs need to be scrapped and regrown from the ground up. And the ground from which they must be regrown is not the classroom; it is the dining room, the morning commute, our daily chores, and the work day.

Now, I am a fan of the classroom and small group Bible study and I think they have an important place in our practice. I’ve neither desire nor inclination to throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water. But let us keep one thing clear in our minds: classroom instruction and group Bible study are not Christian training. The car ride home probably is.

What might this look like in a real life gathering of Christians?

Theology--Getting to Know the One We Love

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Theology is the framework of our understanding of God and his ways upon which we are able to design a godly life as persons and as community.

Often theology is considered about as interesting as eating sawdust or watching grass grow—and just about as useful. Both perspectives could not be further from the truth, for theology, in its most basic form, is simply what we believe about God and his ways. It ranges from the simple yet profound lyrics of “Jesus Loves Me” to the complex multi-volume Church Dogmatics of German theologian Karl Barth. It has a place in the seminary, but it also has a place in the Little Lambs Sunday School class.

Now, just so we are clear, theology is not the foundation of our faith; our faith is founded on a person: Jesus Christ. Rather, we might think of theology as an adjustable, yet stable framework on which to design a godly life as persons and as community. Stability comes from two sources: the framework is firmly attached to the ground and it is secure, such that adjustment requires effort. It is not adjusted on a whim.

How does this apply to theology? Theology is an adjustable, yet stable set of ideas about God and his ways, firmly attached to Jesus Christ. While Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, our theological understandings are subject to correction. The theological thinking of the larger church is an excellent resource for adjusting our own theology, for the thoughtful, reasoned correction of hundreds of years has produced a stable framework (see below for some resources).

Each of us and all of us together has a theological framework, for we all have understandings about God and his ways. The unfortunate truth is that many of us have thoughtlessly built our framework and it does not correspond to the way things actually are. Often we do not even know what sort of framework it is, for we have not thoughtfully considered our beliefs.

If we truly love God, we will want to know about him, just as when we love a human, we want to know about that person [1]. If we love God, we will thirst for knowledge about him and the knowledge for which we thirst is theology.

Do you thirst for the knowledge of God? If not, ask God to make you thirsty. If you are thirsty, what are you doing to satisfy that thirst?

Further Reading in Theology (available in the Sanctify library; see Laura)
Bitesize Theology, by Peter Jeffrey
5 Minute Theologian, by Rick Cornish


[1] Idea courtesy of John Mark Reynolds, "The Glory of Jesus Christ: The Way Forward in the Dialogue Between Religion and Science," The Norton Lectures at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, March 18, 2009.

Justice: Obligation and Motivation within Appropriate Boundaries

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.


Why do we have an obligation to do justice? We have an obligation to do justice because God is just. As God's creation and as his people, we are obligated to do justice.

What are the boundaries of justice? As the people of God, there are limits to how we ought to do justice. We cannot choose to do justice however we please; rather, we are constrained by the bounds of loving God and others. For example, as we look out in our comm8unity of Torrance, there are justice organizations and institutions with which we might engage. The decision whether and how to involve ourselves is bounded by the limits of God's law of love. As a community of God's people we must sit together and work out and probably struggle through, what the boundaries are and what activities are outside those boundaries.

What is our motivation to do justice? The first motivation is heart. As followers of Jesus, as the people of God our hearts are to run headlong toward God and his desires. God is a God of justice. Evil will be punished; it will be removed. The subjugation of evil is a divine human task (Gen 1:26-28).

The second motivation is the fact that God has placed us here in Torrance. This place, where he has put us, must be our primary mission focus, for all other mission flows out of where we are.This does not mean we set aside foreign or short term mission. It does mean that if we are not subduing evil and proclaiming God where we are, then something is desperately wrong. If we are not fighting for people, speaking wisdom to them, caring for them where we are in Torrance then we have no business going elsewhere. The commitment to do justice and be missional ought to shape how our time and resources are invested. Here, in our ordinary day to day lives, as we live in our neighborhoods, shop at grocery stores, dine in restaurants, and go bowling, the justice of God must be done and the good news of Jesus must be proclaimed.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 esv

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 esv