In recent days, a painful exchange has made me decide to pause and focus these issues in light of four key texts:
Jude v 3 . . . I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints
2 Peter 3:16 . . . There are some things in [Paul's Epistles] that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world,9 that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1 Cor 15: 1 Now I would remind you, brothers,1 of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:
-- that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
-- 4 that he was buried,
-- that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and
-- that he appeared
. . . to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. [ESV]
Let's ponder.
What is "the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints"? Why are there some things in Paul's Epistles and other scriptures that are hard to understand? Why do "unstable and unlearned people" wrench such to their ruin? What/who is "God" referred to in Jn 3:16, what does it mean that he loved and gave his "only Son"? (Aren't we his children?) What is it to believe in that Son given the summarised testimony from 1 Cor 15, dating to AD 35 - 38? What are the scriptures in view and what does it mean to be scripture in this sense? Why are the four facts given bracketed with "according to the scriptures"? What is "Christ"? (Isn't it Jesus' surname?)
Immediately, we see that we need to understand the scriptures and that "the faith . . ." has in it detailed content that it makes good sense to explore and work to understand so that we will not be "ignorant and unstable".
So, we already see the basic validity of Theology:
Theology can usefully and simply (but roughly) be defined as: the Scripture-guided, organised, reasoned study of God and the things of God . . . . Where, again, we must underscore:
the authentic scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which prepare us for, present and call us to discipleship under the gospel, are the foundation of sound Christian theology and so also they are the foundation of sound discipleship and of faithful, truly effective and lastingly fruitful service.
So, then, we may ponder Systematic Theology:
Systematic
Theology,
in that light, is that
part of sound Christian theology which takes what we can learn about
God from the Bible and arranges it in a useful, logical, Gospel-based
framework.
So, Systematic Theology (when it is correctly done) helps us to
better understand, witness to, faithfully serve and live by the
gospel. (Note, the scriptures teach that we can have and truthfully, powerfully testify to an experience of God's grace, blessing and transformation, and that there are principles, duties and facts of our inner man and outer world that also point to God, so such factors, in the right place are implicit in the above. We are also to be able to give the reason for our faith in God and to correct errors that would block or hinder people from coming to a sound knowledge of God.)
A third factor, a warning by Wayne Grudem (who has written a popular introduction to Systematic Theology) is:
"[i]n systematic theology, summaries of biblical teachings must be worded precisely to guard against misunderstandings and to exclude false teachings." [Systematic Theology, Zondervan (1994), p. 24. {I add, a notorious case was in formulating the Nicene creed 325, where it proved exceedingly challenging but vital to find phrasing that prevented Arianism-influenced persons from inferring that it was acceptable to view Jesus, Son of God as a lesser deity. This was the debate over the iota.}]
Well, so dem say, but can dey do it, reliably and in ways that communicate to different cultures etc?
Today, it seems, some may have despaired of any easy or simple answers; or even any stable genuinely coherent, well founded core that legitimately grows out of the full span of the text. To some who go much further, it may seem axiomatic that as the Bible is a library of somewhat theological works, which reflect an evolving religious outlook, we should instead seek to draw out their diversity and even contradictions not some imaginary procrustean bed "unity."
So, is there a genuine transformational "the faith once for all delivered to the saints," fulfilling the messianic prophecies of the OT; or is this just an ever receding desert mirage that could lead a naive traveller to die of thirst in a futile pursuit of life-giving water? Or, what?
I think two further texts can help us. First, Heb 6:1 - 2:
1 . . . the elementary doctrine of Christ . . . a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about [baptisms],1 the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.Some have argued that this text is about the OT, Levitical system but I find the phrase
" τον the της [2 of the αρχής 3 beginning του 4 of the χριστού 5 Christ λόγον 1 matter] [ABP]"
. . . specifically focusses the words of the beginnings/ABC elementary teachings of Christ. Accordingly, this is how I have drawn out this text:
This is of course echoed in the recorded sermons of the Acts. e.g.:
Ac 17: 29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”Here, we directly see four of the listed six principles,
Mt 6: 9 After this manner therefore pray ye:Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Father in heaven? Heaven? (Not the sky?) Name to be hallowed as holy? Kingdom to come, not yet complete on earth? Source of daily sustenance? Debts/trespasses needing forgiveness? Deliverance from evil? Power and glory? Kingdom of the heavenly father? Power belongs to him and not to bosses, bankers politicians, generals and kings? Why that Aramaic/Hebrew transfer word, amen. What is its force, why does it come direct from the root language? (And BTW, "baptisms" is a similar transfer, from Greek.)
Clearly, we need the Scripture-guided, organised, reasoned study of God and the things of God. Likewise, we need to arrange it in a useful, logical, Gospel-based framework..
Such, almost self-evidently, will help with learning, understanding and sound application.
Even, when we look at familiar texts that we all learned to rattle off when we were in primary school. We see signs, too, that that happened when the gospel and the text came to us, even in how some terms were not translated. (That looks like a hint that they were too rich and specific in the original to find a handy equivalent.)
Principle: if it could come to us successfully, it can go to others equally successfully.
Similarly, we find key ideas and principles, so that the two most familiar texts BOTH start with the idea of God and with his nature as caring, compassionate, giving, father. Could that then be a hint that he is the original father and we need to adjust our ideas and expectations shaped by more or less fallible, imperfect fathers with that one? How, then should that change family life, sense of identity, sexuality, society and culture, given centrality of family? In short, does not a sound theology not point to needed reform of life, family, community, culture, civilisation?
The gospel is equally emphasised, including dealing with sin through repentance. A whole world of considerations come with that. Where, again, such is replete with implications for
needed reform of life, family, community, culture, civilisation.
Messiah or Christ is key.
Indeed, a C1 creedal hymn -- yes, this speaks to worship, too! -- yet speaks, daringly applying Isa 45:18 - 23 (esp. 22 - 23):
Phil 2: 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6 who,
-- though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
-- 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,2
-- being born in the likeness of men.
-- 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
-- 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
-- 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
-- 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There is a realm of God's rule, and an earth not fully in alignment with that, something we are to pray about. Thus, to exert effort to be part of. Or else attempted prayer would be misuse of the name to be honoured. And on That Day, it shall be accomplished.
With, much more.
But already we see the value, possibility and impact of theology and of sound systematising.
For, it helps us set in a useful logical order our understanding of God, our world/reality, origins, ourselves (individually, as parts of families and collectively), our sin problem and its solution through messiah and the gospel, how this goes out to the world; so too, ethics, law, government, church, religion, ideologies, history and how it ultimately culminates.
In that context, we will better understand ourselves, family, sense of vision and call in life, how to serve God, family, community through discipleship, how society is and should/could be, how it may find reformation under God, how it may be best governed, how we may improve our lot without exploiting others, where we are in God's global timeline and game plan and more.
All, in a structured core framework that then articulates to topics and issues of interest and importance in any given time and place.
Perhaps, we need to rethink? END
PS: For reference, Grudem's Systematic Theology in top level outline (as a "typical" Evangelical survey):
-- general introduction
-- Word of God
-- God
-- Man
-- Christ and the Holy Spirit
-- Application of Redemption
-- The Church
-- The Future
Compare, one of the first great exercises in systematisation, the Nicene Creed of 325/381 (which is typically taken as defining what it means to be an orthodox Christian, i.e. as surveying "the faith" in core part):
We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
