We have at our fingertips a wealth of materials to study in an endless number of disciplines. We could give our time and energy to learning new skills to advance in our careers, or to hobbies that bring us happiness. We could study our own heritage to understand ourselves better, or for the same ends as psychology. We could pursue topics that readily appeal to us. So, why bother with theology? Dear reader, in pondering why we should engage with theology, we are really wrestling with the reasons to do theology well. All of us engage with theology whether we want to or not. The choice to avoid the subject altogether is never open to us. Our choice is to do theology poorly or to do it well. So, this writer’s purpose is to convince you to do theology rightly and well. The revealed will of God is clearly for us to learn about Him, and so grow in relationship with Him. See 1 Peter 2:2-3 and Ephesians 4:15: That is all well and good, but why do we need an academic discipline for this? We have our Bible in our language to read and study directly what God has said. That is very true, and we are indeed greatly blessed by this. However, trying to make our way with only the Bible in our hands is rough going. Picture this: We have been invited to a vast nature preserve filled with all sorts of geological wonders, and a grand diversity of flora and fauna. There are wonders upon wonders to explore. We could set out on our own to see this expansive wilderness for ourselves. And if we do, we are bound to come across many a breathtaking vista and fascinating find. However, we would find the adventure difficult as we blaze our own trails over rough terrain. We come across much that we could not appreciate in full, for want of specialized knowledge. Indeed, many marvels go unnoticed by our untrained eyes. You see, there is simply too much ground to cover, and too much to see for us to have any hopes of making a dent in the exploration of this wonderland by ourselves.
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Now, let us say that some had dedicated their lives to mapping this land, studying its features, and understanding its many mysteries. They researched, investigated, and examined, comparing their findings and drawing sound conclusions. They cleared trails and set up observation areas. They drew up maps and placed markers. They trained some to be guides, and they wrote helpful pamphlets and books of all kinds. They did everything to make this vast preserve accessible to any and all who venture into it.
Thanks to the work done by these souls, we arrive at a nicely kept visitors center where we are fully equipped for our adventure. We can travel along maintained trails, or even be led along by an expert who will help us to see the worthiest sights and appreciate them fully. We make much more walking these trails than we would wander through thick brush and uneven terrains. Ah, and if we should find ourselves in trouble, we shall be much easier to find than if we were stranded in true wilderness.
So, it is in our study of God, the infinite wonders of His person and works are more daunting than all the expanse of the National Parks combined. The wonders of God are greater than all the wonders He created. If we want trails, guides, and resources to help us explore the creation, how much more shall we want all these things when we set out to know the Creator? While the analogy is imperfect, we pray it is at least somewhat helpful in appreciating the value of theology in our lives.
Now, when we come to speak of value, we must be keenly aware that there are different kinds of value in life. We have different needs after all, and some of those needs are more important to us than others. Theology can certainly help us with self-actualization, but before we even begin to think of that, we want our bellies full and our existence secured, as we see in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Theology may deepen our appreciation of this or that, but does it provide any concrete, real-world, immediate assistance to us?
And here at last is the pressing question: Is theology really helpful in our daily lives? Is there any practical use in knowing about God? Well, is there any use in trusting God? Can God be trusted? There is a theological question. Will God help me with the issues of my daily life? There is another theological question. Do you wonder if God can love, or if indeed He does love you? Those are theological concerns. Since God can help us, theology can help us.
Would you like to get into even more mundane matters? How do I get ahead at work? There’s a theological answer to that. How do I make the most of my marriage? Theology provides the answers. How can I relax and stop worrying? Dear friend, theology knows the way! Theology is about knowing God deeply and thoroughly, and everything in life is centered on this very thing.
Theology was the queen of sciences because she and she alone could speak meaningfully into each and every one of them. Perhaps you have heard that the unexamined life is not worth living; well, if we haven’t examined the Author and Sustainer of life, our examination is fundamentally flawed. Knowing God is central to knowing ourselves, others, and anything and everything else.
It is not for nothing that Job, during all his troubles, declared that he trusted God, even though God crushed the very life out of him. There was nowhere else to turn for help in any of his troubles. So, it is with us, whether our concerns are (to us) great or small. It is not that God can help us, but that He is the only one who can help. See Psalms 50.
Now, when we say that God can help, we mean God alone, the only true and living God, and not a vague concept to which we apply the term god. Idolatry from ignorance is still idolatry. We might go so far as to say it is willing idolatry, as it is willing ignorance of the truth of God’s identity is freely given, at least in our immediate context. Consider what God said to His people in Isaiah 27:11 and Hebrews 3:11:
- Isaiah 27:11: “When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.”
- Hebrews 3:11: “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)”
The story of Israel shows time and time again that errant theology led to suffering, and the restoration of right theology accompanied flourishing. That is not incidental. God is at the center of existence; everything that is made is from Him, through Him, and for Him. We align with Him, we are going with the grain of reality, living according to the design parameters, and as a result, things work better. There are numerous documents of this effect on every scale. Good theology leads to human flourishing, and poor theology leads to human suffering.
I could go on making this argument, and perhaps someday I will, but I would prefer the witness of a generation of believers who lived theology to speak. History has several examples from ancient times up to the present day. Indeed, it is a great work of Satan to suppress this evidence and so lead us away from theological pursuits.
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- The Different Types of Theology in Christianity: An Introduction - June 8, 2025
- Where Does Theology Come From? A Bible-Based Introduction - June 8, 2025
- Learn & Grow in the Lord: Why is it Important to Study Theology? - June 8, 2025
