Some men love sports.  It seems like all they want to do is watch the latest games and talk about their favorite teams.  Other men love hunting.  They are constantly talking about their last hunting trip or planning their next one.  For my husband, it’s theology.  My husband loves to read and talk about theology.  Early in our marriage, that was a problem for me.  He wanted to have deep discussions with me about what he was reading or thinking, but even after growing up in church and earning a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies, I could not articulate what I believed.  Discussions with my husband were often above my head.  Fortunately, after more than ten years of marriage, it’s gotten better.  No, my husband has not stopped talking about theology.  I began to see the importance of theology, so I started reading and studying more.  As I did, I was able to work out what I believed on various topics, and my conversations with my husband have gotten much better.

Now, please don’t stop reading just because I used the word “theology.”  I know many people find this word intimidating, just as I did.  They think theology is just for pastors or seminary students.  However, theology merely refers to the study of God and His truth in Scripture.  Every Christian engages in theology every time they read their Bible, listen to a sermon, or listen to Christian music.  As Dr. R.C. Sproul says in his book Everyone’s a Theologian, “It’s not a question of whether we are going to engage in theology; it is a question of whether our theology is sound or unsound.”  It’s our responsibility to ensure that our theology is sound, which means that our beliefs should align with the truth of Scripture.

Many people want to ignore theology, focusing merely on living a godly life.  However, if we are to live worthy of our calling to be holy and blameless before God (Eph. 4:1, 1:4), then we must study theology.  Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  We can only grow in holiness as we study the truth of God’s Word.  Only through the Bible can we know who God is, who we are in comparison, and what God expects of us.  It’s impossible to know how to please God without studying the Bible.

Many people want to ignore theology, focusing merely on living a godly life.  However, if we are to live worthy of our calling to be holy and blameless before God (Eph. 4:1, 1:4), then we must study theology.  Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  We can only grow in holiness as we study the truth of God’s Word.  Only through the Bible can we know who God is, who we are in comparison, and what God expects of us.  It’s impossible to know how to please God without studying the Bible.

We are also commanded to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matt. 22:37).  To love God with our mind, we must use our mind to study Scripture, seeking to understand and apply what we learn.  This takes time and effort on our part.  The Bible was written to people in another time, in another language, and in another culture.  It’s hard to understand certain parts of it.  Yet, all Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  If we are to grow in holiness and righteousness, we should study the entire Bible, even the hard parts.  It may be necessary to use tools to help us interpret Scripture correctly.  A good study Bible or commentary can help explain the parts that we struggle to understand.  We must make the effort, though, to study and understand all of the Bible if we are to be obedient to the command to love God with our minds.

Theology really doesn’t have to be difficult.  It’s merely searching Scripture to determine what it teaches about a given subject.  What does the Bible teach about God?  What does the Bible teach about Christ? What does it teach about the Holy Spirit or man or sin?  As you attempt to answer these questions, you’re studying theology. 

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  The truth is, if we are not actively studying to make sure that our theology is sound and in line with Scripture, then the bad theology of the world will seep into our minds.  We will become more like the world.  We must renew our minds so that we are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).  We can do this by reading the Bible or other sound Christian literature.  We can listen to preachers and teachers that faithfully teach the Word of God.  We can listen to Christian music that contains sound theology.  As we fill our minds with the truth of God’s Word, we will be better able to recognize the lies in our own thinking, as well as the lies that the world presses upon us. 

You are a theologian.  Which kind do you want to be?  A bad theologian, allowing yourself to be conformed to the lies of the world?  Or a good theologian, ensuring that your mind is filled with sound doctrine?  The choice is yours.

If you’d like to learn more about theology, check out these books:

Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology By R.C. Sproul

Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives By Wendy Horger Alsup

The Good Portion By Rebecca Stark