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Theology: The study of God and religious belief: religious beliefs when systematically developed.
There are many theologies and many different religions, each having their own theologies. Even within Christianity---and here I speak of traditional Christianity with its doctrines that make up Christ's church----our theologies take many roads. It should not be, but it is, and somethings do not affect salvation and some things do, but all have an effect on our knowledge of God---how we see Him and His Christ. Theology however has become not only here on the forum, but I suspect in many places and among many people, a springboard for debate and argument, rather than what it is meant to be for God's people.
Prov 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Jer 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight."
In Philippians 3:8-10 Paul gives a deep cry of his heart, a yearning for the triune God. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith---that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection--- It is interesting that a man appointed by Christ as an apostle to His church, filled with the Spirit and given much knowledge and wisdom, a man after God's own heart, should still not consider that he had attained to all there was to attain to. He still yearned to know God and His Son more.
The knowledge of God is inexhaustible. We all begin as babes in Christ, with little knowledge, but full to bursting with love for Him. And somewhere along the line many if not most (and I include myself here) of us have a shift take place as we gather more knowledge and in a way the knowledge becomes the center, something we use to our advantage, and we unknowingly become the center of our Christianity, and cease pursuing the knowledge of Him. Forgetting how big He is and that it is He who is the fountain from which comes all His graces, even the grace to know Him more. So we don't ask, and we don't receive. Jesus our mediator is the High Priest who bestows this grace upon us.
Theology---the study of God----for the Christian, is meant to drive us to ever increasing knowledge of Him, for it is in knowing Him, seeking Him, that also flows that endless fountain of God that love and obedience and worship that delight Him. We are His garden of delights.
There are many theologies and many different religions, each having their own theologies. Even within Christianity---and here I speak of traditional Christianity with its doctrines that make up Christ's church----our theologies take many roads. It should not be, but it is, and somethings do not affect salvation and some things do, but all have an effect on our knowledge of God---how we see Him and His Christ. Theology however has become not only here on the forum, but I suspect in many places and among many people, a springboard for debate and argument, rather than what it is meant to be for God's people.
Prov 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Jer 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight."
In Philippians 3:8-10 Paul gives a deep cry of his heart, a yearning for the triune God. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith---that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection--- It is interesting that a man appointed by Christ as an apostle to His church, filled with the Spirit and given much knowledge and wisdom, a man after God's own heart, should still not consider that he had attained to all there was to attain to. He still yearned to know God and His Son more.
The knowledge of God is inexhaustible. We all begin as babes in Christ, with little knowledge, but full to bursting with love for Him. And somewhere along the line many if not most (and I include myself here) of us have a shift take place as we gather more knowledge and in a way the knowledge becomes the center, something we use to our advantage, and we unknowingly become the center of our Christianity, and cease pursuing the knowledge of Him. Forgetting how big He is and that it is He who is the fountain from which comes all His graces, even the grace to know Him more. So we don't ask, and we don't receive. Jesus our mediator is the High Priest who bestows this grace upon us.
Theology---the study of God----for the Christian, is meant to drive us to ever increasing knowledge of Him, for it is in knowing Him, seeking Him, that also flows that endless fountain of God that love and obedience and worship that delight Him. We are His garden of delights.