Theology and Religion

2 Peter 2:17-19 “These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.”

Once the Lord revealed the Way, the Truth and the Life to me, I had a thirst to know Him more, and more deeply, building upon my faith and to make Him, His gospel of salvation and His light of truth known to other. That’s why I am thankful for those in the past and today, who teach and expound upon the Word of God to define and explain their detailed meaning and godly intent for my improving understanding and life application as a growing Christian. Not for prideful head-knowledge, but to know more about God’s purpose and will for my life as I follow Jesus daily.

1 Peter 3:14b-15 “Do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Have you heard that Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship? What’s that mean exactly? I heard that there is a basic difference between Religion and Theology, which helped me distinguish between the two terms. Religion is the study of human behavior (anthropology) towards God from a man-centered perspective and involves sociology (the affairs of men). Man reaching God. As in Exodus 32, like all other nations, people desire a god that is tangible, that they could see, that was contemporary, that was relevant, and a god that they could get excited about. A religion that corrupts the image of God and His attributes, from the true and honorable worship of God to sensual creaturely manmade things and nature, as a substitute of the “living’ God. Suppressing the truth and exchanging the incorruptible, transcendent, holy God – who is, for the corruption of earthly things. 

Romans 1:25 “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”

The most basic sin is idolatry, involving stripping God of His attributes and placing at the center of our worship something other than God Himself, not the knowledge of the true God. People say that Theology doesn’t matter; what counts is (1) “feeling good” about yourself and what you think, say and do. (2) Being ministered to meet our physical and psychological needs. (3) Having a place where we can feel the warmth of friendship and fellowship, and (4) having a sense of belonging. This is an “existential” philosophy that is rampant today. They’d say: “We don’t need doctrine, we need life!”  But the truth is that Theology is life, because it is the knowledge of God.

Romans 1:21-23 “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God.” 

True Theology is first the study of God and His attributes, including the study of mankind (anthology) through holy God at the center and how the Creator reaches down to us. Christianity is a faith different from all others because it is centered and focused on the character of Creator Lord God, not man.  Our lives with never be transformed, reformed, brought into conformity with Christ until we first have a clear understanding of the original form, of the model, of the ideal, and of our true humanity that is found in Jesus, which is a matter of Theology that permeates the entire structure of life. There is no more important knowledge to inform our lives than the knowledge of God. This is why I thirst for a sound understanding of God. Trust God. Seek God.

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

In Christ, Brian