Young Theologians
I just had a bible study with my friends today, and during the bible study, we were discussing the danger of being mature in Christianity. Looking at the number of "mature" Christians around them, and how they were discouraged at the treatment of those "mature" Christians to them in the past. A member of that group actually said something that is really interesting, which was: "I think the more mature Christians get, the more they are in danger of being judgmental of those who are more immature than them". In other words, those supposedly-mature Christians are nowadays Pharisee if you want to call it.
And this is the issue that i badly discussed and express in my previous post, which was the more "theology" (or knowledge of God) that they know - the more they actually forgotten about the God Himself, and the more they depend on that knowledge alone. And this issue was actually discussed extensively during the first week of my school in PTC (Presbyterian Theological College) and rightly so. God become the OBJECT rather than the Subject. We began to think that we can STUDY God rather than God teaching us more about Him. We begin to forget about the "first love" that God had shown to us- and rather than emphasizing the Gospel on the Love of Christ, we emphasize it on the knowledge- reason- background of why Christ died- the real translation of such and such words in the real language- why the sacrifice was needed technically- how the people lived- etc2. Instead of giving personal testimony by what we do and how we love each other - we began to become little judges- judging whatever it is that people are doing and comparing them whether they are in line with the Scripture etc2, whether what they say is "theologically" correct or not. We simply begin to forget about the initial reason why Christ died, which was to save us, which is because He loved us so much! and instead of sharing GOOD NEWS, we spread out the BAD NEWS instead, we emphasise on our weaknesses, we emphasise on the fact that we DON'T know that much about God "theologically" and press people to learn more about God by reading books or going to Bible College even! rather than by PRAYING, reading the Scripture, fellowship with fellow believers, and encouraging one another.
Currently i am reading a book called "In the Name of Jesus" - REfrections on Christian leadership, and i think this book really touch on the most important issue in not just Christian leadership- but Christian life (because we as Christians are called to be leaders basically in simpler term- leading non Christian to Christ). Let me quote a few pages of his book
Whoever made the rule that to be a good Christian we have to know by heart where so-and so passage is placed in the Bible? whoever made the rule that to be a real Christians we have to be mature in knowledge of the bible? Whoever said that to be a real Christians we have to pray 1 hour a day/attend church meetings/do ministry? Whoever made the rule that to be a real Christian we have to be a Presbyterian/anglican/catholic? Even, whoever made the rule that to be a Christians we have to follow every single bit in the bible correctly without fail - to it's original context and meaning and purpose!?
Remember the word theology originally means union in prayer with God. It was supposed to be an intimate relationship A PERSONAL INTIMATE relationship with God. It's not about how the other girl/guy in your youth group is going in HIS/HER personal relationship with God, but how WE - ME/MYSELF/I is going with my personal relationship with God. When we do have an intimate personal relationship with God, wouldn't serving, obeying and doing God's will be of a second nature to us? Wouldn't that be something that we DESIRE to do anyway?
I guess i go to Bible college 3 years is just for me to learn how to have a personal relationship with God- NOT to win debates about Christianity - but to learn more about who God is and what He wants me to do for Him. And i am glad that it is so.
Maybe, i never will be an articulate writer or speaker, but I pray that I will be articulate in acting our my love and faith in Jesus Christ.
And this is the issue that i badly discussed and express in my previous post, which was the more "theology" (or knowledge of God) that they know - the more they actually forgotten about the God Himself, and the more they depend on that knowledge alone. And this issue was actually discussed extensively during the first week of my school in PTC (Presbyterian Theological College) and rightly so. God become the OBJECT rather than the Subject. We began to think that we can STUDY God rather than God teaching us more about Him. We begin to forget about the "first love" that God had shown to us- and rather than emphasizing the Gospel on the Love of Christ, we emphasize it on the knowledge- reason- background of why Christ died- the real translation of such and such words in the real language- why the sacrifice was needed technically- how the people lived- etc2. Instead of giving personal testimony by what we do and how we love each other - we began to become little judges- judging whatever it is that people are doing and comparing them whether they are in line with the Scripture etc2, whether what they say is "theologically" correct or not. We simply begin to forget about the initial reason why Christ died, which was to save us, which is because He loved us so much! and instead of sharing GOOD NEWS, we spread out the BAD NEWS instead, we emphasise on our weaknesses, we emphasise on the fact that we DON'T know that much about God "theologically" and press people to learn more about God by reading books or going to Bible College even! rather than by PRAYING, reading the Scripture, fellowship with fellow believers, and encouraging one another.
Currently i am reading a book called "In the Name of Jesus" - REfrections on Christian leadership, and i think this book really touch on the most important issue in not just Christian leadership- but Christian life (because we as Christians are called to be leaders basically in simpler term- leading non Christian to Christ). Let me quote a few pages of his book
The original meaning of the word "theology" was "union with God in prayer". Today theology has become one academic discipline alongside many others, and often theologians are finding it hard to pray. But for the future of Christian leadership it is of vital importance to reclaim the mystical aspect of theology so that every word spoken, every advice given, and every strategy developed can come from a heart that knows God intimately. I have the impression that many of the debates within the Church around issues such as the papacy, the ordination of women, the marriage of priests, homosexuality, birth control, abortion, and euthanasia take place on a primary moral level. On that level, different parties battle about right or wrong. But that battle is often removed from the experience of God's first love which lies at the base of all human relationships. Words like right-wing, reactionary, conservative, liberal, and left-wing are used to describe people's opinions, and many discussions then seem more like political battles for power than spiritual searches for the truth.(that was a long quote) anyway. Do you see where he's coming from? He touches on the many aspect of Christians life that a lot of Christians nowadays forgets.
Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time. Their leadership must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find there the source for their words, advice and guidance. Through the discipline of contemplative prayer, Christian leaders have to learn to listen again and again to the voice of love and to find there the wisdom and courage to address whatever issue presents itself to them. Dealing with burning issues without being rooted in a deep personal relationship with God easily leads to divisiveness because, before we know it, our sense of self is caught up in our opinion about a given subject. But when we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative
Whoever made the rule that to be a good Christian we have to know by heart where so-and so passage is placed in the Bible? whoever made the rule that to be a real Christians we have to be mature in knowledge of the bible? Whoever said that to be a real Christians we have to pray 1 hour a day/attend church meetings/do ministry? Whoever made the rule that to be a real Christian we have to be a Presbyterian/anglican/catholic? Even, whoever made the rule that to be a Christians we have to follow every single bit in the bible correctly without fail - to it's original context and meaning and purpose!?
Remember the word theology originally means union in prayer with God. It was supposed to be an intimate relationship A PERSONAL INTIMATE relationship with God. It's not about how the other girl/guy in your youth group is going in HIS/HER personal relationship with God, but how WE - ME/MYSELF/I is going with my personal relationship with God. When we do have an intimate personal relationship with God, wouldn't serving, obeying and doing God's will be of a second nature to us? Wouldn't that be something that we DESIRE to do anyway?
I guess i go to Bible college 3 years is just for me to learn how to have a personal relationship with God- NOT to win debates about Christianity - but to learn more about who God is and what He wants me to do for Him. And i am glad that it is so.
Maybe, i never will be an articulate writer or speaker, but I pray that I will be articulate in acting our my love and faith in Jesus Christ.
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