Theology is a serious matter, but can we often take it too seriously? Theology is the study of God. It's the attempt by man to understand God's character and person in the hopes - for the Christian at least - that as we do so we would start living lives that honour Him more and more. But as brilliant as many minds are in trying to understand who God is and how He works, there is just no way that we can understand the entirety of God.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." In an attempt to understand God more, some believers have become too careful with their theology that it paralyses them.
Knowing God is important, but sometimes our quest for knowledge can become a stumbling block to growing in God. There comes a point where knowing and understanding just isn't enough. Here are there dangers of being too careful with theology.
Becoming closed minded
When a certain doctrine or belief about God and His ways gets too heavy for us, we can often close our doors to other possibilities. One example of this is the battle between Arminianism and Calvinism. There's nothing wrong with taking a side, but we should never make our differences in beliefs any reason to stop listening to the thoughts and ideas of others.
No matter what your beliefs are or your expertise are, there is always something to learn from others with opposing or different views of God. But we should also be careful to weigh other beliefs and ideas with scriptures so as not to be swayed by false ideologies and doctrines.
Thinking knowledge is the end goal
Knowing Christ is a wonderful thing, but it is not the end goal. The goal of knowledge is for it to be applied so that it will positively affect the way we live our lives for God and for others. When we know that God is loving and kind, it must lead us to the revelation that His overflowing love and kindness to us should empower us to love others as well.
2 Corinthians 5:9 says, "So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him." God is pleased not just with knowledge but with a heart compelled by the knowledge of Him to live out good works and faith.
Looking down at others
In God's kingdom there are no caste systems, but sometimes a level of theological understanding can lure intelligent and skilled theologians into thinking that they are another level of Christian that God would be more pleased with. As a result, we unknowingly look down at others who may not necessarily know the things we do.
Colossians 3:14 says, "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." The foundation of our theology is love and it must always lead us to love others with all humility and grace. The goal of theology after all is to know more about God so that we can be mirrors of Him here on earth.
