Feature
The Pastoral Obligation To
The Task Of Theology
by Todd L. Miles
(Continued from Page 2)
2. Neglect Of Theology Leads To A Denial Of The Sufficiency Of Scripture
A critical issue that faces the church at this present time is whether or not we really believe in the sufficiency of Scripture. Do we believe the Bible contains all the divine words that we need for any and every aspect of our lives? Do we really believe that, regardless of the situation or issue, we can go to the Bible to hear the voice of God, and be given specific guidance to obey? In my judgment, the answer is no. For many Christians, if the Bible does not specifically address an issue (that is, if the issue cannot be found in the concordance at the back of the Bible), then apparently the Lord is silent on the subject and does not care what we do or how we behave. But is this really the case? We are told about murder and adultery, but there is no specific guidance on things such as stem-cell research, abortion, pornography and gambling. Perhaps these are gray areas, many are tempted to reason. Can it be that there are decisions we face and issues we confront that the Lord does not care about? Can it be that the Lord has left us to face the issues of contemporary culture without revelation or guidance?
2 Timothy 3:16 is clear that the divinely-inspired Scriptures are sufficient to equip the man of God for every good work. The word every points to sufficiency. It may be that many issues we face are not specifically addressed in Scripture, but this does not mean there is not divine guidance by implication or logical inference and deduction. The task of theology is to bring to bear God’s powerful revelation upon all of life’s questions. Recall Jesus’ interaction with the Sadducees in Matthew 22. Jesus corrected the leaders for denying the resurrection by quoting from Exodus 3:6 and then rebuked them by saying, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt 22:29). The Sadducees denied the resurrection because they believed that it was not taught in the Pentateuch (apparently the word did not appear in their concordances). But Jesus pointed out that the Lord had given revelation on the reality of the resurrection, even though it was not specifically mentioned. In Jesus’ economy, inability to apply the Scriptures (even on issues not specifically mentioned) results from not knowing the Scriptures. Jesus believed in the sufficiency of God’s Word.
The pastor has a profound responsibility to proclaim the whole counsel of God to his congregation. This requires that he train the church to think biblically and theologically–to think rightly about all things. He ought not say more than the Lord has spoken, but he cannot say less if he desires to fulfill his God-given mandate. When the moral convictions of our church members are not grounded in the authoritative word of God, they will inevitably drift towards the world’s way of thinking. The reality of this drift is painfully evident in the social-ethical arena. Take, for example, the volatile issue of homosexuality. I have participated in multiple public debates on the issue of same-sex marriage and I am concerned that many of my brothers and sisters in Christ can give neither a biblical defense of marriage nor a biblical case against homosexuality. Many Christians are consciously against same-sex marriage, but when asked to give a reason for their stand, they are unable to make a clear and simple case. In my discussions, I have found the best most Christians can do is offer the following two arguments: First, many Christians are against same-sex marriage because as Christians, they think they are supposed to be against same-sex marriage; and second, homosexual activity is distasteful. Given the highly successful efforts by its advocates to mainstream homosexuality into the public consciousness, how compelling are these two arguments? How likely is it that Christians will successfully remain steadfast in their convictions when they rest on such a foundation? How many Christians would deny that the Lord has spoken sufficiently to give guidance on issues surrounding stem-cell research, pornography, or gambling? Jesus’ response to us would be the same: “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Pastors have to train the church to be faithful in how she thinks about all things. This is a theological task.
3. Neglect Of Theology Leads To Unanswered Prayers
The clearest way to determine a church’s theology is by listening to the church pray. If the task of theology is to apply the powerful word of God to all the questions of life, what and how we pray will give voice to our truest convictions about the Lord, His nature, and how He governs. Because the Lord is a real person, not a figment of our individual and corporate imaginations, it is possible to be wrong about who He is. The cost of misunderstanding the Lord and His will is steep. Our prayers will not be heard. The apostle John is clear: “And this is the confidence we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15; cf. James 1:5-8). Jesus was equally clear: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). For many, praying in the name of Jesus means adding the magic words, “in Jesus’ name,” to the end of their prayers. But praying in Jesus’ name is to pray consistent with who He is and what He would do, according to His nature and reputation. To pray in Jesus’ name is to be confident that our prayers are consistent with the very requests Jesus would make. If we do not know Christ, how can we pray in His name? If we do not understand who God is and how He governs, how can we pray according to His will? If we cannot pray according to the will of God, why would we expect Him to hear us? It will not matter how sincere or heartfelt the prayers of the people are if they misunderstand the Lord and the way he exercises his lordship. Scripture provides some powerful examples of godly, Spirit-inspired prayers. Read the prayers of David (e.g., 1 Chron 17:16-27), Solomon (2 Chron 6:12-42), Hezekiah (Isaiah 36-39), or Jesus (John 17) for guidance. Under-shepherds to the church of God, it is your responsibility to model and teach your congregation how to pray. Studying the nature and work of God (what theologians call “the doctrine of God,” or “theology proper”) is an essential aid to prayer. This is a theological task.
