Overview

I am starting the process of reading through Reformed Systemic Theology by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley and I wanted to document it. I've read through the bulk of Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, but I couldn't tell you half of what I read in it. I didn't do the best job of taking notes after the fact. Some of it has stuck, and has helped me in my regular study of the Bible, but I want to exercise more diligence this time around.

To keep myself motivated I intend to regularly write a blog post on my findings. For this one, I wanted to write my answer to a few of the study questions at the end of Chapter 1.

Q1. Why do some people think that theology is a waste of time? How would you respond to them?

In my experience, some people think it is a waste of time purely out of ignorance and I can hardly blame them. The churches I grew up in and around did not put sufficient emphasis on the unity of the Bible, and the logic of it's teachings. I am grateful that my Dad did put such a great emphasis on not just learning what the Bible had to say but believing what it said when I was growing up. We spent a lot of time going through Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis curriculum, and I learned all the apologetic and polemical answers for why six literal day creation is the truth of Genesis. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, simply ask them "were you there?"

I myself was ignorant of the richness and beauty a systematic theology could bring to the table, and I blame that on peer pressure and the anti-intellectual state of the culture. The attitude of theology being a waste of time reserved for boring academics that only study so much because they are paid to do so is one that I held for a very long time.

However, I am not one to take things for granted. I need to learn things for myself (and often the hard way) and so this eventually gave way to my own investigation of the matter. To answer the question of "is theology a waste of time?" I would say that it is the single best use of your time. I mean this from the standpoint of "theology" being the study of God and subsequently what He expects of us.

Psalm 119 is the best scripture that captures this idea:

Psalm 119:9-16 (ESV)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

At it's simplest, Theology is what you believe the Bible says. Theology is the logic of God and His word. Do not neglect the study of the Word. If you truly believe it is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path, do not forget it. Don't leave home without it! Study daily. The Berean Jews in Acts 17 received the word eagerly and studied the Scriptures daily to see if the things Paul was teaching them were true, and they were hailed for this.

The difference between reading the Scriptures and "doing Theology" is that Theology is rightly ordering the truths of Scripture. Systematic Theology is taking the whole counsel of Scripture and bringing it in harmony. Any orthodox believer believes that Scripture is good, true, and without error. If it is without error, then it cannot contradict itself. Anyone can read Scripture, but if one wants to rightly understand it and appreciate the depths of it's treasures, one needs to be diligent in mining for them.

Q7. Why should we study historical theology instead of just doing theology without reference to the past?

For two reasons:

1. By the fifth commandment we are to honor our forefathers.

2. We are dumber than our forefathers.

To quote King Theoden, we are lesser sons of greater sires. Our forefathers of the faith didn't ponder such asinine topics like transgenderism or female "pastors," and yet we think ourselves to be better than them and far more educated than they could ever hope to be. That is pride at it's finest. "Chronological Snobbery" as C.S. Lewis puts it.

Much ink was spilled and even more blood to lay the foundations of Christendom in the twenty-some centuries prior to today, and there is much for us to learn from it. First and foremost, that we don't know everything and we aren't doing a better job than they did. We should approach history and historic teaching with a similar humility as we approach the Scriptures.

One of the many things that grinds my gears is the insistence that we continue to fight battles that were won centuries ago. The present issues of our day (the aforementioned epidemic of female "pastors" and the egalitarian theology that enables them) are ignored in favor of re-litigating the doctrines of the Trinity, Christ, etc. If I had a dime for every time I had been told "that's a secondary issue" in reference to egalitarianism I would have been able to build my own church by now. Egalitarianism is a great example of the need for robust theology that avoids the errors it embraces and the rampant sin it enables.

Closing

My charge to you is to study hard and study well, my friend, everyone is a theologian whether they like it or not. Embrace it, and embrace Him who gave you His Word to study.