The study of God, theology, is multi-faceted with tributaries of importance that stream from the central concentration on God Himself. Theology is not an easy venture. It can produce obsessive speculation. (Theologians of the Middle Ages actually debated how many angels could dance on the head of a pin.) Entering into theological study and participating in theological debate can be refining, but it can just as easily become destructive.
For the person whose identity is wrapped up in Christ, theology must be rooted in truth. Christ claimed to be the personification of truth and identification with Him as Lord becomes the north star of theological pursuit. Unless clarity is obtained about Him, His Father, and the Spirit He sent as Paraclete, theology becomes essentially valueless at best and destructive at worst.
Our pursuit of truth has been defined by Christ in his High Priestly prayer in John 17. His prayer is that we will be made like the Father and like Himself, set apart from the reality of the world by God through a process of sanctification. That process centralizes in understanding of His Word: thy Word is truth.
So correct theology begins in immersion in the Word of God and governed by the truth defined there. This is important. We live in a world that is separated from God by inclination and the truth that it accepts is often at odds with God’s truth.
The Christian world is full of theological paradigms since no one ever fully arrives at an understanding of the immensity of the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity whose name is Holy. Coming close to a clear understanding requires both the pursuit and practical application of truth gained in the pursuit. That process of sanctification, again, is the individual becoming less like the system opposed to Christ and more like God. It becomes more and more rarified territory since the pursuit can only happen in an environment where God is pleased by our pursuit. So, by God’s revelation, it can only happen when our pursuit is fueled by faith. Our preference is not faith. Our preference is the natural: we want to see. Like Thomas, our Lord is often gentle enough to reveal Himself despite our lack of faith, but it is faith that pleases Him and faith that drives sanctification. Drawing close to God is like the climb to the top of Mount Everest. It can be done naturally, without additional oxygen, but the impact on the body is destructive even after the ascent. Sanctification happens when our atmosphere is rich with the Word of God and we apply it to our lives through faith. The higher we climb becomes less natural and requires greater application of faith. Looming before us in the climb are temptations. Those who can be attracted to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life rarely make it to the mountain climb. The temptations away from the climb are not overtly sinful. They are things like comfort, like becoming weary in well-doing, like realizing that many have stopped and that we are on a part of the climb by ourselves.
It is the beginning stage of 2024. I am in the 68th year of physical life and have retired from professional pursuit. For 45 of those years, my professional life and my spiritual life we conjoined. Now, the question is: do I have desire for the ascent? I am heartened by the fact that 60% of those who begin the Everest climb are successful. I know it is because they have prepared themselves well and are committed to nothing but attaining the summit. So, here is my prayer: Lord, let me please you. Let me walk by faith. Help me to breathe deeply of your breath and out of the spiritually rich environment of your Word, let me climb close to your Presence.
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