This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. -John 17:3

What is Theology?

“Theology” is derived from two Greek words, theos, which means “God,” and logos, which means “word” or “message.”  Theology is words about God or in other words theology is the study of God. Theology, in essence, helps us learn and know more about God. A theologian is someone who studies or is an expert at theology. Can you name some theologians? 

Romans 1:19-20 19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. 20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.

Everyone, Christian or not, can know and study God. According to Romans, God has revealed Himself, His everlasting power and His divinity to everyone, through his creation. Therefore, everyone, Christian or not, has some idea of who God is based on what they know and studied. How can we confirm whether anyone’s idea about God truly reflects who God is? That is the domain of systematic theology.

What is Systematic Theology?

Systematic, according to dictionary.com, is an adjective that means “done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; methodical.” An example: “a systematic search of the whole city”. Systematic theology can be defined as any study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today?” about any given topic. -Prof John Frame of Westminster Seminary

For example, what does the Bible tell us about love?  The practice of systematic theology is to gather all the texts that speak about love, interpret them within the broad storyline of Scripture, and then summarise them in a faithful and coherent manner. 

All of us, Christians, often make systematic-theological statements in our daily life. For example, in Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye often quotes the “good book”.

A more common example for us could be “The Bible says we must love one another”. Can you think of other such instances where we summarize what the Bible has to say about a certain topic?

This raises some questions though. Should the summary be accurate? How can we be sure that our summary is accurate? In Tevye’s case, does the good book really say anything about a chicken? If it does, what does it say? A methodical study of theology is essential to stay true to the scriptures. 

Why study systematic theology?

There is only one way to know, for sure, whether Tevye’s summary on poor man eating chicken is true. One must read the good book that Tevye is quoting from. Following are some reasons why we should study systematic theology:

1. To Learn
2. To Grow
3. To Teach
4. To Defend

To Learn

John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments.

Jesus says that we will keep his commandments if we love Him. However, we must know His commandments to keep them. How can we know His commandments?

Acts 17:10-12 10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

The people at Beroea not only received the word with all readiness but also examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what Paul and Silas were teaching was in fact in the Scriptures. Examining the Scriptures lead many of them to believe.

To Grow

Colossians 1:9-10 9 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God,

Paul’s prayer for the Colossians is centred on them being filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding and increasing in the knowledge of God. This is not just knowledge for knowledge’s sake but that they may be able to 

1. Walk worthy of the Lord
2. Please Him in all respects
3. Bearing fruit in every good work

To Teach

Matthew 28:19-20 19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Great commission calls us, among other things, to make disciples and teach them to observe all things that was commanded. It includes all that was commanded in both the old testament and the new testament. How can we follow this commission, unless we know all that was commanded?

Ideal way to address this would be to read the entire Bible and make notes and summary of what was commanded. This could take years. Another way is to do what the people at Beroea did. They listened to Paul and Silas and then examined the Scriptures to validate their teaching. 

To Defend

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,

There may be situations where we are questioned, by the world, about 

• Our hope and faith. 
• The existence of God and whether He is Good
• That either Jesus is not God or Jesus is not the only way

Peter says we need to be ready to give an answer. How can we be ready, without studying first what the Bible has to say about any of these topics?

How should we study systematic theology?

With Prayer

Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.

Only God can open our minds to truly understand the Scriptures. Paul writes to Corinthians that a natural man doesn’t receive things of God’s Spirit and cannot know them. They are spiritually discerned. Therefore, to truly understand Scriptures, one must pray just the way Psalmist prayed:

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your law.

With Humility

James 1:21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

We must receive the word of God with humility. It’s not our wisdom that helps us receive and understand His word, but His grace. Therefore there is nothing for us to feel proud about. Instead, with humility, we submit ourselves, allowing God to help us hear and understand.

With Reason

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Systematic theology, from a Biblical perspective, does not exclude reason. It is logical and does not exclude simple reasoning.

With Others

Ephesians 4:11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;

We are blessed to be in this generation where we can leverage the understanding of many Theologians from the past and the work of Theologians today. God has also blessed the Churches with shepherds and teachers. The people at Beroea learnt from Paul and Silas. However, they also confirmed for themselves, whether what they were being taught is actually in the scriptures. That is a good example for us to follow. As we learn and confirm through scriptures what we have learnt, we also have a responsibility to teach. In Hebrews, we see this expectation that all the people would grow and teach what they have learnt. In that sense, it is the responsibility of everyone in the Church, to be able to teach at least the “rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God.  

Hebrews 5:12 For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.

However, care must be taken, to ensure that we have first learnt well so we don’t propagate false teaching. How can we do that? That’s the topic for the next study!