Developing your theology can get complicated quickly. Many have gone before us in this search for who God is and how He interacts with us, who we are and how we should live, and what happens after we die. These people offer a wide variety of beliefs and what they hold as biblical evidence for such beliefs. That can be a wonderful blessing to guide your search. But it may tempt you to stand on their theology without full understanding or feel so overwhelmed that you walk away from having beliefs about God at all.
Do not be discouraged! Seeking truth about God and His will should draw you closer to Him, not confuse or dissuade you.
Faith is built on things unseen, so there will always be mystery involved. In fact, this mystery can produce awe and wonder that brings reverence. God created us as inquisitive beings that search for answers, and I believe that He delights in our looking. I believe that the Bible is God’s word and absolute truth, but our interpretations are not.
We can stand firm in our theology while still creating space for more revelation from God.
This is an intimidating post to write. I want to make it clear that I am not an expert, though I have been trained in biblical literacy and have personally studied the Bible intentionally. I seek knowledge of God because I want to know Him deeper and grow more into His likeness, not because I want a ruler to measure myself or others and not because I’m looking for something to substantiate my own desires and decisions.
In an attempt to simplify your development of a theological belief system without removing the nuances of doing so, I encourage you to:
Re.frame your search for truth from finding answers to experiencing the fullness of His love.
Whatever biblical viewpoints you land on, they should reflect God’s love for you as an individual and us as a collective. Here are some examples of my own theology using this context. I personalized them for when I speak life over myself, but I believe them to be universal.
Out of God’s love, He created me, the world I live in, and all that has come before and will come after.
Out of God’s love, He gave me the Bible; His infallible word to guide me.
Out of God’s love, He reveals Himself as omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, allowing me to fully trust Him.
Out of God’s love, He sent His Son, Jesus, to live as I live but be the perfect example to grow towards.
Out of God’s love, He gives me free will, which in turn led to my sinful nature and my need for a savior.
Out of God’s love, His will for His Son was to die on the cross in my place, to forgive all of my sins, to defeat my eternal death, and to create a pathway to heaven for me.
Out of God’s love, He gave me the Church, which I honor Him by participating in.
Out of God’s love, He gave me the ability to marry in order to experience an intimate partnership.
Out of God’s love, He protects me from abuse and covers me with grace.
My list goes on and on, as I have been studying God and scripture since I can remember. This is part of why I love Him – there will always be more to discover. He is infinitely more magnificent than I can imagine. He consistently reveals greater things.
With the right frame of mind, now you can apply other principles of developing theology. Important questions to ask yourself include:
What is this section of the text communicating? What is the guiding principle shown?
How does that fit into the larger frame – is there a theme of this message throughout scripture? Is there more support than just in this section or verse?
What did this text mean to the original audience? What are the parallels or differences between me and that audience?
What does it call me to do? Does that action reflect the message of salvation? Does Jesus live an example of it?
Can I only follow that call in this situation or is it timeless?
Does this principle apply to the entire world or just me in my cultural context?
As I said in my last post, invite the Holy Spirit to guide your exploration into the heart of God. Take time to sit in His presence and allow His love for you to be the loudest. Examine your heart and your intentions. Ask God for wisdom and clarity.
There is beauty in the searching.
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