The disagreement arises fairly often these days. "Orthodoxy or orthopraxy?" Okay, maybe not in those terms. But the question remains, "Is it more important to be doctrinally sound or to live a godly life?" (As if there is some sort of contradiction there.) You will hear people say, "That guy is too heavenly minded to be any earthly good." People will complain if you're too oriented around theology and not concerned enough (to their satisfaction) with "practical application". Is this a valid concern? Is it possible to be too concerned about theology?
In a sense, I suppose it is. There is a sense in which knowledge puffs up. That sense occurs when we value knowledge for knowledge sake. It is a problem when we accumulate information purely because of the information. That kind of theological concern is without much point.
On the other hand, if the primary point of being a believer is having a functioning relationship with God, and "theology" is the study of the nature of God, it cannot be possible to be too concerned about knowing God. Paul warns in 1 Cor 8 that knowledge can cause arrogance (1 Cor 8:1), but he goes on to contrast arrogant knowledge with the important knowledge: "But if anyone loves God, he is known by God" (1 Cor 8:3). He contrasts the arrogant "You know, eating food offered to idols is evil" with "There is no God but one". Knowing that God is the knowledge we need to possess.
There are two basic senses of "knowing". One is to have to perceive, to see, to have the data. In this sense we know facts and information. The other sense is to experience, to know by doing. It is a more intimate "know". Applying these two concepts, for instance, to a husband and wife, if a husband knows his wife only in the first sense, he would be a good student but a poor husband. He would know what colors she likes and know what foods she doesn't like and know her favorite books. He wouldn't know her. A good husband would know his wife experientially. He wouldn't simply know about her; he would know who she is, how she feels, what she thinks. Two different concepts of "knowing".
Theology is the study of God. To know God we need to know about God. We must know His nature, His characteristics, His likes and dislikes. But if all we have are data points, we don't yet know God. This surface kind of knowledge puffs up. On the other hand, using that information to know God has a radically different effect. It humbles you. It changes how you live. It produces godly living. So which is more important? Knowing the truth about God to the end of knowing God will produce right living. Right living without true knowledge of God will produce ... nothing. Theology is not a minor issue to the true believer.
4 comments:
Amen, how can one know what the "right" things or actions are (orthopraxis) unless one first has the knowledge of what is right(orthodoxy)?
Beyond that, "good" includes doing what is right for the right reasons.
Great point. I've heard enough folks say things like "If you just do good things then you'll "get it" or it will lead you to understanding". I've never understood how simply doing something that someone else has decided is the "right" thing to do accomplishes anything beyond the action itself.
Ultimately this seems like just one more take on works righteousness.
Similar to something I've heard before that bugs me. "You've got to act like a Christian." Well, perhaps, on those rare occasions when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, but we're not supposed to act like Christians. Christian behavior is supposed to be the result of who we are.
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