First and foremost, a question is “why bother with theology?” and all these deep, theological wrestlings about this and that and how could it all possibly matter in our everyday lives? I mean, isn’t this like sitting around wondering how many angels can fit on the head of pin? No! I happen to believe there is no higher subject, no more vital or important subject, than the study of who God is (though I convict myself here). He is the apex of any and all study. The very reason anything, including you and I and the universe exists is to display who God is. Nothing expands our souls more, nothing lifts us from the mundane, nothing gets us in line with why the universe exists more than this. Everything is about God. It’s like when John Piper points in C.S. Lewis’ “Weight of Glory” to where he says God finds our desires not to strong, but too weak – we are far too easily pleased with much lesser things. The omnipotent, all glorious God is offering himself, displaying himself, and our main concern is who is going to win the game this weekend. What God is like is a concern for a few weird folks who have theology as a strange hobby like those seminary folks. Our normal concerns are the piddliest of things when the point of EVERYTHING is God himself!!!
Otherwise, why do you read and study the Bible? To get some pointers on your moral self-improvement program? To figure out how to avoid hell? To find out the latest goodies you can receive you may have missed on the last read? I think we need to ask ourselves from time to time, why do I do this? Why do I read this ancient book? Just to make sure I make it to heaven?
Jesus said that getting to heaven is the very definition of eternal life. Actually, NO, He did not. Here’s what he said:
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3
It simply doesn’t get any more bottom line than that statement. So the question for us is when’s the last time you spent time wrestling with who God is in order to know him better? Not simply what he’s done, which is VITAL, but who he IS (as best we can as finite beings from his self-revelation)?
Use what He has said about Himself in His word to get to know Him as He is. It is the highest study of all.