Rooting Our Theology in Biblical Truth

“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.’” (John 5:19-23, NASB)

I knew someone once that adamantly said that she didn’t understand the importance of ‘theology.’ She always said, “Why can’t we all just love Jesus and let go of all the details?” I think what she really was trying to say was that some people can get so caught up in the intellectual ins and outs of theology that they distract from unity with other believers and the importance of the gospel itself. But regardless, whenever the word ‘theology’ came up she was very quick to throw the conversation out the window.

Funny enough, not wanting a clearly defined theology is, in itself, a theological set of beliefs– albeit a poor one, but a ideology nonetheless. To say one has no theology is to say that you don’t really know why you believe what you believe, and if that is true, then you can be led to believe anything that sounds right.

The simple reality is that any set of beliefs that is not deeply rooted in the Truth of God can be compromised. It’s happening to the American church; a church that is becoming more and more about emotional fulfillment, entertainment value, and encouraging people to ignore their sin rather than confront it. And because many don’t know their Bibles for themselves, all they know is what they’ve heard interpreted by unreliable teachers.

But this is nothing new. The Catholic church of medieval times was able to add religious practices that gave power to the clergy and led the people away from God, simply because the people couldn’t read. Even the Jewish people of Jesus’ time held religious standards and requirements put in place by rabbinical leaders that were more controlling than what God’s law stated.

In John 5, we see a lame man healed by Jesus, who told him to take his mat and go. The man stood up, and rather than marveling at this healed man exiting the pools of Bethesda, the Pharisees scolded him for carrying his mat on the Sabbath, a day set aside for God. In that day, the Pharisees dictated that God’s law said no work should be done on the Sabbath in order to keep it holy, in line with the fourth commandment. But the Jewish rabbis at the time took the rule to the extreme, forbidding anything that even resembled work. 

When they addressed the man, they found out that not only was he carrying a mat and breaking their rule, but there was a man that healed him which was a further violation of their Sabbath rules. Of course, this man that they were upset with was Jesus, the Son of God and the Messiah. Objectively, we’re able to look at that situation and say: Well, that’s the same guy that made the rules and He lived a perfect life according to God’s law, so perhaps that means the man-made rule is incorrect.

Jesus indeed confronts the misconception and legalism of the Pharisees by saying: the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does in the same way. (v 19)

What Jesus is saying is that He cannot do anything independent of God the Father’s will. If it were not the Father’s will to heal the lame man on the Sabbath because it went against His commands regarding that day, Jesus would not have been able to heal at all. 

Too often, we compartmentalize the Trinity. We put each part of the Godhead into their own, neat boxes. There are plenty of sermon series that attribute authority and judgment to the Father and paint Jesus exclusively the part of the Trinity that loves. Here, in these verses, Jesus is saying the opposite. The Father and the Son are both solemn judgment and passionate love. 

Jesus reveals that because they are within a relationship of continuous and habitual love in the way a father and son love each other. God the Father acts in marvelous ways that we have not even begun to see because He loves us so genuinely, and the Father has actually reserved the right to judge His people for His Son, Jesus.

And it’s true. Jesus led and taught with love for people, but His lessons always confronted and convicted the sin in the lives of the people listening and coming to Him. They felt the judgment of their deep and disgraceful sin in the face of our perfect Lord. And Jesus did judge them– not out of anger, but out of grace. 

But how does this affect us? The truth is, we all have things in our idea of God and His Word that do not align with His will. None of us have 100% correct theology, but the more we meditate on and study His Word, the more we’ll be able to see those parts in our theology that have been added outside of biblical truth and that don’t honor God. The more we’ll have the opportunity to repent and correct poor beliefs in our lives, by the grace of God, so that we don’t continue to live outside of His will and order.

We can’t pick and choose what parts of scripture we want to follow and what parts simply don’t apply to the present-day Christian. We can’t say, “Oh, that part of God’s Word is out of date and doesn’t apply to me.” 

And I’m no exception from this process of conviction and study. When I was in my 20s, I held many positions at my church. Some of those roles included preaching in mixed groups of people. But over the last few years, I’ve been confronted by the parts of scripture that say women shouldn’t be elders– and by extension, pastors– over men. 

And I wrestled with that for a long time, but ultimately, I was convicted to not use my gifts in the same way. And that was hard for me; I absolutely LOVED doing it. And I still do, just different. Now, I lead, discuss, and teach women. I train children in right theology on their level. I write to you weekly, whoever you are! Indeed, God gave me a gift to teach, but according to His will and order, there are stipulations for me and that’s okay. I’m still getting to explore that that all means in a way that honors God

I know there are those out there who would disagree, but that’s something scripture confronted in me, and I think as Christians, knowing we have the ability to do something and choosing not to do it in order to honor God is a mark of spiritual maturity. It reveals a lot about our hearts and our desire to see HIS will be done and HIS kingdom come.

Jesus Himself says it: Those who do not honor the Son, do not honor the Father that sent His Son. Those that do honor Jesus and what He taught honor the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

There is no ideology out there that is worth more than giving Jesus the honor He is due. There is no system of beliefs that is more important than the Truth that God has given us in His scriptures. And that is why we should hold nothing so tightly that it cannot be confronted by that Truth and realigned to fit the Father’s gospel. 

And it’s important to know what you believe and be able to point to why you believe it. No theology is a weak theology. Yes, Jesus came to love us deeply, but He did not come to overlook sin and we should do the same. Love others and kill sin.