Want To Be a Better Theologian?

One of the books I received for Christmas is Paul Tripp’s Do You Believe?. It’s his attempt at compiling a systematic theology – although not a complete systematic theology like you might find in Lewis Sperry Chafer, Charles Hodge or Wayne Grudem. It’s a selection of theological topics from bibliology, theology proper, anthropology, hamartiology, soteriology, and eschatology.

And just like at the end of each chapter in Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, Tripp also shows the purpose of theology for the Christian life. Tripp “does theology.” He brings theology to life. He shows us that theology is not simply an academic pursuit of what God’s Word teaches, but it is meant for our sanctification.

There are 12 chapters of theological topics, and then each of those chapters is followed with a chapter of application.

In the preface to this book, Tripp writes, “My goal in the twelve application chapters is not to make direct application to every area of life, but to help you to understand that there is a particular culture or lifestyle that flows out of each doctrine. Truth does not form your lifestyle is probably not truth that is believed in the biblical sense of what faith actually is. In this book I am asking how our lives should be shaped by the doctrines of God’s omnipotence, the doctrine of creation, the doctrine of justification, the doctrine of eternity, and so on. My goal is that thinking of biblical truth as a lifestyle will become more and more natural as you read through this book” (pg. 14).

Paul warns us about knowledge puffing up (I Cor 8:1). And by contrast, he says that our love edifies. The way we apply theology to our life builds other people up. Not just in teaching them theology but in loving and serving them in the way that theology equips us.

Being a theologian is all about becoming more holy. Being a theologian is about making other theologians, other disciples. Being a theologian is all about using your spiritual gifts to make the church better. Being a theologian is about being a faithful ambassador for Jesus Christ.

In short, being a theologian goes beyond a collection of facts.