The paragraph below is taken from What is Theology? by Michael Patton https://bible.org/article/what-theology Author:Michael Patton, director and teacher of The Theology Program (TTP). He holds a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary and an ordination from Stonebriar Community Church. TTP Instructors are Michael Patton, Th.M. and Rhome Dyck, Th.M. The Theology Program is copyrighted and published by Reclaiming the Mind Ministries, Frisco, TX.
‘Most simply put, theology is the study of God. It comes from the word theos which is Greek for “God,” and -ology which is from the Greek word logos meaning “word.” Most literally then the word theology means “words about God” or “the study of God.” If one were to use the term generically, it functions much like “philosophy” or “worldview.” People often use the word this way in secular venues. Many times it is used very specifically, speaking only about God. This is called “theology proper.” But generally speaking theology is a belief system that is built upon intellectually and emotionally held commitments concerning God and man.’
From the last sentence of this paragraph, it is seen that theology is a belief system that is built upon intellectually and emotionally held commitments concerning God and man. In layman’s terms, theology is the studying of God with the natural mind and human emotions.
According to Paul this type of study is futile:
1 Corinthians 2:1-16,
1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written,
“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But A NATURAL MAN does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. 16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
Does this sound like a theology course? Of course not, this is Christianity; this is Christ in you, the hope of glory. This is a course in heavenly places meant only for those whose lives are hidden with Christ in God.
Could theologists have been whom Paul was referring to when he said,
1 Timothy 6:20-21,
20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge “-
21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith.
Please consider this:
1 John 6:27,
27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
This verse certainly appears to coincide with 1 Corinthians 2 – which speaks of hidden wisdom spoken not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
The anointing which abides in us teaches us all things. That anointing is the Holy Spirit of God who now dwells within us and whose laws are written on our hearts.
“FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,
AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS.
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,
AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
“AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,
AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’
FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME,
FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
“FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES,
AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE,” Hebrews 8:10-12; Jeremiah 31:33-34.
Too often have Christians sought the things and truths of God with their natural minds. Too often we fail to remember we are in a spiritual realm; our lives are hidden with Christ in God, and God is Spirit. Too often we think we are capable of discerning the thoughts and the ways of God with our finite minds. And we do these things even though the word of God says our natural minds cannot understand the things of God.
Our dependence on our natural minds is where speculations and lofty thoughts that are raised up against the knowledge of God come from. Dependence on our natural minds is a roadblock to faith. Faith does not exist in our natural minds because faith is of God and our natural minds are incapable of knowing the things of God.
This is why theology is falsely called knowledge. It is a science of God and man that is learned by studying with the natural mind, the very mind the Bible says cannot understand the things of God.
The anointing we have received from our Father teaches us all things pertaining to our lives hidden with Christ in God.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
P.S More about theology can be found on several places on the internet, one of which is https://www.britannica.com/topic/theology/Functions-of-theology
I believe that overall you will find that every endeavor theologians engage themselves in is accomplished by their using the faculties of their natural minds, rather than the anointing of God. And the natural man cannot understand the things of God, because they are spiritually appraised.
“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life, John 5:39-40.
Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. If you cannot get life without coming to Him, you cannot get the way and the truth either.
Theology can only be practiced in the mind of the natural man, because the man of faith deals with the integrity of God, rather than his own opinions or conclusions.
The three 👀
The natural man relies on his
Instincts and Intuitions;
The spiritual man relies on
the Integrity of God.
jondavidbanks.com 