Out of Touch With Reality

I've had a couple of conversations with friends in the last week or so that have gotten me thinking on a certain issue in the life of the church these days. So, I'll give you a break from gender roles today. Here's what I've been chewing on...

Just yesterday I was talking with a friend about how many people within the church nowadays have this idea that theology, or really just a deep understanding of God's word that requires time, effort, and study is just for pastors, ministers, seminary people, and the like. They feel like the average Christian really has no need for that. They'll just leave all that academic stuff to the theologians and they can be a good Christian without it. Along these same lines is another prevalent thought. Many people also think of most pastors, ministers, seminary students, etc. as sort of "out of touch with reality."

I would like to address both of these thoughts. First let's talk about theology, which is basically just a proper, sound understanding of the doctrines and truth of God's word. Is it just for ministers and seminarians? The answer to that is a resounding NO. Imagine this:

Imagine that you are legally blind. You go through life unable to correctly or clearly see anything. This would make for lots of problems. Things that should be easy would now be difficult, dangerous, and perhaps disastrous. Things that are intended to be enjoyable and satisfying would be frustrating and loathsome.

Theology is like the right prescription lens. Theology is the lens through which you are intended to view all of life. If you don't have it or you don't have it right, then you are basically wandering through life spiritually blind. You wonder why things don't seem to work the way they should, why you have so much trouble doing this or that, why this thing is so depressing...because you need to put on the right glasses. You need to see life through a correct and thorough understanding of God's word. Many people are like this spiritually. Either they don't know they are spiritually blind or they are aware of it but they are unwilling to put in the time and effort required to know God's word. They'd rather just leave that stuff to the pastor. They don't realize that the blessings of having the right "glasses" far outweigh the time energy necessary to get them.

Now about theological people being out of touch with reality...This thought is based on a commonly believed falsehood--a lie that Satan delights to deceive us with--and it is this: that theology and reality are unrelated...that there is no connection between theology and the "real world" (whatever that means). Actually just the opposite is true. The reason that many people think that theological people are out of touch with reality is precisely because theology is so intricately connected with the practical realities of everyday life.

Let me explain. My husband and I are young in the ministry, but even the mere four years of seminary that he has completed have drastically altered our everyday life. You see nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives is different than it would have been had he not received the sound and thorough teaching that he has. The theology has impacted our reality in an immeasurable way. "Like how?" you ask? We do marriage differently. We parent our kids differently. The fact that we have two kids and want more is a result of theology. The fact that I am at home and not in the workplace is a result of theology. How we spend our money is a result of theology. How we celebrate some holidays is a result of theology. The church we go to is a result of theology. Don't tell me theology is disconnected from reality.

But this brings us back to why most people think that ministers, etc. are out of touch: Oftentimes theology has, in fact, impacted their lives to such an extent that they do many things very differently from most people, even most people in the church...and to most people doing things differently (especially for religious reasons) = being weird = being out of touch with "reality."

If Scripture is true and it really does have everything we need for life and godliness, then why would we not want to love God with all our mind? Why would we not desire a correct and thorough understanding of God's word? Why would we want to leave it to the pastor? Why would we want to be spiritually ignorant and spiritually blind? Why would we want to make things hard for ourselves in life that should not be? Why would we want to make things unsatisfying that were intended to be a blessing?

We should desire to be taught sound doctrine above all else, and you don't have to go to seminary to do that. It starts with your local church. The teaching and preaching of sound doctrine and of the whole counsel of God's word is one of the tasks that is assigned to the church in Scripture. Sadly most churches these days give you a theology that is a mile wide and an inch deep. That is why it frustrates me so much to hear the remarks of many people today who are looking for a church. They are concerned about the music, about it being contemporary, about how nice of a children's ministry it has...about everything EXCEPT theology/sound doctrine. In a nearby town there is a great church whose pastor faithfully preaches sound doctrine. The correct and thorough preaching and teaching of God's word is preeminent in the life of this church. However, the pastor is not the most charismatic speaker around, and their worship is slightly on the traditional side. So, many young couples scratch this church off their list and head down the road to some church with an awesome praise band and a contemporary atmosphere.

Please, folks! God's word must be FIRST on your list of criteria! Otherwise, you will be well entertained, but spiritually blind. Oh, you'll get great music and meet lots of people your age, but you will be anemic in the very thing that has all we need for life and godliness (for God's glory and your joy in your marriage, in your parenting, in your job, in your finances, in everything): God's Word!. I would rather sit through a service with music that is not exactly my taste, and a bunch of elderly people, and a pastor who is dry but preaches the whole counsel of God's word correctly, thoroughly, and with no apologies any day than be entertained with lots of lights, and a praise band with a bunch of men in skinny jeans, surrounded by lots of young couples, listening to a pastor who is entertaining, but shallow (or even worse: entertaining, but wrong).

You will not find everything you need for life and godliness by sitting back content to remain spiritually ignorant and shallow--leaving the theology to the ministers. You will not find all you need for life and godliness in a praise band or a large young married group. You will find it in God's word. I have come to love Psalm 119. David goes on and on for 176 verses about how much he loves God's word. May that be our heart as well.

"I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes." -Psalm 119:47-48