Systematic Theology part 1

What is Systematic Theology and why is it important for us today?

The following post’s under the title “Systematic Theology” are going to be a wide-ranging series of notes and mp3’s of what I am covering each month as I teach the book “Bible Doctrine” by Wayne Grudem in a home Bible study (see Recommended Recourses).

Let’s explore the concept of Systematic Theology. Wayne Grudem defines Systematic Theology as any study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today?” about any given topic. The term theology means the study of God or the study of the divine (“theo” from the Greek for “God”, and “–logy from the Greek for “discourse” or “reasoning”). The adjective “systematic” in systematic theology refers to “carefully organized topics”.

What systematic theology does is that it takes all of the major doctrinal topics of the Bible and fits them together in a consistent, orderly, or systematic way, so that we can understand our Bible better.

Doctrine as defined by Grudem, is what the whole Bible teaches us today about some particular topic. A doctrine refers to one specific topic and is simply the result of doing systematic theology.

An example of systematic theology resulting in doctrine would be the gathering of all information (good, bad, ugly, or otherwise) about what the entire Bible says about man. Interpret this information properly within the individual texts context. Then we put all this information together to see what the entire Bible says about this particular topic and put it all under the heading The Doctrine of Man, by which we can now definitively say, “This is what the entire Bible teaches about mankind.”

So how does this benefit us today as Christians?

The greatest benefit that we receive from systematic theology is solid information (objective truth) and greater understanding (application of this objective truth). This results in a life that is progressively changed, fully pleasing to God, and that brings glory to His magnificent name.

God has saved us from His righteous wrath through the work of Jesus Christ. He has saved, and continues to save, judgment deserving sinners like you and me (though He was not obligated too) in order that we might proclaim His kindness and power both here and in eternity. In doing so, God’s plan is to continually and increasingly change His children whom He loves (See Ro 8:29 and Ro 12:1-2).

Now, here is where it gets really important for you and me dear Christian brother or sister.

The way God changes our character is by first changing our thinking. This is done as God uses the means of sound doctrine (which we obtain through systematic theology) to impact the way we think in order to influence the way we act. It is important to get this! John Bunyan said it this way: “As we behold we become changed”.

Sound Doctrine > Right Thinking > God Glorifying Obedience

i.e. doctrine (information) informs how we think, and how we think determines how we act.

Or, you could also say, “The practical is the outworking of the theological”. An example of this can be found in Ephesians 5:25. This is how Jesus loved the church (the theological). Now husbands go and do likewise (the practical). In other words, this is what it looks like, now go and carry it out.

This is the great benefit of systematic theology.

In Him, Miles