Thoughts on Theology

A.W. Tozer said something about "what comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you." What you think about God is your theology, and I would agree that your thoughts of God are the most important thing about you.

I've been thinking about theology in general though. Granted, theology matters and can either be true or false. I wish true theology for everyone.

Yet there are many issues within theology that eat away at the spiritual life-- the life Jesus intended for his followers to live.

Does Jesus want us focusing on whether we're celebrating Communion or baptism "right" or just how exactly we're supposed to apply 10 words of Scripture? We need Jesus more than the "right" view of these things.

I encourage everyone to study and to develop convictions influenced by the Bible in light of church history. Sometimes, though, we need to stop spinning our wheels and spend time on our knees with the Lord of Hosts.

Recently I appreciated a comment on a blog in the midst of an intense yet civil theological discussion. A woman commented, and I paraphrase, "You need to take a break and spend time with Jesus in prayer. None of this matters on your death bed! Jesus said that we must become like little children to enter the kingdom of Heaven. My advice to both of you is to grow up and grow down!"

Well said my friend in the blogosphere.

His Story

When I was a kid, my dad gave me different names based on different things I did. So by the time I was 10 or so my name was Sheridan Michelle Dunn Wolf Bear Tiger Firefly! From the outside I had a good family—a mom, dad, siblings; they taught me about God and Christianity was relevant to our lives. At a young age I believed it was true that I needed Jesus to be my Savior and asked God into my life. As I got older, though, my happiness became based on being a “good person” and I felt devastated if I didn’t live up to my standards. I felt a need to manage things and be in control to somehow keep my world from falling apart.

I grew up hearing about Jesus and sin and the cross but it didn’t become really meaningful until my twenties. My sophomore year of college I struggled with doubts about the spiritual beliefs I grew up with yet came to the point of not being able to get over Jesus and who He claimed to be-God’s Son. In John 6 after some of the disciples left Jesus asked the twelve if they too wanted to leave. Peter responded, “No, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life.” This really spoke to me; I knew I couldn’t leave Jesus.

After doubting God I felt that I had let Him down, since I had been given such a good foundation growing up. Yet God built my faith back up and taught me that when we come to Him we come with nothing and He gives everything. He wrote on my heart the things I didn’t really experience when I was younger—like His unconditional love. Sometimes God must break us before He can heal us.

Over time I learned my worth to God is not based on the things I do or don’t do. He accepts me because Christ died on the cross for all my failures and rose again so I can live a new life! And He gives me the power to obey Him out of love and a pure heart. Back to my names… it took a long time but I’m starting to take my last name “Dunn” seriously. Jesus said, “It is finished.” What He did for us is complete and we can find rest in Him and what He did for us.