Many of its studies war against faith and the word of God. Richard Wurmbrand found
that when he was in prison, the doctors of theology had only arguments to draw on for
strength, but the laymen who hid the word of God in their hearts were a blessing and a
comfort to all.
The Greek word Theos means God, and logia means the science or the study of.
Theology is the systematic and rational study of concepts of God and of the nature of
religious ideas. The word theology is not found in the Bible. Many who study it
become confused, unbelieving, or the children of hell, persecuting all who won't fit their
theology.
Just think of theology this way. You receive a friendly letter from an acquaintance,
and you want to get to know the person better. So you look him up on the internet to
find more information about him, and you contact all his acquaintances to get their
opinions of him. You look around for comments of what people think of his literary
work and never actually read his words yourself. Now you may think you know him,
but all you know is what others think of him. To get to know a person, you must call
him up, talk with him, spend time with him, and walk with him.
The Lord calls us away from our ideas of religion. He calls us to be reconciled unto
Him. He doesn't call us to figure Him out, but He calls us to know Him. God did not
call us to find out what other men think of Him. He calls us to come unto Him and learn
of Him. Paul told Timothy to study to show himself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Paul told Timothy to
study the scriptures, not the works of the lawyers or the commentaries of the Pharisees.
What matters most is God's approval and good pleasure, not the approval or certification
of men.
Lester Sumrall told of his ordination into a denominational church. He said an
important official came by, patted each candidate on the head and said, “Op,” and then
went to the next one and said, “Op.” After the ordaining minister had walked down the
way a little bit, Sumrall turned to the man on his right and said, “Did you get anything?”
“No, I didn't get anything,” he answered. “Well I didn't get anything either,” Sumrall
said. He turned to the man on his left and said, “Did you get anything?” The man said,
“No.” “Well, what's this thing all about then if you don't get anything?” Sumrall asked.
Lester Sumrall was already ordained by the Lord and was endued with the power of
God, so he was quite disappointed with man's ordination. Lester Sumrall said
concerning this, “Almost everybody has been ordained by somebody, but the Lord had
said to me, 'I have ordained you.'”
God not only chooses us, He gives us the force and the power to follow our callings.
No church, denomination, or theology can do that. When Jesus empowers the one He
calls and ordains, that person knows it! You feel the holy anointing. It comes upon you, and you know you've moved into the realm of the supernatural. You know you have come under the holy anointing of the One who has chosen you, not just ordained you, but anointed you for service.
Remember, the Lord has told us, “You have not chosen me; I have chosen you.” What
God has promised, He will fulfill. When the Bible tells us God will endue us with
power from on high, we need to believe Jesus. He said in John 6:63, “It is the spirit that
quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and
they are life.”
Jesus promised that when the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.
1 John 2:27 tells us, “The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and
ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things,
and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
God desires to teach and direct us. Proverbs tells us to acknowledge the Lord in all
our ways, and He will direct our paths. We don't need theological books. We need
God's Spirit, and we need to read the Bible and know the Lord Jesus in a personal way.
If Christ be in us, He will be lifted up and will draw all men unto Him: not unto us, but
unto Jesus our redeemer, friend, and love. --- Betty