Theology Matters!!

Maybe you have come across Christians who claim that they are only about Jesus and are not concerned with theology. They want to keep it simple and do not want to be caught up in the mire of complex doctrine. But this is a self-defeating position. All that is needed is to ask them to say something about the Jesus they believe in; and with the very first statement they make, they have engaged in theology.

Theology is the study of God. Its aim is to outline propositions or beliefs about God. Needless to say, everyone has some belief about God, including the atheist. And these beliefs impact the way a person sees the world and interacts with it (though there are many inconsistencies). Consequently, it is important that we have the right understanding and belief of who God is, and how He interacts with us and with all of creation. Without this understanding, we will come up with our own concept of God and interact with our own imagination.

Theology Matters for Worship

Jesus said that those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Worshiping in truth refers to worshiping the true God, that is, as He is and as He has revealed Himself. Without the true knowledge of God and His nature, we will not be worshiping in truth. We will worship according to our beliefs about God which may not be accurate.

For example, it is common among Christians to think that God is not sovereign and many events take place that are outside of His control including calamities and sickness. But the Bible says that God is in control of everything in this universe and He does whatever He pleases (Is 45:7, Ps 135:6, 33:11, 115:3, Dan 4:35). Having this knowledge of God should cause us to worship Him in good times and in bad times, knowing that He is in control and will work all things for the good of those who love Him; those called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

It is imperative that we learn the attributes of God and His work so that our worship will be according to what Jesus said the Father is looking for.

Theology Matters for Salvation

Our understanding of how God saves is important to have the right relationship with Him. We are not saved by our works; we are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9). God saved us in Jesus by making Him who knew no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor, and there is nothing we can do to maintain God’s favor (Gal 3:3). God loved us first (1 John 4:10) and made us born again. If we do not understand God’s grace, we will spend our days trying to earn God’s favor; we will think that we are in control of our salvation not realizing that salvation is from the Lord (Ps 3:8).

Theology Matters for Ethics

How can we tell if a certain practice or behavior is right or wrong? Humans have debated these since Adam and Eve sinned and it continues today. We have to know how God defines things since He is the ultimate authority in the universe. If we do not understand this then we will come up with arbitrary standards to live by. God has spoken in His Word and He has told us what He expects from us (Micah 6:8). This knowledge has to guide our judgements and how we interact with people around us. We have to have the right understanding of love, race, marriage, sexuality, identity, work, money, children, and so on, and this understanding will come only when we learn what God has already said about it.

Theology Matters for Ecclesiology

Ecclesiology is the study of the church. What we understand the church to be will determine how we do church. There are numerous churches and denominations in the world. And the differences between them are so large that it cannot be said that every church is biblical. Some differences are trivial (for ex: frequency of communion), while others are more serious (for ex: believing baptism saves a person). Therefore, it is important to know what Jesus intended His body (the church) to be and His purposes for it in the world (see Eph 3:10). Without the right understanding of the nature of the church, a congregation could become a mere social organization and lose the reason for its existence. Theology determines our ecclesiology and therefore, we must strive to learn from God’s revelation.

Theology Matters for Evangelism

We have already discussed how theology affects our salvation. In the same manner, the way we share God’s salvation to others is also impacted by our theology. We have to see that humans are dead in sin (Eph 2:1) and not merely wounded or sick. Dead people need regeneration and not antibiotics. It is only the Spirit of God through the Word of God (see John 3:5 & Rom 10:17) who can bring about life in dead sinners. If we do not understand this, then we will use all other worldly means while evangelizing and risk false conversions and false assurances. We are to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ clearly so that people will be convicted of their sin and repent and believe. We should also understand the gospel ourselves before we preach it to others.

Conclusion

I recently saw a movie with the lead character in a dual role — twin sisters. There were many instances of mistaken identity, that is, attributing qualities, actions, and sayings to the wrong twin. There was so much confusion and constant correction. Without the right theology and understanding of God, we attribute qualities, actions and sayings to God that are not true of Him. And, essentially, we end up worshiping, obeying, and following a God of our own creation and not the Only true God.

As we begin a new year, let us strive to learn our God more; He who has revealed Himself through His Word. Theology matters and it matters for us.

New Year, New Discipline … Fasting!

Fasting is the most puzzling of all disciplines for Christians. In today’s world, it is seen primarily as a means to lose weight. The latest buzz about intermittent fasting has definitely piqued the interests of people all over the world. However, for a Christian, fasting, like praying, should be a discipline for sanctification and godliness.

Fasting in the Bible

Fasting is one of the oldest practices in the Bible. Most often, it was a means to humble oneself before the Lord.

There are numerous instances of people fasting including Samuel (1 Sam 7:6), David (2 Sam 12:16), Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:3), Nehemiah (Neh 1:4), Esther (Esther 4:16), Daniel (Dan 9:3), the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:5-8) and many others. However, there is no greater example than Jesus, when He spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the wilderness (Matt 4:2). His disciples also fasted after Jesus’ ascension (Acts 13:2-3, 14:23).

If the Bible has so many examples of people fasting, then why are Christians so confused about it and, sometimes, even averse to this discipline? How many of us know fellow-Christians who fast regularly? How often is there a sermon in our churches about the need to fast and the ways to fast? Unless you are doing it to lose weight, it seems like a ridiculous idea to deny oneself food in today’s world when instant gratification and self-indulgence is the norm. However, fasting is one of the things that Jesus expects us to do as His followers for our growth and sanctification.

Jesus Expects we will Fast

Christians will agree that they are expected – in fact, required – to pray regularly and also give regularly. We know this because Jesus Himself said so. Matthew 6 is a favorite passage for everyone when it comes to these disciplines. Jesus teaches us about how to pray and how to give by contrasting what the hypocrites do with what the Father truly desires. He first addresses the practice of giving, and in verses 2 & 3, He said, “when you give to the poor.” He didn’t say “if you give to the poor.” That is, Jesus assumed that His followers would give to the poor. And when they do, they were expected to give in the way Jesus taught them. Similarly, when it comes to praying, Jesus spoke about it similarly in verses 5-7 - “when you pray,” and not, “if you pray.” Again, Jesus expected His followers to pray and, in fact, He gave us “The Lord’s Prayer” to help us pray.

In the same chapter, in verses 16 & 17, Jesus said, “when you fast.” He said it in the same way as He did about giving and praying. Jesus is teaching us how to fast unlike the hypocrites. Similar to His teaching about giving and praying, Jesus expects that we will fast; and that we will fast as the Father desires. We cannot choose to ignore Jesus’ teaching on fasting when we accept His teaching on giving and praying.

Another clear passage where Jesus expects His followers to fast is found in Matt 9:14-15. At Matthew’s house, when the disciples of John (the Baptist) asked Jesus why His disciples did not fast, He said that as long as the Bridegroom (Jesus) is with them, there is no need to fast. However, when the Bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast. The Bridegroom was taken away from us in His ascension. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. And, now is the time for His followers to fast, as He said they will.

But, how exactly do we fast? What are things we should do, or not do?

How do we Fast?

Before we discuss how to fast, let us look at what fasting is. Fasting is typically understood as abstinence from a particular desire or need. We may give up different things including food, TV, social media, etc. While these may be helpful and even legitimate abstinences, the Bible considers fasting primarily with respect to food. It is a believer's voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. It is voluntary and for spiritual purposes.

First of all, fasting should have a purpose. Without a purpose, it becomes an exercise in testing one’s will-power. It will be something one simply endures. Without a purpose, fasting can be compared to running a race without a finish line.

Secondly, fasting without a spiritual purpose does not produce godliness. The hunger we feel during our fast should remind us of our purpose in fasting, and consequently, push us to seek God.

We can see many purposes of fasting in the Bible. However, none of them are to earn God’s favor. There is nothing we can do to manipulate God. Our works are filthy rags before Him (Is 64:6). Jesus is the only one who lived a perfect life and paid the debt we owed for our sins. In Him alone, we are found acceptable before God (Learn more here). His righteousness is our righteousness. We fast for various reasons but not to earn our way into God’s grace.

Fasting can be practiced for the following reasons. (Detailed explanations of these can be found in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life)

To strengthen prayer (Ezra 8:23, Dan 9:3, Acts 13:3) – it does not twist God’s arm but it intensifies our desire.
To seek God’s guidance (Judges 20:26, Acts 14:23) – it helps us to be more receptive.
To express grief (1 Sam 20:34, 2 Sam 1:11-12).
To seek deliverance or protection from God (2 Chron 20:3-4, Esther 4:16) – what would it look like if we first fasted in light of imminent adversity?
To express repentance and return to God (1 Sam 7:6, Joel 2:12, Jonah 3:5-8).
To humble oneself before God (1 Kings 21:27-29, Ps 35:13) – just as kneeling or prostrating in prayer.
To express concern for the work of God (Neh 1:3-4, Is 58:6-7, Dan 9:3).
To minister to the needs of others (Is 58:6-7) – share your food with someone who cannot afford it.
To overcome temptation and dedicate oneself to God (Matt 4:1-11) – fasting can teach us to fight the desires of our flesh.
To express love and worship to God (Luke 2:37) – Anna expressed her love for God through fastings and prayer. John Piper said: “what we hunger for most, we worship.”

How often should we Fast?

The Bible does not give us instructions on how often we should fast. However, as explained above, God expects us to fast on a regular basis. It is up to the individual to discern how often he/she should fast.

Note: Please seek medical advice before fasting to ensure no adverse effects.

How long should we Fast?

The Bible does not give us instructions on how long we should fast either. However, as noted above, there are many examples of fasts in the Bible. People have fasted for one day or part of a day, three days, seven days, fourteen days, twenty one days, forty days and unspecified duration. Again, it is up to the individual to discern how long he/she should fast.

A common practice is to fast one day once a month and to dedicate that time for a spiritual purpose.

We should Fast!

We need endurance to run the race that is set before us and we cannot do it if we are easily entangled with the things of this world (Heb 12:1-2). We have to deny the natural desires of our flesh so we can set our eyes on spiritual things. Fasting is a discipline that God has given to help us achieve this.

As we begin the new year, let us include fasting as a regular spiritual discipline in order to seek the things that are above rather than things on the earth (Col 3:2).

Further Reading

Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

John Piper, A Hunger for God

How Then Should We Pray…?

If you have been a Christian for some time, I am sure you have heard a message or two, or many, about prayer and the importance of prayer. Without a doubt, every pastor has preached about prayer from Matt 6 or Luke 11 (the Lord’s prayer); sometimes, preaching from this passage seems like a yearly ritual at the beginning of the year. Congregations are constantly reminded to pray and rightly so! Prayer is important because that is how we talk to God and express our praises, thanksgiving, confessions, petitions, etc. However, sometimes, we get into a routine and prayer becomes burdensome.

Constants

When I became a Christian, one of the things that was impressed on me was to make certain things “constant” in my life. Constants was the name given to Spiritual Disciplines. They were called such so that they become a constant part of our lives. They occur every day and they don’t vary from day to day. One of these constants was Personal Prayer. I prayed every day at the same time, and it was definitely becoming a constant in my life. But what also became constant were the things I prayed about and my prayers themselves. I had developed a routine where I had a specific order of things I prayed for and the prayers (words I said) were also the same every day.

As time passed, prayer became very mechanical, and I was saying “the same old things about the same old things.” I started to lose my fervor in prayer, and it started to seem like something I have to check-off every day. This constant soon started to vary till it was regularly irregular. I continued on with my sporadic prayer life for many years. I enjoyed praying on some days; but there were days (sometimes a long stretch of days) when I just didn’t know what or how to pray.

I realized that my struggles were not unique, and that many Christians struggled with praying. I heard how they were not able to concentrate, their minds wandered, they were repetitive when they prayed, so on and so forth. I knew it wasn’t supposed to be this way. As Christians, we are called to pray and, like Jesus, we should be praying every day. The joy and blessings of praying are for all of us, not just a few. So, what was I missing? And what is everyone who struggles with prayer missing?

There is a Way…

It is important to remember that Christianity is not a list of dos and don’ts, but it is a relationship. We have been adopted into God’s family as His sons and daughters (Eph 1:5) and Jesus taught us to call God our Father (Matt 6:9). A relationship cannot last without communication. This is why we pray. And our prayer should be in the form of communication! It should not just be one-way but a two-way communication. And God, for His part, has spoken… in His Word!

Therefore, when we pray, we should pray through a passage of Scripture. It is that simple!

(Note: A lot of the material in this article is derived from the book “Praying the Bible” by Don Whitney)

But How…??

It may sound like a cliché to say, pray through a passage of the Scripture; however, the question one would ask (including me when I first read it) is: How do I do it? Which part of Scripture should I use? How do I pray through a passage of the Scripture?

The best place to pray through the Bible is the Psalms. The Psalms are the prayers of the Israelites. It helps us to know how they prayed and how Jesus Himself prayed. Some of the Psalms don’t need any personalization since they are already personalized and addressed to God. Consider Psalm 8:1, which offers praise to the Lord.

O Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

There is no need to modify this in any way. We can just say it to the Lord as our own praise. Psalm 51 can be a prayer for repentance, Psalm 25 for deliverance, so on.

Some Psalms will need to be personalized. For example, praying Psalm 27:1 would look like: Lord, You are my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? Lord, You are the defense of my life, whom shall I dread? And Psalm 106:1 would be: I praise You, O Lord, I will give thanks to You, Lord, for You are good and Your lovingkindness is everlasting!

Everyone in the Bible did it!

This method of praying is not new to us. We can see throughout the Bible that many people have engaged in this pattern of prayer. Moses prayed to God in Exod. 32:13 using the words that God had said to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in order that God may not destroy the Israelites. The Psalmist, in Psalm 105, recounts of all the works of God in delivering Israel according to His promises. In the New Testament, Jesus prayed the Psalms. In his most agonized moment in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for the cup to pass from Him, a reference to the cup in Ps 75:8. And He prayed Psalm 22 while He was nailed to the cross and Psalm 31 (Ps 31:5) before He gave up His Spirit. The Apostles, in Acts 4, use multiple Psalms in their prayer. There is a great precedence set for us in the Bible and we should try to use it, so our prayer life will be as strong as theirs.

Prayer, Not Interpretation

Most often, when reading the Bible, we might be concerned about understanding what the passage means. This is a valid desire and should be our primary goal when reading Scripture. However, the goal in praying through the Scriptures is not interpretation: that is, we aren’t trying to understand what a passage means but using the words to help us pray. Let me illustrate.

Suppose you are praying though Psalm 61 and you read in verse 2, “my heart is faint.” You are reminded of your friend or a relative who has been having some issues with her heart, she has seen the doctors and she is undergoing treatment. You might pray that God will strengthen her heart, that it might not become weak, that the doctors may know how to treat her, and her family will have wisdom to handle this situation, etc. It is clear this verse is not about physical heart issues, but you are using the text to pray for your friend or relative. That is the important thing – turn every thought into a prayer as you read the passage.

Other parts of Scripture

Although the Psalms are the easiest place to start, there are many other parts of the Bible that can be helpful in praying. The letters in the New Testament contain multiple prayers from the writers and in many cases, those can be prayed directly to the Lord (similar to Psalms addressed directly to God). The other parts of the letters can also be very helpful in praying. Most of the letters contain many imperatives (commands) for us to practice in our lives; these can become great prayers and reminders throughout the day.

For example, Paul tells in Col 4:6, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt,” and you pray, “Lord, help me to be kind with my words today. Help me to build up the people I interact with and not tear them down. Help me to be a source of encouragement. But, above all, help me to speak Your grace, which you have showed us through Your Son, Jesus, into their lives. Help me to do it with gentleness and not with pride.”

The same can be done with many parts of the Bible and we will not only be able to pray for ourselves but even for those that have sought our prayers.

What does it look like?

So, how do you do it on a daily basis? Set aside a specific amount of time to pray. Start at the beginning of a Psalm or another passage. Read the first verse. Stop and pray about everything that comes to your mind. When you can’t think of anything else, go to the next verse, and so on and so forth till you run out of the Psalm or you run out of time.

A Final Analogy

I enrolled in personal fitness training for a season in my life. I couldn’t walk for 2 weeks after my first session, but it got better as I continued doing it and I started seeing results. The difference between these training sessions and my own workouts was knowing what to do. When I went to the gym by myself, I would do the same set of workouts every time. There was nothing interesting about it; the routine was monotonous, and I would be bored in the middle of the workout. However, all I had to do was show-up for my personal training and follow the instructions of my trainer.

All you have to do while praying through the Bible is show-up and start reading. As you read, the words are given to you in the passage, and you can turn them around toward God to pray. You won’t have to sit there thinking what to pray or let your thoughts wander or look at your watch or be discouraged about your prayer life.

God has given us His own words and what could be better than letting His own words shape our words when we talk to Him.

Let Us Pray!