Six Reasons You Should Study Theology
The word “theology” comes from the Greek words for “God” (theos) and “knowledge” (logos). Theology, therefore, is simply the study of the nature of God. Unfortunately, there is a trend in many Christian churches to ignore or even denounce theology. Such churches, even though frequently they are well meaning, erroneously fear that doctrinal studies will further divide the body of Christ. Thus, they tend to emphasize feeling over truth, and experience over teaching. While feelings and experience are certainly a part of the Christian life, without truth and doctrine we cannot even be sure what constitutes the essence of the Christian faith. In other words, we cannot call our faith Christian if we do not even know what “Christian” is. Many “feelings” churches often place a strong emphasis on worship, and rightly so. But how can worship be truly spiritual if it is not worship of the true God? (John 4:24) And how can we be certain that we are worshiping the true God unless we are committed to the knowledge of the true God? In sum, doctrine is essential to the Christian life. And no doctrine of the faith is of greater importance than the doctrine of the nature of God. As the late A. W. Tozer observed: “What enters our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”[1]
Briefly, there are at least six reasons why we should study the nature of God.[2] First, all basic theological truth depends upon God’s attributes. The biblical command to love our neighbor is rooted in the nature of God, who is love (1 John 4:8). Our understanding of the nature of Jesus Christ, the God-man, is only as deep as our understanding of the nature of God.
Second, we cannot recognize false gods if we do not know the true God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians: “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.” (Gal. 4:8) The Apostle John warned his readers to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
Which leads to the third reason: Unless we know the truth about God, we leave ourselves vulnerable to dangerous deceptions that lead to bondage and apostasy. Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have bad consequences. And since no idea is bigger than the idea of God, it stands to reason that bad ideas about God lead to the worst kinds of consequences.
Fourth, our spiritual growth is dependent upon our concept of God. We cannot become more like God unless we know what God is like!
Fifth, as Saint Augustine famously wrote,“Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it rest in Thee.”[3] God created us for Himself. (Rom. 11:36; Rev. 4:11). Thus, apart from living for the true God, we will never find ultimate satisfaction in our lives.
Sixth and finally, Jesus commanded us to love God with all our minds. (Matt. 22:37) It is an act of obedience to conform our thinking about God to the true nature of God. Even though exhaustive knowledge of God is impossible for us, an accurate apprehension of what He has revealed is within our grasp. And to that we should strive, that we may walk in truth so that God may be lifted up and glorified among His people.
[1] A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Walker and Co., 1996), 1,
[2] For an overview of the first five of these six reasons, see Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, vol. 2 (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2003), 17-19.
[3] Paul M. Bechtel, ed., The Confessions of St. Augustine: Books One to Ten (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), 17.