I was a bit stunned, so much so that I couldn't answer and had to go away and think about it.
I guess, in a way, this is my response.
Now there are two things to say. Firstly, I don't really care whether or not anyone agrees with me, not because I am arrogant about it but because I stand under the great declaration of Romans 1: 16, '...I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith the faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." Secondly, I am not the judge so please don't see this as judgement. I share this only to exalt Christ, not to judge another.
Theology. How is this word defined?
For the purposes of this we could define theology as the study, or analysis, of the attributes of God.
So theology is about defining the attributes of God.
The Bible is quite clear to me when it says that 'no one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. [John 1: 18]
So God is revealed, He is explained, by the 'only begotten God, the One 'who is in the bosom of the Father'. That can only refer to Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
If we want to 'see' God then we must look at Jesus.
The only 'Way' to God is Jesus.
In another place we read these words. 'In Him [that is, Jesus Christ] ALL the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.' [Colossians 2: 9]
This is a beautiful statement!
God, in the wonder of His boundless grace and favour, stepped down to us in the person of His Son and was clothed in human flesh. In that stepping down did He cease to be the fullness of God? No! I do not believe it. He remained all that He ever was; yet clothed in flesh, burdened by purpose, anticipating glory. That is Philippians 2.
Can you see the grace of God?
Our Father knew we so often see with eyes of flesh and so we have the 'fullness of God' revealed in BODILY FORM! Oh, the wonder of the grace of God! God revealed in bodily form! Now that Jesus has returned to glory has he discarded His body of flesh? No! Why? So, even today, you and I, and all those seeking Him, can SEE GOD.
Last night I sat under the ministry of the Word and the speaker shared a thought that is like a precious treasure to me.
In Mark's gospel the word translated from the Greek into English as 'torn apart, torn asunder' appears just two times. I don't remember the Greek word other than we get our English word, schism from it. It does not matter.
The first time we see this word is in Mark 1: 10. Jesus is baptised and as He is coming up out of the waters He sees heaven 'torn asunder' and the Spirit of God descending upon Him and He hears the resounding voice of God.
The second time we see the word is in Mark 15: 37. Jesus tastes the last of the sourness of our sin, represented in the sour wine, and with His parched mouth moistened slightly He cries with a loud voice, "IT IS FINISHED," and as He breathes His last the veil of the temple, that great division of Law dividing the people from the grace and mercy of God, is 'torn asunder' from the top to the bottom.
In those two momentous 'tearings' book-ending the gospel of Mark we see two great declarations.
One from heaven declaring, "YOU ARE MY BELOVED SON, IN YOU I AM WELL PLEASED;" and one from earth, as the centurion, standing in front of Him, declares, "TRULY THIS MAN WAS THE SON OF GOD!"
Words just fail me!
The wonder of the revelation of God, Jesus Christ is just too wondrous to fully appreciate and express!
So, then, the revelation, the definition of the attributes of God are Jesus Christ Himself.
How, how, how then is it possible that the theology of two Christians cannot agree?
How is this possible?
Every Christian should be gathered around our theology, JESUS, declaring His exaltation, declaring with God, our Father, and with the centurion...JESUS, YOU ARE GOD, YOU ARE OUR BELOVED, TRULY, YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD!
Beloved, the sad fact is this that if our theologies don't agree then there is only one thing to be said [please understand I do not say this to criticise or judge], there can only be one explanation. Someone is 'taken captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.' [Colossians 2: 8] Or more attention is being paid to 'myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith' [I Timothy 1: 4] or we are bound up by 'foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and dispute about the Law' which, the Bible clearly says, 'are unprofitable and worthless.' [Titus 3: 9]
Today, there is a great venue for 'theological' debate called Facebook and endlessly we see 'debate' that achieves nothing other than veiling, hiding, putting aside a God of all grace, who is holding out His representative, the beautiful and wonderful Jesus Christ and is calling us to 'BELIEVE' and 'RECEIVE.'
How can it ever be that we sink into the mire of human knowledge and opinion and 'miss' the great revelation of the attributes of God?
How, as a result, can we ever say our theology does not agree?
Please, please, please see with me our theology as believers in Christ.
Jesus is our theology, He is the revelation of God, He is the source of all things, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, He is our Healer, He is our Provision, He is our Wholeness and Completion, He is EVERYTHING!
Do not take my word for it.
My words are not important but as I close allow God's Word to penetrate your being and enter into your very core...
I love the book of Hebrews.
If you were asked to write a heading over this book it would have to be 'The Book of Better Things, The Book of the Best Thing.'
The writer begins by introducing the only subject of this book, the very BEST, Jesus Christ.
Listen to these words, allow them to seep into your being...
GOD, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His SON, whom He appointed HEIR OF ALL THINGS, through whom also HE MADE THE WORLD.
And He is the RADIANCE OF HIS GLORY, and the EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIS NATURE, and UPHOLDS ALL THINGS by the word of His power.
When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY on high, having become as much better than...[Hebrews 1: 1 - 4]...and so it goes on.
JESUS is THE attribute of God revealed. If we are to see God we must look at Him. He is the only avenue available to us to see God and as such He alone is our theology.
I am no longer interested in your theories or opinions, I want to only see Christ exalted.
It is not possible that we can say we disagree on theology.
Jesus is the theology and He is visible to us.
He is God in 'bodily form' given in flesh by a God of grace.
The most 'fleshly' of eyes can not mistake God when they look at Jesus.
That is why He is the most attractive for the seeking heart looking for LIFE, HOPE, PEACE, TRUTH, HEALING, PROVISION, WHOLENESS, COMPLETION.
He, alone, is the FULLNESS OF GOD and we are complete in Him.
There is so much I could say.
I haven't even touched on what this means for you and me but it is enough.
God is glorified.
As Jesus languished in the garden of Gethsemane He said, "Father, glorify Your name."
And voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
Jesus is our theology and God is glorified in Him and in Him we are free.
Hallelujah!
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