Most people today, including Christians, think of the word “theology” as something one studies in Bible college, seminary, or a divinity school. But the meaning of the word “theology” comes from the Greek words theos (God) and logy (study of) and it simply means the study of God or the things of God. While it is certainly true that one primary purpose of going to seminary is to learn sound theology, that is not the only place where one will encounter theology. Every person has a theological mindset where one makes sense of, interprets, explains, and communicates his beliefs. So, this is significant not only to theological students in seminaries but also to every person who has an idea about God.
There are many branches of theology but three major are exegetical theology, biblical theology, and systematic theology. Exegetical theology simply focuses on extracting the meaning from given text based on a literary-contextual reading. It is the expository interpretation of a text and forms a solid base for sound hermeneutics. A simple question, “What does the text say?” represents the method of exegetical theology. Biblical theology, although many scholars use the term in different ways, is the discipline of the study of the Bible that results in inductive conclusions to communicate biblical truths. To understand biblical theology, one may ask, “What does the text/Bible say?” about matters at hand. Systematic theology is the logical conclusion from the teachings of the Bible that is derived from deductive reasoning and may include information that is not explicitly found in the text. It asks questions like “What is true of God?” or “What does the Bible say about various topics?” to produce systematized statements about what Christians believe.
Although there are many branches of theology, they are necessary for having a sound understanding of God. Through the study of God and His Word, we can comprehend what God has revealed about Himself, His purpose, plan, and will for human life and experience. It is important to understand that while sound theology guides sound and healthy Christian life, bad (and unhealthy) theology promotes perversions of human thinking and behaviors. One important recognition of theology is that God exists and reigns. It is that He is the Creator, the Almighty, the God of the Bible and that humanity is the creation made in His image to worship Him for His glory. Just having this one aspect of theology right can lead to a godly and healthy Christian life that is pleasing to God.
Whether we have sound theology or bad theology, our theology dictates how we live and act. It means our understanding of God shapes our outlook on life (commonly referred to as worldview), how we decide what’s important, what we value, and our choices and affections. Most people will agree that it is important to live a good and healthy life. In the same way, having a good and healthy theology is important. It is necessary to acknowledge that having sound theology is not the answer to everything, but it does provide us with the insight to determine the best way to live our lives here on earth. By studying the Bible and embracing a biblical worldview, we can live a healthy and Christ-centered life.
“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet. 1:3).
James Kim currently serves as a pastor/elder at House to House Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. He holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MABS) from Bob Jones University Seminary and is a doctoral student (DMIN in Theology and Apologetics) at Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. He is married to his amazing wife Mina and is the father of five wonderful children.
