Has theology brought a changing in your life, deeper love for the Lord God & neigbor

Mayflower · #1 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 02:27 AM

Personal question; has all the reading of theological and puritan books been bearing much fruit in your life, like santification and a deeper love for the Lord God & a deeper for your neigbor, or did it only brought more knowledge and that it has puffed you up. Do the christian believers and neigbors around you, seen a deep changed in your life (iam not talkig about knowledge) ?

Ivan · #2 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 02:46 AM

It has helped...a great deal, but only Christ can, is and will transformed.

**PuritanCovenanter** · #3 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 06:47 AM

I can speak deeply as probably Ivan and others who have suffered can. I know many who have abandoned the faith when trials came and prevailed upon them. When deep trials and sin have hit me, and I have had a few deep ones that lasted for a few years, I was able to still preach the reconciliation in Christ and His love for His bride unlike those who have a faith based upon personal satisfaction and gain. I was able to say that God knows the end as well as the future and I know he paid a price for something. That something was for me and His bride. He loves the Church. Thanks to the Reformed and Puritans who wrote and suffered much. They lived it and wrote about it. It was lived out theology that is living out in me.

Quote:

(Joh 5:19) Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

(Joh 5:20) For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

(Joh 5:21) For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

(Joh 5:22) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

(Joh 5:23) That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

(Joh 5:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

kvanlaan · #4 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 08:21 AM

No, the theology definitely matters. In our trials in China with the adoptions, my mother dying, etc. it was so telling to see Pentes and other free will types and the anguish they suffered when they hit hard times. They had no concept of God's sovereignty, no assurance of faith (as many felt they could lose it) and very little concept of what constitutes a believer. A credible testimony was, in one case, this from a five year old boy: "Why do you want to be baptised today?" "Because I don't want to go to hell." OK, go ahead and baptise him! Altar calls that did not 'work', leaving the believer guessing, etc. etc. etc.

It was so hard to watch this, but it was a product of deficient theology. Yes, there was a danger of puffing up, but there was also great comfort in a reformed understanding of the Bible - the Scriptures so beautifully mesh together and provide a beautiful picture of OT/NT continuation where others (and I hear this a lot) give the "well, I'm a New Testament Christian" line.

calgal · #5 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 08:22 AM

Theology is like the foundation on a house for me.

It does not change anything in my life: Jesus did that.

Brian Withnell · #6 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 09:11 AM

My theology is the root of my love for the saints. It is the driving force behind my wanting to live a holy life. It is what causes me to want to love my wife all the more.

Has it brought change? The sovereignty of God is what brings change, for he has predestined me to be conformed to the image of his son. The renewing of my mind in Christ Jesus is what gives me a better view of who God is. So my theology (study of God and his attributes) are a direct result of God working in me to will and to do of his good pleasure. It is not so much that my theology brings change, but that real change ... the change that God institutes ... brings with it a change of theology and that theology works throughout my entire life.

If it were just a matter of theology making a difference, I would be a hypocrite who is only in Christ outwardly. But the changes God makes in my life are the root of my growth in Christ, my coming to knowledge of the truth, and the working out of my salvation in fear and trembling.

My theology humbles me. I know nothing within myself is worthy of grace, and yet I posses grace beyond measure. That humbling forces an awareness that I am least of those in the kingdom.

My theology makes me who I am.

KSon · #7 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Withnell

My theology humbles me. I know nothing within myself is worthy of grace, and yet I posses grace beyond measure. That humbling forces an awareness that I am least of those in the kingdom.

My theology makes me who I am.

And may our study of theology always humble us. To be honest, I sometimes struggle with an "Ivory Tower" mentality after long periods of rigorous study. I would much rather stay attached to the books rather than go out and interact with those God has sovereignly put in my path. Just recently, the Lord made me very aware of that dynamic occurring. That, in itself, was very humbling. Since then, my theological studies have taken on a much more devotional nature.

dr_parsley · #8 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 11:41 AM

God through the Holy Spirit brings about that change and he's done it dramatically. I can't remember loving any single person before I was saved and then suddenly I felt I loved everyone. God also changed my theology and correct theology does serve to focus me on the true and effective ways to grow (up into Him who is our head) much better than false theology does and it also helps to prevent going astray and being blown about by every wind of doctrine and hence waste time that could have been spent growing (up into Him who is our head).

Pertinent to your question might be a quote from Thomas Watson in 'The Doctrine of Repentance' - "It is better to mortify one sin than to understand all mysteries ... Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell"

-----Added 9/6/2009 at 11:41:00 EST-----

I should add that so often I'm dismayed at the percentage of knowledge I put into practice. If I could put into practice well a tiny fraction of what I know, I would be a quite different person. This sometimes discourages me from spending too much time reading and refining my doctrines, when I know that I need to spend that time practicing what I already know!

Blue Tick · #9 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 12:06 PM

I like this quote from Dr. Scott Clark, "Pray while studying and study while praying". It make sense when we study theology we should be praying for illumination and humility. Has it changed me personal? Yes, at first I was puffed up then as the Lord sanctified me my hubris turned to a fear of the Lord and a desire for humility.

Hamalas · #10 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 12:31 PM

Here is a great quote from C.S. Lewis that really articulates my experience:

Quote:

"For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that ‘nothing happens’ when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."