"He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel." (Psalm 103:7)
The modern Church takes "sound doctrine" and theology far too lightly. Believing wrong will lead to acting wrong. It is unavoidable. Theology is not a bad word. It is, by its very definition, the "study of God," the study of "His ways." Many Christians today know "His acts." They have little understanding of "His ways." This is why Barack Obama is the American President.
God makes "known His ways" in The Logos, The Word, Jesus Christ. When I was in graduate school, the subject of "logos theology," fascinated me and I spent most of my elective courses studying it. I was glad to find that my interest in the subject was not some whimsical pursuit. I discovered that this theology was central to the Church in the first three centuries, and that Logos Theology was the key to defeating the false teaching of that period. It is still key to defeating false teaching, wrong thinking, and wrong acting.
As I read our text the other day, I realized that it has a direct connection to "Logos Theology." You may recall that logos means, "a discourse, a reasoning, a motive, communication." Vincent says that logos "...signifies both the outward form by which the inward thought (ways?) is expressed, and the inward thought itself." In the Logos we see His thoughts, "His ways," the very Heart of God. In Jesus Christ we see this to the degree we can in this life. We see "His ways," in His coming, His teaching, His servanthood among men, His death, resurrection, ascension, soon return, in His Very Life. Understanding "His ways" will give greater understanding of "His acts."
An early mentor of mine through his writings, E. Stanley Jones, once made a statement which to many may seem too radical, but which to me expresses the absolute centrality of "Logos Theology"---- "If God is not what I see in Jesus, then I'm not interested"------------------- But He is, and I am.
Father, in Jesus' Name, "show me Your ways [so] that I may walk with You." Amen.
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"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
