Right Theology Matters

Introduction:

Theology is how we understand God. Should correct theology matter to us? I doubt anyone here would argue against this. Well consider with me an example of how bad theology can spread like a wildfire in spring if not kept in check. Bethel Church in Redding CA has worship music that a high percentage of churches throughout North America use in their services. Many are quite captivating and emotionally charged. Yet the theology in many of their songs and their teaching through their School of the Supernatural abandons Scripture as the leaders talk more about God being bigger than a book. Or you can’t put God in a box. Adhering to a theology in that experience trumps what the bible says. Yet Jesus says in “Sanctify them (disciples) in the truth, your word is truth.” God says we grow under the authority of Scripture. Bethel says they have a better way. A little research into Bethel and you will wonder how in the world they are so popular in evangelical churches.

Truth is that many churches have abandoned biblical orthodoxy for the sake of emotional worship and talks instead of the heralding of God’s good news. Solid biblical hymns and songs are replaced by feel good songs about Jesus as your homey instead of your Lord and King who is also your Friend. Preaching of God’s word is replaced by motivational speeches and feel good stories because the exposing of the word is simply not gonna fill the pews anymore.

I want to make the case that right theology matters greatly and is vital to the health of the church and its witness in the world.

Two weeks ago we were introduced to Job’s friends when they came to Job to offer comfort and share in his grief by being silent in the city dump for 7 days with him. That was the best thing they did. For today we are going to look at the theology of these 3 friends as well as Job’s and also ours. Whose theology is going to be correct?

As we now continue with our series in Job, we have seen how Job has been destroyed as the target of Satan. The devil has accused God that he has to buy humans off in order for them to worship him. God puts Job’s name forward as one who worships because he loves God whether he has much or nothing, who understands salvation is from God alone. The accuser pushes back and God allows Satan to make a ruin of his faithful servant Job. Through the loss of possessions, family and now his health, he sits in the city dump in ashes scraping the sores with broken pottery.

Word comes to his 3 friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. They make the pilgrimage to come and comfort him. For seven days and nights they grieve for their friend in silence as they think at any moment he will

This opens the door for the friends to now speak. As we will see, the best thing they could have done was remain silent. However, they come at Job in three waves of dialogue with Job. Each wave more condemning of Job than the previous. A spiral into darker waters like the plug pulled in a sink into the sewer.

Job is in the middle of lament and speaks out of his pain and this breaking out by Job opens the door for the friends to now speak. As we will see, the best thing they could have done was remain silent. However, they come at Job in three waves of dialogue with Job. Each wave more condemning of Job than the previous. A spiral into darker waters like the plug pulled in a sink into the sewer.

The problem with these friends is that their theology is bad. They say truthful things about God but misuse the truths in a twisted view of man centred wisdom. Theology is the study of God. So if the understanding of God is in error, the convictions that determine our decisions are also going to be wrong. For example, if someone’s view of God is that he is a genie in a bottle granting all the desires of their heart, they will use their prayer time to just ask for what they want. They will give God a try. When things don’t work out, they give up on God and walk away because it just didn’t work for them. Their theology was filled with error. Make sense?

For today we are going to look at the theology of the friends as well as Job’s and ours. Whose theology is going to be correct?

Point #1 - Did the Three Stooges have it right?

Now what needs to be brought again to the forefront of our minds is that this book opens with making one thing very clear. Job is a blameless and upright man. Who feared God and turned away from evil. A man of God that was more righteous than anyone on the earth according to the Judge of the universe. The suffering that Job endured was not due to some hidden sin or rebellious heart towards God.

The seven day silence is broken by Job’s plea to God for death. This now opens the door for Eliphaz in chapter 4&5 to give his reply that he has seen that those who plow iniquity will reap trouble. You plant barley, you will reap it in the fall. So in “knowing” this as fact, he is very simplistic in his thinking. He goes on to say that since injustice is always judged by the Almighty, repent of your sin that you refuse to acknowledge and accept the discipline of God (5:17). Don’t despise it but accept it from the Lord’s hand. He will wound but he will heal as well. If you turn from your sin, God will restore your wealth to you and your offspring will be many. Hear, and know it for your good. (5:27)”

That sounds legit right? There is truth in what he says. The author of Hebrews in chapter 12 agrees with this in that God our Father disciplines those he loves. However, this was not the case for Job. This was bad theology in thinking that because there is pain, this is because you are sinning. Have you ever felt that you keep repenting of sins that might not even be there so that trouble will be removed from you? God does chasten his children for correcting sinful behaviour, but just because we are going through trials does not necassarily mean it is because of sin.

Bildad then regurgitates the same narrative that the trouble Job is receiving is because of his sin. In chapter 8 he tells Job to repent from his stubborn rebellion. He lacks any compassion for Job’s sorry state that he is in. (3) Does God pervert justice or pervert the right? A rhetorical question that demands we say “no”. Then he drops a hammer on this bruised soul by stating (4) that if your children have sinned he has delivered them into the justice they deserved. Job has just recently buried 10 children and in mourning them his so called friend dumps this on him? Truly Job has reason to call these friends miserable comforters.

Bildad says true things about God that he is perfect in justice, and in his own reasoning he uses simplistic understanding like everything is black and white. Giving no consideration that there are mysterious things that are not made known to us as humans. See how this can be hurtful to someone in grief rather than helpful? It is often easy for us to pass judgement until it is ourselves in the state of asking why a transmission blows when the account is dry or a child or grandchild suddenly gets seizures and then our worldview comes crumbling down.

Zophar also comes down hard on Job every time he replies with innocence. In chapter 11 Zophar assaults Job by telling him that his babbling replies of being pure and clean before God should make him ashamed of himself. If God would open his lips to you Job, he would speak wisdom and let you know that you deserve far more punishment than you deserve. That is the case for everyone. God is wisdom, you are not wise Job. What do you know? Can you find the limit of the Almighty? Is your wisdom higher than the heavens? God’s wisdom is longer than the earth and broader than the sea (9). He knows worthless men and will consider their iniquity. A stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man! (12). For Job not give him a smack truly is patience.

He goes on to say that if you will only pour out your heart to God and put your sin away and let no injustice dwell in your tents God will surely lift up your face and restore you. Your misery will pass away and it will be brighter than the noonday sun. But the wicked (20) will fail and there will be no escape for them. Zophar states true things, but again it does not help Job one bit because he is blameless so he holds to his integrity. His friends have not helped him at all because their theology is messed up. Throughout the rest of their dialogue is the same call to repent by the friends and the same response by Job that he is not guilty.

Point #2 - Did Job have it right?

Job’s replies to his three friends reflect a more thorough and complete understanding of God. His theology is better because he fears God in holy reverence and love.

Job loves God and knows that God is perfect in all his ways. There is nothing random. He is just trying to understand why this affliction is upon him.

[1] Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

[1] Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (ESV)

Job’s replies are rooted in the wisdom of God. He loves God and knows that God is perfect in all his ways. There is nothing random. He just doesn’t understand why this affliction is upon him.

but he who hates reproof is stupid. (ESV)

In Job’s plea to God in chapter 10, he complains to God about how he loathes his life. He will speak of his bitterness of soul, why does God contend against me he says. Does it seem good to despise the work of your hands? It is God who creates and forms children in the womb of their mother. Job acknowledges that God is not like man. He is not governed by years like man but is eternal. So since I am not guilty why are you contending with me a mere human. (8) God has fashioned and made me, I am like clay that you formed, will you now return me to dust? You clothed me with skin and knit me together with bones and sinew, you have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit (12).

This book which is widely considered the oldest written book shows Job fully understanding that the Almighty is the Creator of human life. Yet in 2019, human wisdom states that what is in the womb is just tissue. A mass of skin that until the umbilical cord is severed, that is not a human being. How foolish is man?

How can right theology about God our Creator help a mother who is struggling with getting pregnant as a result of adultery. Or fighting for the unborn in knowing that the child in that womb is created by the living God in his own image. Right theology matters doesn’t it?

In chapter 26 Job has had enough of this empty talk of his friends. Their persistent accusations that Job must be guilty of sin for this to happen to him has driven him to become bitter of soul. He sarcastically responds to them in (2-4) that they have not helped a poor weak man.

3  How you have counselled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge! 4  With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?

and plentifully declared sound knowledge! 4  With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?

What he is getting at is under whose influence have you uttered such awful and condemning words? Is this not how Satan talks? In the remainder of this chapter Job alludes to the glory and magnificence of the Almighty. Guys...God is sovereign don’t you know? What wisdom you puke up past your lips is evil. God’s wisdom is perfect, he holds the earth on nothing, the clouds hold water and yet do not split open under the weight, he puts boundaries that govern light and darkness. His power stills the seas, the heavens are beyond description in their beauty.

4  With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?

14  Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

You can hear in his voice “How great is our God?” and you friends give terrible advice in limiting God to your own wisdom! Job then returns to the ground that he stakes his life on in chapter 27. His integrity. He will not lie or speak deceit. He agrees with the friends that the unrighteous will be judged. Though they heap up storehouses of silver and gold, the innocent will inherit their riches. The wicked will not have anything beyond the grave, it is just vanity. But what does that matter in this life? What is worth more than silver or gold, land and prosperity? Is it not God himself?

and whose breath has come out from you?

But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

In chapter 28 Job talks about how man can excavate fine metals from the deep and bring them to the light that no bird or animal would ever look for. Man can dig out trenches to move water or dam it up so that it stops flowing. Look what man can do!

(12) But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its worth, it is not in the depths of the earth or in the deepest cavern of the ocean. It cannot be bought with gold or precious gems. (20) From where, then, does wisdom come? It is hidden from the eyes of all living, death and Abaddon say they have heard a rumour of it.

We accomplish great things and can be so proud of ourselves but when your world is turned upside down, what good is trophies and prestige when the bank is calling in your loans, the doctor tells you have cancer, your child rebels and turns from the faith, hail wipes out your best looking crops, your spouse betrays you and walks out the door, or death comes to a loved one leaving you all alone. In these dark times all we want is answers to why has this happened. This was Job’s dilemma. He wanted to know why and his friends offered no help because their understanding of God was corrupted.

But in all of Job’s pain and even with bitterness towards God growing, his theological foundation was still intact. With life unraveling before his eyes he still knew that the answers to his why questions was found in no one else but God his Redeemer. Where can wisdom be found to make sense of all this? (23-28) has the answer.

23  “God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. 24  For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. 25  When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, 26  when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, 27  then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. 28  And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”

and he knows its place.

24  For he looks to the ends of the earth

and sees everything under the heavens.

25  When he gave to the wind its weight

and apportioned the waters by measure,

26  when he made a decree for the rain

and a way for the lightning of the thunder,

27  then he saw it and declared it;

he established it, and searched it out.

28  And he said to man,

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”

Job’s appeal to his friends and to us the reader is that you will not always understand why darkness, depression, trials and hardships come upon us. But God Almighty does. He is in control of all things as sovereign. Nothing escapes his watchful gaze, nothing that happens in all his creation is a matter of being lucky or unlucky. His divine plan is weighed in the balance of perfect, incomprehensible wisdom. The characteristic of becoming wise is to fear the Lord and to turn away from evil is understanding. To trust in God, to rest in His benevolent care is to be wise and this was what Job was faithfully holding to. Do we want to be wise like Job?

Point #3 - Is our theology right?

The three stooges theology was simplistic. Sin + no repentance = Judgement. This is the only logical conclusion according to their thinking. Job’s theology was good. He knew that even if he didn’t have the answers, he knew the One who loved him and had saved him from eternal condemnation. He trusted in the sovereignty of God who is perfectly wise and holds all things in the palm of his hand.

One would think that over time, with improved technologies and learning from history that we would not fall into the same kinds of bad theology right? Wrong. What tricks and deception that Satan has used for 6,000 plus years still works effectively today. In essence, the theology of the Job’s friends was simply that he has sinned and has refused to repent, therefore he is being punished by God. A+B=C. The problem was that their inputs were wrong. As a result, their conclusions were all wrong. Job’s theology was good. He knew that even if he didn’t have the answers, he knew the One who loved him, who had saved him from eternal condemnation. He feared God, he trusted God who was all wise and knew that the divine plan of God is always perfect even if we don’t understand.

Bad theological understanding will lead to giving wrong counsel which will lead to painful answers to the one who is hurting or trying to make sense of why bad things keep happening to us. On the other hand, good theology will lead to right counsel resulting in helpful answers. Leading to trust in the infinite wisdom of God who holds all things in the palm of his hand.

So how can we ensure our theology is correct?

Be humble. Be open to accept that maybe our view of God has been tainted by what feels right emotionally. Or that someones teaching has influenced our thinking without testing it with Scripture. Accept correction from a loving brother or sister. Ask good questions such as “does my view of God line up with what he says in his word?” or “Just because it feels or sounds right, is it true?”

Study God’s word. How can we confidently know that our view of God is correct like Job’s or incorrect like the 3 friends? By studying God through the bible which is our authority. To study correctly, it is vital to have right hermeneutics which is to say that our interpretation of Scripture lines up with what the author meant it to say. We would like to spend time in SS teaching this in the near future. But in the meantime talk to us about good books that can help in this area. What is also important is that we interpret as a community of believers. We test our interpretation not alone but with others.

Pray. The bible is a spiritual book. Speaking of spiritual and eternal truths. So before we study, ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind to the meaning of the Scripture. To guard you from error and to help you see how you can apply it to your daily life.

Be teachable. Learn all you can from good teachers of the Scriptures like John MacArthur, RC Sproul, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, and others that we can help with. Learn from each other including us as leaders. But…you need to always test what is taught by coming back to the tried and true word of God. Be like the Bereans who searched day and night whether what Paul was teaching was in line with the Scriptures.

Be humble. Be open to accept that maybe your view of God has been tainted by what feels right emotionally or experientially. Or that someones teaching has influenced your thinking without testing it with Scripture. Accept correction from a loving brother or sister. Ask good questions such as “does my view of God line up with what he says in his word?” or “Just because it feels or sounds right, is it true?”

Why does any of this matter you may think? Cannot I just be content knowing what I know? Remember what a Christian is? He is a disciple which means to be a learner, which is what we do until we die or Christ comes for us. Consider some of the benefits with me.

Having a good theology affects all areas of our lives. In having a right understanding of the divine attributes of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit it will give depth to our worship in being humbled by the gracious hand of our Father who saved us through his one and only beloved Son Jesus. It will give us a hunger and thirst for more of Jesus, how we prepare for the Lord’s Day with eager anticipation. It will help us understand the gospel more fully which impacts our attitude in school, our work, our marriages and all of life. It will help protect the flock from bad teachers that are wolves in sheep clothing.

Good theology helps us when we sin. Since there is a solid foundation we can remember the promises of God in his abounding mercy and steadfast love. We will be able to resist Satan’s accusations and embrace Christ more fully in that we are forgiven and children of the living God who never leaves us nor for sakes us.

How can we give helpful counsel?

Make sure that you have the right information, ask questions before jumping to conclusions. Knowing that Bob only has 3 eggs to sell will ensure we are not scrambling for Amber’s eggs to complete the sale.

Good theology requires hard work, patience, prayer, humility and good study practices. This results in responding rightly in submission to what God reveals about himself through Jesus our Saviour. Bad theology requires little to no effort. Just believe what the preacher or SS teacher says, follow your heart in that if it feels right it has to be true. It is easy, but as we have seen today, bad theology has disastrous results.

Why does any of this matter anyway?

Out of a great love for us, Jesus Christ was sacrificed on the cross so that by our faith in Him, we would be reconciled to God, enjoying him forever. Out of love for Jesus, let us live sacrificially to take time to learn about God so that we can more fully adore the One who saved us.

In

Conclusion:

We have seen today two different theologies. One is hurtful and the other is helpful. Young people, guard yourself from thinking that theology is for later. Older people, it is never too late to start studying. As Christians, we are all theologians, we are all called to understand God. The question is will we be passive or active in our theology? Let us today choose wisely the course of the rest of our lives to the glory of God.

25  For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

Can we take a couple minutes to reflect on what we have heard. Maybe there is repentance, but there is always forgiveness at the mercy seat of God.

and at the last he will stand upon the earth.