Christian Theology in One Sentence

Could you sum up Christian Theology in one sentence?

As you consider the depths of the Word of God and the complexities of the foundational doctrines that underpin the Christian faith, this is not an easy task. Though many a theologian in years gone by, could have their theological writings nailed down to a sentence.

For Martin Luther is was salvation by grace through faith.

For John Calvin the sovereignty of God was the foundation.

For Millard Erickson "Christian Theology", it is all about the magnificence of God.

For Karl Barth, the focus was the Word of God (the living Word - Jesus Christ).

How would you sum up Christian Theology?

God bless you today.

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The Sovereignty of God

God is sovereign. It's true. We may well question why things happen as they do, but God knows best. We may say, 'Why was that person taken from us so young?' or 'Why was that person healed, and that person not?' or 'Why am I currently living in this terrible situation after I followed the will of God for my life?' These are valid questions, but questions that can be played over and over in our mind to no avail.

There comes a point where we must acknowledge the sovereignty of God. By acknowledging that God is in control and that many outcomes are well out of our capacity to do anything, we are able to breathe again!

Take heart from the words of Psalm 139:1-4 that says:
 1 O LORD, you have searched me
     and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
     you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
     you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
     you know it completely, O LORD.

I am not entering into some debate about salvation and the prickly, controversial topic of calvinism versus arminianism; knowing that some care less about what those words even mean! What is important here, is that God knows the end from the beginning. He knows the various paths ahead of us. God understands and allows pain, suffering and joy to enter our lives. God is sovereign.

I believe it is an encouraging thought to acknowledge the sovereignty of God, be we need not stress about our lives, and need not tie ourselves in knots trying to understand the complexities of life.

I trust in God. God is sovereign. Therefore I trust.

Predestination - Will you choose to read this?

I have been thinking a little about the theological conversations that have happened over the years regarding predestination and free will. The 16th Century saw the arrival of John Calvin, who taught on predestination, so most people would connect predestination with him, though the theological idea existed before him.
Predestination says that God has pre-elected some people to be saved; that is, God not only knows who will be saved in the end, but he has chosen those people already. Calvin came teaching something even stronger; what is sometimes called double predestination; that is, God has not only pre-elected some for salvation, but the rest he has pre-elected for damnation. That's a stong theological stance to take.

The Salvation Army tradition stems out of Wesleyanism, and John Wesley had much to say to intellectually refute this idea of predestination. One comment Wesley made was this:
"If [election] be so, then is all preaching vain. It is needless to them that they are elected; for they whether with preaching or without, will infallibly be saved. Therefore, the end of preaching--to save souls--is void in regard to them; and it is useless to them that are not elected, for they cannot possibly be saved: They, whether with preaching or without, will infallibly be damned... This then is a plain proof that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God, because it makes void the ordinance of God; and God is not divided against himself. A Second is, that it directly tends to destroy that holiness which is the end of all the ordinances of God... The doctrine [of election]... has a tendency to destroy holiness in general; for it wholly takes away those first motives to follow after it...the hope of future reward and punishment, the hope of heaven and the fear of hell."