Theology is one of those disciplines that is much fought by many. In an attempt to oppose Theology, individuals still expose their theology. As we think about God, the biblical teachings and how that impacts how we live, we are doing theology. Theology comes from two words which include Theos (referring to God) and logos (referring to knowledge); thus, theology is defined as knowledge about God. It is a subject that is deeply engraved in our hearts. The concept of the existent of a deity is as old as the beginning of the human race. Your theology affects your worship, your response to life issues, and your moral life. Whether God exists or not, the above areas will be affected by what you believe since you cannot live life in a vacuum.
Theology Affects Your Moral Life
How does your theology affect your moral life? God sets the standard for what a moral life looks like. He has established himself as a point of reference in every area of life. Christians are called to live up to the mark set. God has asked us to be holy as he is holy, which refers to moral purity (1 Peter 1:15-16). He has commanded us to forgive as he forgave (Ephesians 4:32). He has set the standard of how man and woman ought to conduct themselves concerning their responsibility for each other (Ephesians 5:22-33). God has guided parents on how to bring up their children and how children are to behave towards their parents (Ephesians 6:1-4). He has set the standard of how people are to act regarding a business relationship that is a master-slave relationship (Ephesians 6:5-9). The list goes on and on. What guides the above areas in your life. Does your partner in marriage hold to the same views, or are you involved in constant fights that make you almost quit your marriage? Are you god of your own life such that you set your standards in life? Your theology affects all the above. Whether God is there according to you or not there, something has to set your rule for life, and if not God, then you are an idol worshipper as you have found something to replace God within your life.
You could have tried so many things to guide your life, and nothing has given you what you needed. Maybe it’s because your theology is all wrong. True peace and fulfilment in life are only found in God. True worshippers of God find that he is all satisfying and filling. You’re freed to live a life that is filled with peace and fulfilment because you know this God who is liberating. You understand him and treasure him for all that he did for you. The freedom and understanding of God and what he has done is all based in theology. Theology indeed does affect your moral life.
As I said earlier that if you’re not worshipping God then you’re an idol worshipper, or you’re committing idolatry. Look what surrounds the word “idolatry” in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” In other words, having a wrong theological view of God will lead to immoral practices with things such as sexual immorality, adultery, homosexuality, stealing, greed, and drunkness. Have a right theological view of who God is, and it will lead you to live a godly life, after all, he is the standard of all that we need to be. Before we knew God and had a right theological position of who he is we were just like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, however in only one verse later it says that is who we were (1 Corinthians 6:11), and now we have entirely changed to treasure him.
Theology Affects How You Respond to Life Challenges
Life is full of challenges. Many things can pull us down and take us to the point of having very destructive thoughts. The Bible is clear that such difficult moments will come (Romans 8:18; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 12:9-12; Psalm 91:15). Difficult times in our lives indicates a need for a higher power to guide us through such times. There are times, even your good advice to others doesn’t seem to work on you. You check through your contacts and just realize that you need no one seems to be in a position to help you through. This calls for a higher power. It is a call for theology.
In such hard times, the majority of people take the blame back to God whom at; first, they don’t want to believe in. They have God as the excuse to what they are going through rather than their source of help. The argument is always why a good God allows such times. To those who believe in God, our response is still unique in such times. For instance, Joseph told the brothers, they intended evil for him, but God had better plans and never took revenge on them (Genesis 45:4-5). In much affliction on Job’s life, he still could manage to say he cannot curse God (Job 1:20-22). In the face of the fiery furnace, Shadrack Meshack and Abednego still had a different opinion from the rest of the idol-worshippers (Daniel 3:16-18). Paul, after much hardship in the province of Asia, always had a different position due to the knowledge he had of God (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). All the above are examples of people who their theology shaped how they responded to difficult times in their lives. Your theology affects your response to life issues.
Conclusion
I encourage you to think through your theology once more. It has a great impact on everything you do and how you live your life. God desires to guide you. He has good plans for his people (Jeremiah 29:11). It is your choice to surrender to him or not. All you have desired in your life, inward peace and fulfilment in life is in God. This does not mean a perfect life, but it means in the midst of whatever happens, there is peace available. Close your ears to voices that speak contrary to the voice of God and change your theology. Let the Bible speak, let God speak to you and see how your morality and responses to life will change.
