[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by OBW

Understanding it right does not change the underlying truth. It just changes whether we understand it or not.

Well said!

Why then the need for biblical and systematic theology? Well, we modern people are used to organizing just about everything. In fact, this is what most of education is all about - it is organizing - organizing words into sentences, paragraphs and books, organizing facts and figures into a cohesive work, organizing elements into a table, and on and on.

At first the Christian Gospel was spread by word of mouth. It was several decades after Christ's death and resurrection that it was recorded on paper. Why the need to put it on paper? Well, one of the main reasons was to see that the people were getting a true and accurate account of the good news. The Gospel was/is the most important news in the history of the world, and it was important to get the news right! Much of the rest of the New Testament are the teachings of the apostles regarding God and the things of God in the form of epistles circulated among the early Church.

Christian theology, and more specifically, biblical and systematic theology, are nothing more (and hopefully nothing less) then organizing these teachings about God and the things of God into a cohesive collection of words, terms, doctrines, etc. which strive to accurately represent and explain the nature, character, will and works of God as they are recorded for us in the Bible.

Yes, one day we will not need theology. One day we will have no need of a lamp to light our path either, for God himself will illuminate the new heaven and the new earth. We will have no more need to learn about God, for He will actually dwell with us and we will be his people. "for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."(Isa 11:9) How wonderful that will be!

But until then....