Is the impact we make in
this world directly proportional to the number of theological degrees
we have under our belt?
No doubt it is
important to renew our mind for spiritual transformation (Romans 12: 2). And
formal theological education is undeniably one of the important tools to help
us achieve this noble objective.
But
we must not put intellectual pursuit on a pedestal and neglect the following: Seeking
God, submission to His will and obedience. We must also not neglect areas such
as loving others and the role of the Holy Spirit.
Indeed,
head knowledge without adequate “heart knowledge” can be spiritually
disastrous. The moral failure of many highly intellectual “men of God” is a case
in point.
George Verwer of
Operation Mobilisation recalled the time when he went with someone to the
office of Billy Graham. None of the office staff noticed them except the
receptionist. They were too pre-occupied with an evangelistic campaign to pay
attention to outsiders. Then Graham walked in and started shaking hands with
everybody. He went over to greet both Verwer and his friend. Though much busier
than the office staff, he had time to spare for others. He was full of warmth
and love. Similarly, ministers and theologians must remain down-to-earth and be
able to connect with ordinary folks.
For all his
scholarship (he wrote most of the books in the New Testament), Paul was neither
cold nor aloof. He demonstrated unconditional love for the believers at
Corinth: “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it
seems that the more I love you, the less you love me” (2 Corinthians 12:15).
Whereas Paul, a
scholar, became the apostle to the Gentiles, Peter, the unschooled
weather-beaten fisherman, was chosen by God to be the apostle to the Jews.
When Peter and John
were arrested and put on trial before the religious leaders of the day for
healing a crippled man, they were incredibly bold in defending themselves:
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were
astonished. And they recognised that they had been with Jesus”
(Acts 4:13).
They may not have much to show in terms of
great theology but what was significant was that they impacted the world then.
They were bold because they had God’s
presence – they knew their God and were sure of their calling.
Recognising the Holy
Spirit’s role and power as well as being able to sense His presence and leading in our lives are
just as important as theological head knowledge.
Someone rightly puts
it: “Too much Word and you dry up, too much Spirit and you blow up, the Word
and the Spirit and you grow up”.
We need to check
ourselves if we have been long on doctrine and short on practice. At the end of
the day, head knowledge must grow in tandem with loving acts and practical
ministry.
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