Now that we have a basic idea of what systematic theology is, you're probably asking, as I did, why in the world does it matter? I mean, come one. I'm constantly doing dishes and laundry, cooking and cleaning, problem solving, cleaning up spills, reading stories and playing dress up with my girls... The list goes on and on. So, the question remains, why should we put time and effort into the study of systematic theology? Why does it matter to me as a wife and mother?
Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)
I think Grudem explains it very well:
"The task of teaching all that Jesus commanded us is in a broad sense, the task of teaching what the whole Bible says to us today. To effectively teach ourselves and to teach others what the whole Bible says, it is necessary to collect and summarize all the Scripture passages on a particular subject... We can teach others most effectively if we can direct them to the most relevant passages and suggest an appropriate summary of the teachings of those passages. Then the person who questions us can inspect those passages quickly for himself or herself and learn much more rapidly what the teaching of the Bible is on a particular subject. Thus the necessity of systematic theology for teaching what the Bible says comes about primarily because we are finite in our memory and in the amount of time at our disposal. The basic reason for studying systematic theology, then, is that it enables us to teach ourselves and others what the whole Bible says, thus fulfilling the second part of the Great Commission."
I'm a stay at home mom, so my first thought goes to my girls, Becca and Abbie (and in about 4 months, Calleigh). They are constantly learning new things and asking questions. How do I answer Becca when she asks, "Why is God a Father?" How do I discipline in such a way that my actions and words point them back to Christ? How do I relay Bible stories to them so they see Christ? They will get older and continue asking questions. As I see it, I have two options: give them a pat answer complete with a verse, which may or may not be used in the right context, or take them to the Scriptures, give them "the most relevant passages and suggest an appropriate summary of the teachings of those passages. Then [they] can inspect those passages quickly for [themselves] and learn much more rapidly what the teaching of the Bible is on a particular subject (Grudem). In order to be able to direct my girls to these passages, I need to know where they are and what they mean for myself.
Our kids aren't the only people asking questions. There are friends, family, co-workers, those who look up to us, neighbors, ... When a difficult time arises in their lives, and they come to us for advice, what do we tell them? Where do we point them? Nobody wants to give wrong advice, so how do we make sure that the advice we give is sound and biblically correct? We must point them back to the Word of God and help them find Jesus in it. How do we do that? We study the Word for ourselves fitting the pieces of our systematic theology together with "prayer, humility, reason, help from others, rejoicing and praise, and by collecting and understanding all the relevant passages of Scripture on any topic" (Grudem). I would encourage you to study and interact with us. We'd love to hear how God is using this study in your lives.
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