“A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God” (A. W. Tozer).
Last time we noted the real issue behind Open Theism. That issue, as in all errors in theology, is located with “imperfect and ignoble thoughts of God.” Where the thoughts of God are out of line, the whole structure built on those thoughts will end up far away from the truth of God. If we can imagine theology as a set of doctrines that are built so that the foundation sets the direction for a tower that is being built for heaven, this can give us a picture though only a picture. A foundation that is built solidly and well that is perfectly straight will allow for a tower to be built that goes straight to its designation. The foundation has to be very solid and go deep into the ground to support a towering edifice. It must also be straight in order for a tower to be built that goes toward a particular goal. However, if the foundation is not solid and built well, a tower will begin to lean and will eventually fall. A tower that is not built on a straight foundation will also be crooked and will go increasingly away from the stated goal. It will eventually crash.
All theology not rooted in the truth of the character of God will be built on something. Interestingly enough, it appears that theology that is not built on God takes its root in man. Again, looking back to the illustration above, if theology is built on something crooked, and man is a crooked stick after the fall, then all else will be crooked to some degree. “These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes” (Psa 50:21). When men try to develop a theology because man is a certain way, they will always end up in error. As one man has said so well, “God created man in His image and man has returned the favor.” Men want to make God out to be like them and then determine theology from that rather than determining their theology from how God reveals Himself.
Romans 1 is a treatise on how this happens. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (vv. 18-21).
What we notice from v. 18 is that men suppress the truth in unrighteousness. What truth is it that they suppress? Clearly, from v. 19, it is the truth about God. The truth of God is clear from nature and man himself. The truth of God is clearly seen and all are without excuse. However, man does not want to admit that he does not have an excuse. Man does not want to see the truth of God so they try to twist and change the truth that so clearly shines by suppressing that truth. So man decides not to honor God or give Him thanks. When men do not honor God as God, their speculations about God and all other things become futile and empty rather than full of the truth and meaning of God and His glory. Their foolish heart is darkened when their speculations become futile and empty. Meditation on error about God darkens the heart concerning truth. Truth is so important in the human heart.
Ephesians 4 puts it this way: “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way” (vv 17-20). Ephesians 4 gives us something of a commentary on Romans 1:18-21. What we see is that the Gentiles (unbelievers) walk or live in the futility or their mind. Why is that? Because they are darkened in their understanding because of a hard heart. Notice that a hard heart produces darkness in the understanding. People are excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them. What are they ignorant of? Surely it is an ignorance of God. We can recall from John 17:3, 26 and I John 4:7-8 that eternal life is defined as knowing God. A life of sensuality and sin then flows from a dark heart which is the result of not knowing God. But it all started in suppressing the truth of God. All doctrinal errors do the same.
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