A recent study sponsored by Ligonier Ministries and conducted by Lifeway Research sought to discern what Americans believe about God. It revealed that American Christians are confused about core Christian doctrine. It appears that 71% of American Evangelicals agree with the statement “Jesus is the first and greatest creature created by God.” The answers to other questions seem to demonstrate that most American Christians hold to some form of beliefs that do not reflect orthodox Nicene Theology. That many pastors don’t know what “Nicene Theology” is may demonstrate the source of American theological illiteracy. But the real question is “Does it matter?”
In other words, can one be a faithful Christian while holding to beliefs that are contrary to orthodox Christian doctrine? There are some basic Christian confessions that are absolutely necessary for salvation.
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom 10:9).
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God (1 Jn 4:2).
But what about the more difficult and mysterious tenets of Christian theology like the Trinitarian confession that the one God eternally exists as three persons – Father, Son, and Spirit? That Son and Spirit are eternally and fully divine? Is it necessary to believe in the Virgin birth? That the Incarnation of the Word is the perfect union of divinity and humanity? Are these doctrines essential to the Faith?
Every believer comes to the Faith as a child with childlike faith. But every child must grow in wisdom and stature. In other words, even as we come to the Faith as a child, understanding as a child; we must become adults in the Faith, putting away childish things. Christians must grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (Mark 10:15; 1 Cor 13:11; 2 Peter 3:18). The purpose of teaching Christian theology is that all believers “come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children” (Eph 4:13-14 NLT). Paul lamented that the charismatic believers at Corinth were unable to receive his mature word.
Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger (1 Cor 3:1-2 NLT).
Some Christians have been nurtured on the milk of the word so long that they’re putting Ensure® in the bottle. Spiritual gifts alone do not signify spiritual maturity. Spiritual gifts do not replace the priority of the Word of God. Believers are to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord… increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col 1:10). As believers increase in knowledge of God they will become more confident in the Faith (Col 2:2). A mature theology is necessary so that we may adequately teach believers and explain the Faith to unbelievers. Yes, theology matters!
So, does it matter whether or not Jesus is the first and greatest creature created by God? This question provoked the greatest theological controversy in the ancient church. The church’s historic answer to this question is the Nicene Creed, which is a theological summary of Biblical teaching about God. If the Son was created by the Father then the Son is neither fully God nor eternal. If the Son is not fully God, then Jesus Christ is not the perfect union of divinity and humanity and that means that God has not shared in human weakness (Heb 4:15). In the words of the 4th century bishop Athanasius, “What has not been assumed has not been redeemed.” If in Christ, God has not assumed human sinfulness, then their can be no redemption. If in Christ, God did not experience human corruption and death, then there can be no resurrection from the dead (Rom 6:5; 8:11; 1 Cor 15:21). Yes, theology matters!
According to the Lifeway study, a majority of Americans deny that the Holy Spirit is distinct and fully divine within Holy Trinity. Instead, they believe that Spirit is a non-personal force. If the Spirit is not fully God, then neither is Jesus Christ fully divine because the Spirit effected the Incarnation in the womb of the Virgin (Luke 1:35). If the Spirit is not fully divine then regeneration by the Spirit is not a divine act, but a sub-divine act (Titus 3:5). If the Holy Spirit is not fully divine then being filled with the Spirit is not being filled with the “fullness of God” (Eph 3:19). If the Spirit is not fully God, then the Holy Scriptures are not divinely inspired (2 Tim 3:16). Yes, theology matters!
If we are to take the Christian faith seriously, and if we expect non-believers to take the Faith serious, then we must engage in a serious study of theology so that we can discern the truth and proclaim the Faith. Any deviation from Nicene Theology diminishes the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and subverts God’s mission to redeem creation. It is not necessary that every believer be an academically trained theologian; but every mature believer must seek to understand the incomprehensible mysteries of God. Yes, theology matters!
Click here to view the 2016 State of American Theology Report
