Is Theology your idol? - Tim Conway

This comes from Michael Kennedy.

He says, "I've been studying theology

an extensive amount lately.

I believe in reformed theology.

I believe repentance is essential
to a Christian life.

My question is,

is it possible for theology,

even if it's biblically accurate and true

to become an idol

or an addiction?"

Now, the Bible in one place,

namely 1 Corinthians 8:1

talks about knowledge that puffs up.

Have you guys ever read about that?

And yet if you go somewhere else -

I've already mentioned Phillipians 1:9

a couple times, so let's mention it again.

"My prayer is that your love
may abound more and more

with knowledge and all discernment."

Is all knowledge bad?

Paul's praying that people would have

knowledge and discernment.

So, there is a knowledge that puffs up.

There is a knowledge that
increases our discernment.

There is a knowledge that puffs up.

There is a knowledge also
that humbles, is there not?

I mean, can't we learn some things

that really humble us

and make God greater
in our estimation?

Haven't you learned some things before

that you found very humbling?

That have made you just feel

awful small before the great God?

Not all knowledge is bad.

But not all knowledge is good.

There is a knowledge that puffs up.

And I would say this,

theology can be a whole lot
like Bible translations, right?

I mean is the King James Bible good?

Folks, it was an excellent translation.

It stood the test for 400 years.

Tremendous.

God used that translation in mighty
and tremendous ways.

Are the doctrines of grace good?

Well, certainly they are.

But I'll tell you this,

there are Calvinists in hell.

And there are KJV only people in hell.

And you know what?

In my own estimation,

I have found some professing
Christian Calvinists,

professing Christian
King James only people...

Look, I don't want to stereotype,

and obviously there's a bazillion
exceptions to this,

but some of the most

cantankerous professing
Christian people

can just be people that aren't

so nice to be around sometimes.

Look, whatever Bible you have,

it ought to be teaching you

how to love Christians more and more.

Whatever doctrine you have,

whatever theology you have,

it ought to be revealing Christ to you
more and more,

that you might adore Him more and more.

So many want to learn these doctrines

so that they can argue.

So that they can debate.

Have you guys ever heard of
Charles Simeon?

Simeon was an evangelical Calvinist.

He lived back in the 1700's.

Let me tell you about him.

He had little sympathy for
uncharitable Calvinists.

In his sermon on Romans 9:16

Romans 9

He said, "many there are who
cannot see these truths."

The doctrines of God's sovereignty.

He's acknowledging, there are
many who can't see them

the way he does and the way
many in his church did.

"...who are yet in a state

truly pleasing to God.

Yea, many, at whose feet

the best of us may be glad to
be found in heaven."

And he's right.

There are Arminians you would be glad

just to be close to in Heaven.

He says it's a great evil when these

doctrines are made a ground of
separation from one another.

And basically, I'm getting right
at the heart of this.

You can tell when your theology

is becoming an idol.

What's an idol?

An idol is something that you give

your affection to more than Christ.

An idol is something that you

give attention to more than Christ.

An idol is something that you

become consumed with more than Christ.

More than the commands of Christ.

More than obedience to Christ.

And one of the
chief things that He

would have us to do
is love one another.

And folks, if your doctrine

makes you all the more a

hard person to get along with,

if it makes you difficult,

if it makes you unbearable,

if it makes you ungracious,

if it makes you unloving,

then you know what?

You're doing wrong things.

You're creating an idol out of it.

And I'll say the same thing

about Bible translations,
about denominations,

if your denomination or
being a Baptist

or clinging to a certain
Bible translation

makes you ugly towards other people,

makes you bitter towards other people,

you've made an idol out of it.

I'll tell you what,

Charles Simeon is a guy
we can learn from.

Here he is, Charles Simeon, Calvinist.

Comes face to face with
John Wesley, Arminian.

Can I read to you?

Here's Simeon,

"'Sir, I understand that you
are called an Arminian,

and I have been sometimes
called a Calvinist,

and therefore I suppose
we are to draw daggers.

But, before I consent to begin the combat,

with your permission, I'll ask
you a few questions.

Pray sir, do you feel yourself
a depraved creature?

So depraved that you would never
have thought of turning to God

if God had not first
put it into your heart?'

Wesley answered him,

'Yes, I do indeed.'

'And do you utterly despair of
recommending yourself to God

by anything you can do?

And look for salvation solely

through the blood and
righteousness of Christ?'

'Yes,' he answered.

'Solely through Christ.'

'But sir,' Simeon says,

'Supposing you were first
saved by Christ,

are you not somehow or other
to save yourself afterwards

by your own works?'

'Nope. I must be saved by Christ
from first to last.'

Simeon says, 'allowing then that
you were first turned by the grace of God,

are you not in some way or other
to keep yourself by your own power?'

'No.'

'What then? Are you to be upheld
every hour and every moment

by God as much as an
infant in its mother's arms?'

Wesley, 'Yes. Altogether.'

'And is all your hope in the grace
and mercy of God

to preserve you until
His heavenly kingdom?'

'Yes. I have no hope
but in Him.'

'Then, sir, with your leave,
I will put up my dagger again.

For this is all my Calvinism.

This is my election, my
justification by faith,

my final perseverence.

It is in substance all that I hold.

And as I hold it,

and therefore if you please,

instead of searching out terms

and phrases to be a ground of contention

between us,

we will cordially unite in
those things wherein we agree.'"

And may God help us,

because when that's not what's true,

you have made your theology,

you have made your doctrinal position

into an idol.

The doctrines of grace ought to
humble us,

not puff us up.

And if it's puffing you up,

you've made it into something

God never intended it to be.

The sovereignty of God ought to

make us the humblest people

on the face of the earth,

if we really understand
these things right.

God help us be like
Charles Simeon.

Father, we pray that You would,

may You work that in us.

We pray it for Christ's sake.

May You work just such an attitude,

just such a heart,

just such a graciousness

as our brother Charles Simeon possessed,

and as also our brother John Wesley.

We thank You for the truth of Your Word,

for the doctrines You've revealed to us.

We thank You in Christ's name,

Amen.