Throughout my journey of lifelong learning, I can confidently say that I’m not just accumulating knowledge for myself. God has blessed me with opportunities to uplift the body of Christ—whether within the walls of my local church, through the ministry of the Word from my home, or on the mission field. I feel compelled to share timeless truths that resonate in our modern age.
Ancient biblical wisdom is passed down from one generation to the next, often through systematic theology. With this legacy in mind, I lead a group of women on Sunday evenings at FBC Russellville. We are about to begin our third semester, where we will study the core truths of the Christian faith.
In an effort to meet women where they are—navigating work life and motherhood—each week focuses on a new topic with no homework assigned for the following week. In essence, we are a group of women dedicated to studying theology for the glory of God. Author and Pastor Kevin DeYoung has outlined six reasons why we should study systematic theology:
Reason 1: The Bible’s Interest in Truth Demands It. Systematic theology is fundamentally the pursuit of truth, which is essential to biblical Christianity. Jesus said that the truth will set you free (John 8:32). The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), tasked with guiding the apostles into all truth (John 16:13). Knowing the only true God is defined as eternal life (John 17:3), and Jesus prayed for our sanctification in the truth (John 17:17). Paul warns that those who do not obey the truth will face wrath and fury (Romans 2:8). We are to be transformed by the understanding of truth (Romans 12:2). Those who preach what is false risk damnation (Galatians 1:8). Within the church, correction is necessary when individuals hold false beliefs: “[An elder] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9). In fact, people may need to be kept away from your house for believing what is not true (2 John 9-10). The wicked perish because they refuse to love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10). God’s workman must rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Therefore, no Christian worthy of the name should be indifferent to pursuing sound doctrine. As Louis Berkhof put it, “Those who minimize the significance of the truth, and therefore ignore and neglect it, will ultimately discover that they have very little Christianity left” (Systematic Theology, 29).
Reason 2: Our View of Scripture Demands It. All of Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16). This means that everything in the Bible matters and that there is a fundamental unity within the Bible, as it originates from the same author (Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 3:7; 2 Peter 1:21). Systematic theology aims to showcase this comprehensive unity in a way that can be appreciated and understood.
Reason 3: Realism About the Human Intellect Demands It. One way or another, we will arrive at conclusions regarding the most critical religious questions: Who was Jesus? What is the human predicament? Is there a hell? How can we be saved? How should we treat one another? What does it mean to be a good person? Why is there something rather than nothing? As soon as we begin to answer these questions, we are engaging in systematic theology, as the human mind naturally synthesizes and organizes knowledge.
Reason 4: The History of the Church Demands It. Why can’t we just let the Bible speak for itself? Because that approach isn’t supported by either the Bible or early church practice. In Nehemiah 8:8, the leaders “read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and gave the sense so that the people understood the reading.” In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul refers to the traditions they received from him. God has always provided teachers to read Scripture and communicate the truths found within it (2 Timothy 1:13-14). This practice is why the early church naturally wrote creeds and confessions; they did not view it as sub-biblical to explain, defend, and protect the truths that have been handed down to them.
Reason 5: The Unity of the Church Demands It. True ecumenism is impossible without a strong commitment to theological fidelity. Church unity requires doctrinal agreement: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). How can we contend for the faith that has been delivered once and for all to the saints (Jude 3) if we do not possess a deep understanding of that faith?
Reason 6: The Duty of the Church Demands It. Why focus on systematic theology when there are people in need of hearing the gospel? Because those individuals need to hear the true gospel. We owe it to each other, to other churches, and to the world to present a clear articulation of our faith. Paul referred to this as “an open statement of the truth” (2 Corinthians 4:2). “The Church of Jesus Christ,” Berkhof noted, “should never seek refuge in camouflage; it should not attempt to hide its identity” (31). Clarity requires carefulness, carefulness requires precision, and precision necessitates systematic theology. Engage with it, stick with it, and pass it on.
Debbie Swindell 