i was in the company of friends last night and one friend (call him friend 1) made a point that reminded me of a point that another friend (call him friend 2) made to me a while ago. friend 1 was sharing with us how he had another friend who loved to read. i think of his brain like a sponge with particularly selective pours that only love to soak up the things of God; doctrine, theology, books on church history etc... these are good things to saturate your mind with. then, friend 1 said something that stuck out , "reading all those books is pointless if your not doing them in the lives of others and your own life." this is one of those times where some people might go,"mmmm....yea...yea...that's true, that's true." and in my head i said that. it is true, isn't it?
so, i was sitting at home today and i was thinking about what friend 1 said. and i remembered that friend 2, while him and i were driving down ridge avenue in manayunk, towards germantown, said almost the same thing to me. i was telling him about something i'd been discussing with my fiance (now my wife). it had to do with a family member of hers who she said was reading more theology than he was practical/applicational/devotional literature. i asked friend 2 if he thought there should be a balance of the two or if there was a real difference etc.
he said, "i know what you mean but i think there's a false dichotomy there."
"a false dichotomy", i said.
he said something like, 'mmhmm. because, the theology that we read should be applicational and devotional, not merely informative'
two friends, in my opinion, of model character and two friends i agree with. both positions come from the same primary base and both of them convicted me when i heard them.
most of my reading is what many might call "theology" or "doctrine"; in my opinion, and experience many people defer to certain authors as "theological" or men who write mostly "doctrine" if the authors are: 1)dead and white 2)wrote during the 1600-1800's 3)probably were puritans 4) and probably reformed. but, when i read these authors who do indeed pack their literature with heavy doses of theology, i feel closer to God, i realize i'm learning and growing in the knowledge of Christ, i'm stirred up to tell people about
Him not the book i read (even though i might), and by God's grace i'm eager to live those "doctrinal" and "theological" principals out in my life.
i know from my own life that there's a danger in reading books, any books, solely for the purpose of gaining knowledge. the primary danger is that you'll begin to idolize knowledge and you plant seeds that could grow into you becoming an arrogant, apathetic, irritable tadpole head (all head and know body) christian who likes to
only talk about all the books he's reading. you also run the risk of indirectly worshipping the authors or author your reading. when you think about it, it's really a scary place to be because you may not even know your there. this is a potential risk. it doesn't mean that it happens to everyone who reads books with strong theological and doctrinal content and it doesn't mean that the people i know who read them a arrogant, apathetic or have tadpole heads. in fact, the guys i do know who are reading these kinds of books are, as far as i can tell are humble guys who really love God and love His church.
so, i'm thinking that, as a christian, if i'm going to be a doer of the Word, than i ought to carry that command from scripture into my reading of books that are centered around the God of the Word.
James 1:21-27
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
