Someone who does not offer grace and forgiveness to others does not understand the grace of God regardless of what they say or teach about God’s grace. A person who does not accept others as they are does not understand how God has accepted us in Christ, regardless of what they say about salvation by grace and not by works. Someone who does not share his or her life with other brothers and sisters in Christ in intimate fellowship and community does not understand discipleship, regardless of what they profess about the importance of the Great Commission. Our theology is demonstrated in the way we live our lives, not in what we say or write.
This distinction between theoretical theology and practical theology is a false distinction as far as Scripture is concerned. According to Scripture, it is impossible to know God (theology) without it affecting your life (practice). So, a biblical theology is a practical theology. A theoretical theology that does not affect a person’s life is not a biblical theology.
This is somewhat in line with something that Nick posted the other day:
I'm intrigued…by the way that Paul addresses the Corinthians as “those sanctified in Christ Jesus” (TNIV) when he knows the mess that they’re involved in and he knows that he’s about to rebuke them. It certainly makes me want to think twice before I utter something like, “so and so might be saved, but they aren’t sanctified.”
<idle musing>
Personally, I think the distinction is artificial; a creation for the sake of our compartmental minds that love to count "conversions." Numbers on a blackboard, but no changed life doesn't equal salvation as it is seen in the New Testament... go ahead, take aim and fire at me :)
</idle musing>
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