Do Theologians Have a Role to Play in Christianity?

Do Theologians Have a Role to Play in Christianity?       A story told by Dr James Tour, a Messianic Jew, Professor of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Houston, Texas in a video posted on YouTube forms the background to this article. Tour, while interacting with another member of the academic community at the institution, heard that a certain colleague of his was a Christian.

Given the spiritual atmosphere in most tertiary institutions in his country, he was excited to know that another academician had embraced God’s mercy in Christ. He therefore decided to pay the man in question a visit at his office. In the course of their conversation, this “Christian” man told Tour that he did not believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When Tour asked him how he came about his conviction that Christ did not rise from the death physically, his host explained that he used to believe what the Scripture said about the event until he attended Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

There is popular saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I am persuaded that many individuals and groups established Bible Schools and Seminaries to promote their own versions of the Gospel of Christ. I have noticed that only few denominations who sponsor such schools believe in operations of the Holy Spirit.

These are those in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Others who advocate orthodoxy such as Baptist, Anglican and Catholic Churches are not favourably disposed to operations of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church in particular also promotes an unfavourable view of the Old Testament, describing most of the books there as Jewish myths. In fact, it dismisses the first eleven chapters of Genesis as fiction, along with the burning bush story in Exodus chapter 3 involving Moses, which it describes as “childish.”

 When a denomination rejects certain books and chapters in the Bible, and sets up a Bible School or Seminary, the thrust of academic disciplines and philosophies promoted in such institutions would align with its own doctrines. This has been the case, at least from the products emerging from such schools. For instance, an American Pastor whom I used to watch on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) before I knew his theological leaning, edited James 5:14-16 to conform with his ideological bent.

The Scripture says, “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” In his book, which I later thrashed, this so-called Pastor referring to this passage said that those with pharmaceutical skills should attend to the sick!

 Another American Pastor declared in a video posted on YouTube that only those who read theology can know God. In essence, he has shut the doors of heaven against illiterate folks who number in their billions worldwide across the ages. How could someone claim to be the disciple of Jesus Christ and make such an idiotic statement?

Was the Lord educated in any human sponsored school before He could minister in the power of the Holy Spirit? In John 7:15, the Jews marvelled at the Lord’s teachings saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” Similarly, the Jews were surprised at the wisdom and courage exhibited by the apostles after the Day of Pentecost. Act 4:13 says, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

 So, what qualifies anyone to preach the Gospel or to speak for God in any capacity? Before the Lord ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He gave the early disciples a strict instruction not to try to witness Him to others until they are empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). How is that different from our days?

In fact, there are more demonic influences in our times than theirs. If they could not confront the devil in their own strength despite the fact that they were taught by Jesus Christ Himself, how could we beat their record? Before He went to the cross, He told them that the Holy Spirit that would replace Him in their lives would lead them to all truth (John 16:13).

 The question is, when did the Lord replace the Holy Spirit with theologians? While addressing the Jews on the Day of Pentecost, Peter alluded to God’s promise in Joel 2:28 to pour His spirit on all flesh in the latter days. Peter said, “This promise belongs to you and your children and for all who are far-off, for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

 It is important to note that the New Covenant or Testament was unveiled by the Father in Jeremiah 31:31, “Behold, the days come saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Judah.” Verse 33, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD.

I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying Know the LORD: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Ezekiel wrote about the same covenant in chapter 36, verses 25-27 of his book. “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you; and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgements, and do them.”

Lest anyone argue that the New Covenant spoken of by the two prophets is only meant for Israel, Paul is emphatic in Ephesians 2:18 that both Jews and Gentiles have access to the Father by one Spirit. This was also prophesised by Isaiah in chapter 49 verse 6 of his book. “And He said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.”

 If we must stand by the word of God, which we must, there is need for us to discourage all believers from feeding on the polluted food produced by theologians. Actually, most doctrines of demons that have infiltrated into the church originated from Bible Schools and Seminaries.

Does it not surprise anyone that a person can label himself a Christian and deny the virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Does it not also surprise us to see LGBTQ+ affirming churches mushrooming across the world? Only those whose hearts are steady on the LORD will escape the pollutions that satan has unleashed on the church through these compromised institutions.

        The only safeguard is to hide in the sanctity of God’s word and to be yielded to the Holy Spirit. Do not put your trust in anyone, including Pastor, Pope, General Overseer; or whatever other labels men have assigned to themselves. Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of humanity and the Holy Spirit is the only administrator of His church. He is the only one authorised to lead believers to all truth (John 16:13). Remember that you will stand before God alone on judgment day.