Christians In A University Town Need To Read This
Junius's version of "false philosophical theology" is very relevant today
Last week, we saw different versions of false theology. Here are two main categories: 1) Common, and 2) Philosophical. Colossians 2:8 is the key verse here. "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Common theology is seen when people build their religious ideas on their own opinion rather than the Bible. Common theology is witnessed when people are content to believe whatever their family, friends, or culture believes without thinking about how it matches up with God's Word. But, the other version of false theology is "philosophical".
False Philosophical Theology
When Junius talks about "Philosophical theology" he is not saying that the use of philosophical logic and reflection is wrong in itself. It is only wrong and false when it does not produce right thoughts of God.
False philosophical theology is "when the development of reason and other helps have been added to the common one both within and without [and] raises itself up through a mistake of reasoning" (Junius p. 96). The result of these mistakes is that we end up with false views of God. Junius says, "These conclusions [of false philosophical theology] likewise are both removed from the truth of divine matters, and from the obligation of our piety toward God."
In other words, Junius is saying that Titus 1:1 is correct when it says "their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness". There is no such thing as correct theology if it produces unbiblical views of God and takes away from the pursuit of godliness. 1 Timothy 6:3-4 likewise says, "If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing."
Where Do We See False Philosophical Theology Today?
This type of false theology can be seen when we use various theories in natural science, psychology, physics, philosophy, and history to come to conclusions that contradict Scripture. Science is never our ultimate authority. It is backwards to interpret Scripture through the lens of scientific, psychological, or other theories rather than to interpret everything else in light of Scripture.
False theology is seen when someone makes conclusions about areas such as Creation, miracles, the historicity of the Red Sea or Noah or Jonah, or the resurrection of Christ in ways that primarily seek to sync up with science rather than to simply take God at His Word. As an example, to say that Jonah or Noah or the Red Sea were not literal and historical accounts of actual events (even though the Bible clearly communicates them this way) but are merely allegorical or symbolic is a false way to do theology. False theology cannot produce true faith in Christ. The Bible does not give us the license to take some things and explain away other things. Faith is believing whatsoever is written in God's Word--especially things like Creation, the 10 Plagues, other miracles, biblical ethical statements, the actual death & resurrection of Christ. This is why we must develop all theories of all things in life with the presupposition of the authority of God's Word.
In a university town, we can fall into idolizing academia and holding manmade theories with greater authority than God's Word. This is not a popular statement but we must repent of this. Is God not all-knowing? Is God not capable of working miracles? Are God's ways not much higher than our ways? And yet, when we say that God's Word can't mean what it says but has to be reinterpreted by other methods or theories then it is not a sign of faith but of idolatry. Liberal theology (which embraces this version of false theology) is not Christianity at all. It is a different religion.
The correct way, the biblical way, the Christian way, of studying anything is by interpreting all areas of study in light of Scripture being our ultimate authority and building our theories with Scripture as the foundation. Christians should enter into different fields of study but Christians are called to enter into these studies to interpret them the way God Almighty interprets them through His Word. There is not a "Christian version" of math. Rather, the one true God who has revealed Himself in nature and Scripture is the one who is the greatest authority in all matters whatsoever. And His Word must never be contradicted nor explained away in order to fit our current popular theories.
To take the example of Jonah: Jesus certainly had no issue with saying Jonah was literal and historical. He even said that "just as" Jonah was in the belly of the fish so He will be in the belly of death before He rises again (Matt. 12:40). Either Jesus is lying or saying His work is only metaphorical and not literal. If Jonah was not literal and historical but merely allegorical and symbolic then Jesus's death and resurrection is not literal and historical but only allegorical and symbolic. If that's the case, Jesus didn't really make atonement for our sins nor really rise from the dead in body and soul for our justification and conquer death. And, without that, there is no salvation. Therefore, to say that Jonah was not literal and historical is to forfeit one's claim to a real salvation in Jesus. Liberal theology is false theology and is not Christian.
Here are some reflection questions we should have whenever we study natural science, psychology, philosophy, history, mathematics, business, or anything else:
Do these methods or theories produce false views of God?
Do these methods or theories produce false views of Man?
Do these methods and theories produce ungodliness or even stifle our pursuit of godliness?
These questions ought especially to be the case when we think about various forms of counseling and therapy. If we have views of our past, present, or future that contradict God’s Word, deduce false views of God, and fail to promote gospel-centered godliness then it is not a viable form of counseling for Christians. It is also not a viable form of counseling that Christians ought to give.
If such counseling departs from the fruit of the Spirit, lack of love for others, and truncated views of God, humanity, sin, the gospel, identity, forgiveness, atonement, the Church, and other areas then it is not true counseling. Rather, as Junius would say, it is false counseling.