I left my Systematic Theology class yesterday feeling so refreshed and filled with joy, as once again, I was shown the beauty of Christ through what was being taught in such a life-giving way. This semester has by far been my busiest- between classes, two jobs, wedding planning, a class at my church, and a pro-life student ministry- all great blessings from the Lord, but there have been many long nights and early mornings. In the midst of the busyness, I was reflecting on tangible ways in which what I’ve been learning in my theology classes has actually filled me with such deep joy. I cannot count the number of times I’ve left a class led to tears in worship or feeling the weight of conviction over something the Lord was teaching me. It’s been so humbling to see the ways that I think and my convictions change and grow through what I’m learning (the number of times I’ve thought, “Preethi two years ago would not be thinking like this!”)
It’s been such a blessing to see how much joy each assignment, every reading, and even every exam brings as they reveal deeper the beauty of Christ. It’s been such a blessing to learn under professors who have led me to view learning as delight in Christ, who have shown me how learning theology is deeply relational and personal. I cannot even explain how my classes have been impacting me and I am so deeply grateful for how the Lord has used them to grow me in so many ways. As I plan which classes to take next semester, I plan with joy, knowing that learning is delighting in Christ, being conformed to Him and loving Him deeper.
Theology is Delighting in the Presence of Christ
Theology is truly a disposition of delight, for knowing God is loving and enjoying Him. We delight in theology because theology is ultimately grounded in the self-revelation of God. It is God who, through His self-communication to us in Scripture, makes even knowing and learning possible. God is not known in the abstract, and the study of theology should never be approached abstractly. The God of the universe, the One who made the stars and the birds, He who formed you in your mother’s womb; He is the One you are communing with as you open a book on theology. We cannot love God without knowing God, and every time we study our Bible or open a book on theology, we are knowing Him deeper so that we can love Him deeper. We learn so we can delight in Him.
Theology is Worship
All humans are worshipping something, and all humans are theologians; the only question is to whom our worship is directed and whether we are formed by good or bad theology (Col 2:8, Isa. 43:21, John 4:24). Right theology is the foundation of worship for theology is knowing and loving Jesus Christ, and we cannot worship rightly whom we do not know rightly. Theology is to be done within the church to serve and nourish the church. Theology ensures the way Christians speak is authentically grounded in Christ (Eph 4:15, John 14:6). It prevents the church’s mission from being purely humanitarian activism separated from gospel proclamation, maintaining Jesus Christ as the focus of all our worship, delight and mission. What a joy to learn in order to delight in Jesus Christ, the One who deserves all of our heart, mind, and strength.
We are able to delight in the presence of Christ. As we learn about and speak of Christ, we are not speaking abstractly as if he is far away, but we delight in Him, knowing He is present with us. Approaching learning as delight, allows us to move from seeing learning less as an accumulation of information and more relational. We are able to move away from seeing school as something to knock off a checklist and more as a life-long heart posture of desire to know, love, and delight in Christ.
Learning is Practical
Theology is deeply practical because all of life is grounded in Christ, and life has no meaning apart from Christ. It breaks my heart to hear people describe theology as dry or boring. Theology is so exciting, life-transforming and of great importance for the everyday. The life-transforming function of theology is to deeply know and love God, be in communion with Him, be fed by the Word, be strengthened on our knees, and be comforted in our tears. Reflecting on aspects of theology like the Trinity, the Incarnation, and Union with Christ, leads to tears and transforms our delight in Christ in our everyday.
As I reflect on the Trinity, learning about the self-giving sacrificial love of the three persons of the Godhead, I am convicted and moved to love those around me with self-giving sacrificial love. As I reflect on the hope of our union with Christ, my heart breaks for the lost who have never experienced the deep delight and hope of being united with Christ and my passion for evangelism grows. As I learn about the Incarnation, I am convicted and moved to reach those who are hurting on the streets of Chicago. As we learn about Christ, we are delighting in knowing the One who grounds the meaning of all else, the One through whom we can know ourselves. For we cannot truly know ourselves without looking to Christ first, and the more we look to Christ, the more we learn about ourselves.
Learning is an Undeserved Gift
Earlier this month was missions conference at Moody, with the theme of Unreached People Groups: Where Christ is Not Yet Named. It was extremely impactful going from a week of hearing from missionaries about the unreached, to then walking into my room with a bookshelf of theology books getting ready for my theology classes for the week. I remember going to my classes the next morning reflecting on what an underserved gift it is to have access to learn about Christ, where so many have never even heard His name.
What a gift and blessing to have access to a Bible in my own language and to theological resources. What a blessing to learn under professors who are here not for a paycheck but because they care deeply about the spiritual formation of their students. And how beautiful to know that my time at Moody is preparing me to make Christ known and to reflect His love to those around me in a way that leads others to delight in Christ.
Learning Fuels Passion and Love
As we learn to delight in Christ through our books, we are moved to act out of love to those around us. What is learned in each book, each conversation over the Bible, and each class, moves us to kneel in prayer. It breaks our hearts to weep with and comfort those who are suffering. It equips us to pour into our local church with love and compassion.
As we learn to delight in Christ through the depths of learning, we are moved to worship Him deeper in the ordinary. What we are learning impacts how we live our every day; whether we are writing a theology paper, making a sandwich, or going for a walk, we are able to delight in Christ in the ordinary, knowing that He is the source of our joy and He is present with us in every part of our day. The deep things of theology inform the ordinary aspects of our every day in such a beautiful way.
We have to learn to talk about learning with a disposition of delight. One of the most beautiful descriptions of the aim of the Christian life is found in the Westminster Catechism as, “glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.” The purpose of theology is never to merely accumulate truths about God to articulate our beliefs abstractly but instead to allow the deep truths we learn about Him to nourish our hearts and fuel our delight in Him and our love for others.
What a joy to know, love, serve, and delight in Jesus Christ, who is truly worthy of it all.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
-Deuteronomy 6:5
