Do you think of unpronounceable words, or dusty books from centuries ago, or perhaps lengthy sermons? If you had to choose between studying theology and reading a book on practical tips for your daily life, which would you choose?
Last Sunday, CREW Youth Ministry finished a series entitled DOCTRINE: WHAT Christians believe & WHY it matters. For many teens, the mere thought of studying theology seems way beyond what their daily life can handle. They might think, At this stage in my life, I can’t learn theology. My life is consumed and overwhelmed with the daily duties of being a teenager. Perhaps they think that their time might be better spent reading up on ways to improve their dating relationship, or on the best practice for gaining muscle mass or how to have their best life now.
But the truth is they desperately need theology for all their daily duties of adolescence. They need theology for school, sports, dating, family, and everything else in between.
Just What Is Theology?
The word theology comes from the Greek words theos (God) and logos (word or body of knowledge). Theology is the body of knowledge about God, or put simply, the study of God. As Christians, we should desire to know all we can about God. After all, he is our Maker, Creator, Sustainer, and Savior.
But learning theology is just the first step. We also have to apply it. And when theology intersects with our daily lives we find that it isn’t just for seminary professors, but for all of us.
What we believe about God, who he is, what he has done, and who we are in light of all that, isn’t just for mere study and debate. Words like imputation, justification, and atonement, affect the very course of our lives day in and day out. They mold who we are.
When a teenager has a parent or friend become sick and the doctors don’t know why, so they order more and more tests, it’s their theology that tells them that God is in sovereign control of all things. It tells them that God is not asleep — that he hasn’t forgotten them. Everything is under his control, and he is not surprised by any of their circumstances. Their theology reminds them in that moment that his intentions for them are good, and that he is working all things out for their good and his glory (Romans 8:28).
When a teenager speaks harshly in anger to their parents, teacher and/or friends, it’s their theology that reminds them that Jesus came to die for those very sins. It tells them that Jesus lived a perfect life, was never unkind, always loving, and that his righteousness has been credited to them in being joined to him by faith. It tells them that he is at work in them even now, leading them to repentance and refining the work that he began in them.
When their meaning becomes merged with their role as student, athlete, or their particular social status, it’s their theology that reminds them that their identity is found in Christ. It’s not found in how successful they are in school or sports, or in how many followers they have on Instagram, or in what college they are accepted to. Their meaning, purpose, significance, and identity is grounded in who they are as a redeemed and adopted child of God.
When they are drop-dead tired and they have another paper and have to work a part-time job, and have extra-curricular activities, it is their theology that tells them that God will provide them with the grace they need in the moment. It is their theology that reminds them that they can’t do life on their own and that, without Jesus, they can do nothing. It tells them that their rest and hope is found in Christ alone and that they can trust him to sustain them.
Real Hope, Real Wisdom, Real Peace
It is tempting for teens to think that what they need to make their lives better is a quick solution — something tangible that they can implement tomorrow to make things run smoothly and comfortably. When the daily challenges of being a student and growing up overwhelm them, they think that what they need most is a fresh idea or a new technique and then everything will be okay. So in those few moments when they have time to think and read, they reach out for those practical books and articles, hoping that some new tip will change things.
While books with practical tips are useful for some things, the hope they provide can be short-lived. In truth, it is in theology, in our study of who God is and what he has done, that gives us the real hope, real wisdom, and real peace that we need in our lives — the kind that lasts. It’s theology — knowing God — that anchors them in the chaos of growing up.
So teens, theology isn’t just for pastors, teachers, and professors; it’s for you too. And it’s not for another stage of life. It’s vital for you right here, right now, in the trenches of your daily life as a teen.
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