Theologian: Who?

Theologian. Who is it? What makes a person a ‘Theologian’? When I was attending Bible College I understood a theologian to be a person who was high and mighty. A celebrity, Bible rock star, someone who had it all figured out. They knew the Bible like no other person. Their insight was the ‘final’ word when it came to explaining tough scriptures and/or subjects. No doubt theologians are well versed in the scriptures. They do provide insight and explain scriptures better than a lot of pastors out there. I wondered though, what made them a theologian? I understand the amount of time it took them to achieve those degrees and it’s nothing to scoff at. What I don’t understand is what makes this person’s opinion valued more than others? It boggles my mind that our society holds people higher if they have several degrees from various colleges and have very formal certificates framed on their office walls to let everyone know how much they know. My focus is not to attack theologians. My focus is to question people in their reasons of forming their opinions from the opinions of others. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather go to a doctor that has his medical degree proudly displayed for my own assurance but I want us to evaluate our own personal views of theology. The scripture says in Matthew 8 that “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express and he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit.” Let’s look back at Christ’s life here on earth. Whom did He choose to ‘follow’ Him and continue His message? Was it the theologians of the day? The scholars whom God ordained that had their plaques proudly displayed amongst the pictures with their golfing buddies? No, these men were Common people with uncommon purposes whom Christ selected for His purpose. My next question is who recorded the life of Christ in the second part of the Bible we know as the ‘New Testament’? I like how Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill, put it…It was the ‘B’ team. These were the non-scholars whom tried to make sense of this one they called the Messiah. They knew the scriptures very well and understood the complexity of God’s words. I think the most amazing part of this whole scenario is they just discussed their relationship with Christ. They didn’t try to explain every single detail to create a pleonasm. I love the way Luke said it in his opening statement. “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…” Quite simply, they observed their God at work using their lives. They were thespians in an ongoing drama that God chose to cast. God chooses us also. We are all, whether we like it or not, trying to ‘draw up an account the things that have been fulfilled among us.’ Every single person at least once in their life questions their own part in this multi-act play called life. So why are we valuing the opinions of others more than the truth of Christ and the Spirit? Check yourself. Review your own relationship with God, for He is the only one who can provide truth through the mediator known as the Holy Spirit.