Think Theologically, not Logically

“In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil” (Hebrews 6:17-19). 

I confess to you, at times I simply do not understand God’s purpose and promise. In fact, I would say that this is the case most of the time. I would venture to say the case is the same for most folks reading this article. We are quick to offer up praise to God when all blessings flow. However, we have a tough time believing when those blessings seem to go. It is during times such as these, when the trials and tribulations of life come, that we must learn to think theologically rather than logically. This is exactly the message of the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 6:17-19. God does not expect us to understand all the ins and outs of life. Neither does He expect us to be able to explain it all away. From this passage of Scripture we know two theological facts: (1) With God, there is an unchangeable purpose; and (2) that purpose is guaranteed with an oath.

So let’s think theologically for a moment. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, Solomon writes, “God has made everything appropriate in its time.” Therefore, theologically we can conclude, God is in control all the time. From that we can further conclude that because He is in control all the time, all time is under his control. Since God is in control all the time and because all time is under his control, then we must equally conclude that God is in control of every single event that occurs within time, and to take it one step further, eternity. Finally, we must conclude that He is in control of every single event within our lives. There is nothing about us over which God is not sovereign. He is in control!

Thinking theologically rather than logically provides three benefits. First of all, there is encouragement. The writer of Hebrews tells us that logical thinking will discourage but theological thinking will encourage. He says you will have, “strong encouragement.” Secondly, there is hope. This is not the hope the world offers, which can be summed up by the statement, “I hope so.” This is a sure and eternal hope! Therefore, he says we can “take hold of the hope set before us.” If we truly understand God is in control all the time of all time of all events within time then we know He is in control of the good times and the bad times. Therefore we can hope. This hope yields a sense of divine refuge, because the hope is in God and not yourself. Finally, this encouragement and hope we have serves as an “anchor for the soul.” It reminds us that because God has a purpose and because He cannot lie, we will not lose. And we will discover, as one preacher said, “In the mysterious manner of God’s own timing, for some unexplainable and yet unchangeable purpose, those of us who trust Him ultimately win – because God ultimately wins.”