The Function of Systematic Theology in Preaching
Synthesize in Doctrine
Biblical theology is a superb start line for theological reflection. And when you develop your biblical theological expertise for preaching by loads of expertise, it is going to take you many of the method by this stage of preparation. On the similar time, one other department of theology has a task to play in theological reflection: systematic theology.
If biblical theology lets you discern the progressive unfolding of God’s redemption plan in Christ, then systematic theology lets you synthesize all the things that the Bible says within the type of doctrines. It organizes Scripture logically and hierarchically, not traditionally or chronologically (as you’ll in biblical theology). D. A. Carson defines systematic theology as “the department of theology that seeks to elaborate the entire and the components of Scripture, demonstrating their logical (reasonably than merely historic) connections.”1
On the similar time, I believe warning is so as. For whereas I advocate for the position of systematics in preaching, there’s a distinction between this and instructing programs. Simeon put it this manner: “God has not revealed his reality in a system; the Bible has no system as such.” The results of this conviction, then, is easy: “Lay apart system and fly to the Bible; obtain its phrases with easy submission, and with out a watch to any system. Be Bible Christians, not system Christians.”2 Simeon is true. We shouldn’t be system preachers. Nonetheless, there are three sensible advantages of incorporating systematic theology into your theological reflection.
- It holds you within the religion.
- It helps you hook up with the gospel from specific genres.
- It hones your capacity to talk to non-Christians.
Expository preaching is essential for the well being and vitality of the church. Providing step-by-step steerage for preachers, Helm outlines what have to be believed and achieved to turn into a trustworthy expositor of God’s Phrase.
1. It Holds You within the Religion
A serious good thing about reflecting on systematic theology in your sermon preparation is that it offers a constraint. It holds you to orthodoxy. While you do your exegesis, you’ll inevitably come to tough passages, forcing you to make tough exegetical selections. And since none of us is ideal, we’ll make errors. While you start to wrestle with these tough conclusions about your textual content, sound doctrine will probably be a information.
For instance, a superficial exegesis of James 2:14–26 may lead you to conclude that James undermines Paul’s doctrine of “salvation by religion alone.” By submitting your work on that passage to systematic theological reflection, you’ll have to wrestle with how Paul’s articulation of salvation works with and never in opposition to what James is saying. And even when you don’t clear up all of your issues, you’ll at the very least be grappling with how Scripture helps to interpret Scripture reasonably than unknowingly pitting Scripture in opposition to Scripture, and, in so doing, denying an orthodox understanding of the inerrancy of Scripture.
2. It Helps You Connect with the Gospel from Explicit Genres
The actual fact is, generally it is more difficult to utilize biblical theology in sure genres. The character of biblical theology—a grand story—connects effectively to genres the place narrative is the first type of the textual content. On the similar time, Previous Testomony poetry might not offer you a reputable window into the large story of the Bible the way in which you may hope. New Testomony Epistles, which comprise logical arguments, may also be tough to attach by biblical theology.
Genres which have loads of discourse or poetry may, nevertheless, be extra simply linked to the gospel by systematic theology. These genres are inclined to extra incessantly handle elementary ideas like religion, grace, justification, sin, and the like. So when a psalm makes a degree about repentance from sin, or Paul talks about religion and works, we’ve got a reputable window into the theological idea of the gospel.
3. It Hones Your Skill to Communicate to Non-Christians
I’d guess that many of the non-Christians strolling into our church buildings should not just like the Ethiopian eunuch—strongly and sincerely needing to raised perceive Isaiah. Fairly, I guess they’re extra more likely to ask questions on the issue of evil, God, guilt, redemption, and the like. The solutions to those questions move from systematic classes. And so, legitimately connecting your textual content to systematic theology in the midst of your sermon may very well be the easiest way to attract a non-Christian into the phrase of God. For instance, suppose a non-Christian is listening to your sermon and has questions concerning the notion of “sin” in your textual content. A useful method of instructing on sin may be to have a look at this systematic class and notice that there are three main metaphors for sin: weight, debt, and stain. So, whereas your listener might not initially perceive the thought of “sin” as it’s there in your specific passage, you may incorporate the broader doctrine of sin into your sermon in a method that helps him.
Notes:
- D. A. Carson, “Unity and Range within the New Testomony: the Chance of Systematic Theology,” in Scripture and Fact, ed. D. A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1983), 69–70.
- These two quotations come from the notes of A. W. Brown’s reflections on his instances with Charles Simeon as a part of Simeon’s “dialog events with the scholars of Cambridge.” Abner William Brown, Recollections of the Dialog Events of the Rev. Charles Simeon, M.A: Senior Fellow of King’s School, and Perpetual Curate of Trinity Church, Cambridge (London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co, 1863), 269.
This text is tailored from Expositional Preaching: How We Communicate God’s Phrase In the present day by David Helm.
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