August 19th, 2025
by Charles W. Price
by Charles W. Price
Verse For Today
“Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons…” —JOB 38:31-32
Devotional
The above verse is God speaking to Job out of the storm, and is a humbling reminder of the magnitude of God. The Christian life is about knowing God, but in this life, we’ll never arrive at that. It’s a continual pursuit, which is not measured by how much activity we’re engaged in, or how much doctrine we know, but how well we know God.
One of the tasks of Christian scholars throughout history has been to produce systems of theology, whereby we come to know God. It’s called ‘Systematic Theology’ and involves taking all the statements in Scripture about any particular subject from Genesis to Revelation, and trying to put them into a big, cohesive picture of God. That may be helpful in getting a comprehensive idea of what the issue is, but it has a huge weakness in that it tends to reduce God into a logical structure, which, as God, He is unable to fit.
If we look into the sky on a clear night, we’ll see constellations. They’re given names like “The Big Dipper”, “Orion”, “The Plough”, but what we actually see are lights in different parts of the sky. Imaginary lines are drawn between them to create a shape, which gives them their name. That is more or less what systematic theology does. It draws lines to link statements about God together in order to create a logical, coherent picture. But the problem is that all the lines between the stars don’t exist in reality, but they’re given the same authority as the stars themselves. That’s the danger of systematic theology; drawing imaginary lines between Scripture passages about God and giving them the same authority as the passages. It’s out of context and it’s guesswork.
Instead of a system which tries to put everything into one neat package, we need to allow Scripture, in its context, to speak. We should always give biblical theology priority over systematic theology. If Matthew’s Gospel seems to say something different to John’s Gospel, then hold them both with authority, even though some things may be held in tension.
If we could fit God into a neat, coherent system, He wouldn’t be a very big God. There comes a point where we stand back and say, “I can see this and this and this, and though I can’t make the connection, I submit to Him and worship Him.” That’s not a cop out by any means. That’s recognizing there are dangers in reducing God to one predictable pattern.
One of the tasks of Christian scholars throughout history has been to produce systems of theology, whereby we come to know God. It’s called ‘Systematic Theology’ and involves taking all the statements in Scripture about any particular subject from Genesis to Revelation, and trying to put them into a big, cohesive picture of God. That may be helpful in getting a comprehensive idea of what the issue is, but it has a huge weakness in that it tends to reduce God into a logical structure, which, as God, He is unable to fit.
If we look into the sky on a clear night, we’ll see constellations. They’re given names like “The Big Dipper”, “Orion”, “The Plough”, but what we actually see are lights in different parts of the sky. Imaginary lines are drawn between them to create a shape, which gives them their name. That is more or less what systematic theology does. It draws lines to link statements about God together in order to create a logical, coherent picture. But the problem is that all the lines between the stars don’t exist in reality, but they’re given the same authority as the stars themselves. That’s the danger of systematic theology; drawing imaginary lines between Scripture passages about God and giving them the same authority as the passages. It’s out of context and it’s guesswork.
Instead of a system which tries to put everything into one neat package, we need to allow Scripture, in its context, to speak. We should always give biblical theology priority over systematic theology. If Matthew’s Gospel seems to say something different to John’s Gospel, then hold them both with authority, even though some things may be held in tension.
If we could fit God into a neat, coherent system, He wouldn’t be a very big God. There comes a point where we stand back and say, “I can see this and this and this, and though I can’t make the connection, I submit to Him and worship Him.” That’s not a cop out by any means. That’s recognizing there are dangers in reducing God to one predictable pattern.
Prayer
Dear Father, I am grateful that the journey of coming to know You is a never-ending one. Thank You for what You have revealed, and may I continue to grow in knowledge of You.
Reflection
In my knowledge of God, have I reduced Him to any particular pattern?
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Archive
2025
July
A SERVANT OF CHRISTTHE FINEST WINETHE GREATEST GIFTCAN GOD BE PROVEN?REKINDLING THE FERVOUR | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALTHE HARD TIMES | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALA MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALFAITHFUL SAINTS | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALIN CHRIST AND CHRIST IN US | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALRIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD RECEIVED | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALTHE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALTHE STAFF OF GOD | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALDIVINE PROVISION | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALTHE CHRISTIAN ADVENTURE | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALUNANSWERED PRAYER: 4 BIBLICAL REASONS | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALJesus Chose Ordinary People | Daily Bible DevotionalJesus Breaks Down Barriers | Daily Bible DevotionalUNLOCKING HEAVEN ON EARTH | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALCHRISTIAN FAITH: OBJECTIVE TRUTH | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALBUILD ON THE ROCK: CHRIST AS YOUR FOUNDATION | DEVOTIONALPUT ON THE NEW SELF: TRANSFORMED IN CHRIST | DEVOTIONALSEEKING JESUS AND FINDING PEACE IN THE BIBLE | DEVOTIONALSHARE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST LIKE PAUL DID | DEVOTIONALBAPTISM: FROM DEATH TO LIFE | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALWALK ON WATER WITH JESUS | DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONALBLESSING OF GIVING: TITHES AND OFFERING | MALACHI DEVOTIONKNOW CHRIST BETTER THROUGH PRAYER | EPHESIANS 1 DEVOTIONALHope, Inheritance & Power in Christ | Ephesians DevotionalForgiveness & Grace For Humble Sinners | Luke DevotionalHow Beautiful Are The Feet Of Those Who Bring Good News!
August
Christ’s Power in Our Weaknesses & Suffering | DevotionalSeek God's Gift of Wisdom | Proverbs DevotionalSigns of the Holy Spirit Within Us | Daily DevotionalFollowing Jesus: Deny Yourself & Take Up Your CrossMoses' Story: When You Feel Inadequate for God’s CallingPraying To God With Humility | Daily Bible DevotioanlStrengthened By The Spirit And Christ's Power | DevotionalRooted In The Love & Knowledge Of Christ | DevotionalThe Gospel: Saved by Grace Alone In Christ | DevotionalRun the Christian Race by God’s Rules | Bible DevotionalKnowing God Through His Spirit | Daily Bible DevotionalExperience the Love of God | Psalm 86 DevotionalLosing Life to Gain Christ’s Fullness | Bible DevotionalTrusting God's Timing In Prayer | Nehemiah 2 DevotionalOvercoming the Law of Sin with Christ's Spirit | Romans 7God's Truth In Our Heart | Psalm 51 DevotionalThe Greatness of God Beyond Our Theology | DevotionalGod's Sovereignty: How He Remolds Us | Bible DevotionalFaithful Families Remember God’s Wonders | Psalm 111The Helmet of Salvation and Hope in Christ | DevotionalGod Jehovah: The Lord Who Heals | Exodus 15 DevotionalJesus Christ Heals the Sick | Mark 1 Bible DevotionalGod of Comfort in Suffering | 2 Corinthians DevotionalChristians Find Freedom In Christ, Not Legalism | DevotionGood Soil and God’s Word | Luke 8 Bible DevotionalPreach The Gospel To All Of The World | Mark 16 DevotionalGod Is With The Humble & Lowly In Spirit | Isaiah Devotion
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