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A Newsletter of Biblically Balanced Ministries, Inc.
Finding Balance in Theology
The ministry of BBM is committed to
helping churches and Christians to find balance. A basic
objective is to biblically discover God’s purposes and how to
live out them out. The problem is that we are constantly facing
obstacles to balance.
Feelings and emotions are often primary obstacles. They
affect our willingness to obey the commands of Scripture. They
cause distortion of our understanding, resulting in unbiblical
or compromised positions.
A second obstacle is experience. Sometimes Scripture is
interpreted in light of our experience. Or, there is
unwillingness to follow scripture because of past experiences or
anticipated consequences.
Reason and logic can either be a help or an obstacle in
discovering balance. The thing that is often forgotten is that
fallen man has fallen logic. A result can be that finding
balance becomes distorted by natural reason.
Theological balance is affected by these same
obstacles. When our theology is out of balance every area of
life becomes out of balance. One of the most challenging areas
of  theological
balance relates to Calvinism and Arminianism. A long time
friend, who was one of my theology professors in college, C.
Gordon Olson has written a book that I would like to introduce
to you. The book is not only an excellent source for finding
balance between Calvinism and Arminianism but also serves as an
example of how to find balance in doctrine.
“Beyond Calvinism and Arminianism - An Inductive Mediate
Theology of Salvation” by C. Gordon Olson.
“Biblical Doctrine Is Foundational”
In his first letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul
emphasized again and again the importance of sound doctrine and
teaching. He showed a great concern for the truth of the
message, which Timothy was to preach and teach, and spoke
frequently of the importance of holding to “the faith” as an
objective body of essential truth. He encouraged Timothy to stay
on in Ephesus to deal with false teachings and teachers in the
churches there (1:3-11). In emphasizing God’s desire that all
men might be saved, he makes their coming “to the knowledge of
the truth” synonymous with this (2:3-4). Therefore it is
essential that local church leaders be “able to teach” (2:2) and
must hold “to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience”
(2:9) since the church of the living God is “the pillar and
support of the truth” (2:15).
Paul warns that “in the latter times some will fall
away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and
doctrines of demons” (4:1) and that to “be a good servant of
Christ Jesus” Timothy will not only have to be “nourished on the
words of the faith and of the sound doctrine” but also point out
this apostasy to the brethren (4:6). Paul exhorts him to
“prescribe and teach” that “the living God . . . is the Savior
of all men, especially of believers” (4:10-11), and twice
reminds him that by giving attention to his teaching he will
insure salvation for his hearers (4:13, 16). In the concluding
section, Paul shows a great concern that he teach “doctrine
conforming to godliness” and warn those whose lifestyle is
moving them away from “the faith” (5:8, 17; 6:2-3, 10, 17).
Paul’s letter to Titus emphasizes most of these same concerns
(1:1, 9-14; 2:1, 7, 10).
Based on the preceding, it is no overstatement to say
that biblical doctrine is foundational to the life, witness, and
ministry of individual Christians, and to the life of the
church. Yet today, we see little concern for doctrine in most
evangelical churches, so serious that it could be called a
crisis.” (from the Introduction of Gordon Olson’s book)
I share Dr. Olson’s concern for the doctrinal crisis in
churches. The extremes are seen in churches today. On the one
end of the spectrum there are the churches that have diminished
doctrine to the least common denominator. A result is compromise
or ignoring of even the most fundamental doctrines. Love becomes
the altar on which doctrine is sacrificed. The other extreme in
churches is that people ignore the importance of doctrinal
“purity.”
Like Dr. Olson’s book it is the priority of BBM to help
churches discover, through an inductive study of the Bible, what
is indeed biblical. The desire to be creative and compassionate
without compromise of truth is a foundation to our ministry.
Often the real underlying issue in churches seeking balance is
that they have faulty or extreme doctrinal foundation that is
more founded on “preconceived ideas” than careful biblical
research.
Dr. Olson’s book is not only a helpful tool in getting beyond
doctrinal positioning but in learning how to develop your
theology from an inductive study of the Bible. It is a great
source for developing balance in ministry. Thus, we are
privileged to partner with him in ministry.
[A copy of his book is available by contacting him directly at
Global Gospel Ministries, inc. 74 Mountain Avenue, Cedar Knolls,
NJ 07927 – phone # 973-267-2511]
by Gary R. Becker, President
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