Sometimes our systematic theology kills us.
Now, before you pick up your massive, “don’t carry it in a backpack cuz’ it will throw you out of alignment” copy of Systematic Theology, and prepare to give me a systematic, theologically corrective beatdown, let me explain.
Systematic theology is the process of bringing together all the Bible says about a certain subject.
To do a systematic theology study of prayer is to take all the scriptures in the Old Testament and New Testament that relate to prayer, study them, interweave them with one another, and come to a solid, well-balanced conclusion regarding biblical prayer.
I’m all for systematic theology.
The Bible should always interpret the Bible. Clear passages should interpret unclear passages. Etcetera and so on. Huzzah for systematic theology.
But … sometimes we can be too quick to pull the trigger on systematic theology. We become Bible gun slingers. We let our knowledge of the whole Bible mess with our heads. I know I sound like a semi-heretical lunatic, but trust me, I’m going somewhere with this.
For example, in Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus tells his disciples:
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
This passage has wonderfully sharp edges. Jesus doesn’t give any qualifiers. He simply says ask, seek, knock and you WILL receive. We are evil and we know how to give good gifts, how much more does God know how to give good gifts?
This is a big, powerful, faith-fueling passage. Jesus intends us to pray big, hairy, audacious prayers. He wants us to pray them again and again, without giving up and with increasing earnestness.
The problem is, I often let my systematic theology rub the sharp edges off Jesus’ words.
When I read this passage, I think, Jesus doesn’t really mean what he says. Our prayers have to be in line with God’s will. And we can’t ask out of selfishness. And sometimes God’s answer is ‘no.’ I don’t always know what’s best for me, but God does.
