Everyone Must Be a Theologian By Dr John H. Gerstner

Christian laymen, the average persons sitting in the pew on a Sunday morning, sometimes think they need not be theologians. That, however, is a very great mistake. They do need to be theologians--at least they should be amateur theologians. In fact, that is the one vocation every man is obliged to follow. A layman does not need to be a plumber, a carpenter, a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a laborer, or a housewife.

These are all possibilities, but not necessities. A layman may be one or the other of these as he chooses. But he must be a theologian. This is not an option for him, but a requirement!A Theologian Is One Who Knows About GodWhy do we say that a layman must be a theologian? Well, let us first realize what a theologian is, that is, an amateur theologian. A theologian is a person who knows about God. A lay theologian is a person who has a true knowledge of God which he understands in non-technical, non-professional, non-academic terms. However, such a person is truly a theologian.Is it not clear why a layman must necessarily be a theologian? Is there anyone, layman or otherwise, who does not need to know God? Does the Scripture not say, "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3)? It is no mere option, then, with a layman whether or not he will be a theologian, or whether he will have eternal life or not; it is not an option with him whether he will know God or not.

The knowledge of God is necessary to eternal life. And if eternal life is necessary for every man, then theology is also necessary for every man.If a theologian is a person who knows God, then, by reverse reasoning, a person who is not a theologian is a person who does not know God. There is no shame in a layman's being told that he does not know carpentry, or plumbing, or medicine, or law, or teaching, or the ways of a housewife; but there is surely the greatest of shame in a layman's being told that he does not know God. Furthermore, there is more than shame: there is very great danger! The Scripture says that to live apart from God is death. And just as John 17:3 says that it is life eternal to know God and Christ, John 3:36 says that they who do not believe in Jesus shall not see life and, furthermore, that the wrath of God abides on them: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.""Well," the layman may say, "look here, you've slipped in a new term on us.

That last passage talks about faith and not knowledge. It says that unless a person 'believes' in the Son. It does not say anything there about knowing Jesus." True, the passage does not use the word "know." It speaks about "belief" or "faith" rather than "knowledge" or "reason." But have you ever believed in someone or something about which you knew nothing? Is it possible to have faith in Christ unless we know who Christ is? Is it not clear, then, that this passage, though it does not state expressly the necessity of the knowledge of Christ, certainly states it implicitly? So we say that if a person does not have a knowledge of God and Christ it is not only a shame, but a peril to his soul, not only in this life, but in the eternity which begins at death.