“You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on junk food – catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.” II Timothy 4:3-4 (MSG)
I understand all of us have theology. The question is is whether it’s true or false.
Some pastors, television preachers, & even pod casters play fast and loose with the truth. Much teaching today is popularity-driven, not truth driven. But Charles Spurgeon said, “Christ’s people must have bold, unflinching lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His Truth next, and Christ and His Truth beyond all else in the world.”
We too easily confuse what we want to be true with actual truth. C.S. Lewis said he wrote to expound “mere” Christianity, “which is what it is and was long before I was born and whether I like it or not.”
“Theology is simply that part of religion that requires brains.” G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
Truth: A Bigger View of God’s Word, Randy Alcorn, 2017, Pg 64 Harvest House.
merlin’s two cents: Perhaps GK provoked you a trifle, as he did me with his quote above. He had a knack for doing that regardless of the audience as his first writings early on were social criticism (The Defendant 1901); second was literary criticism (Robert Browning-1903, & Charles Dickens-1911 & Robert Louis Stevenson -1927) possessing a spontaneity that places them above the works of most; and third, was theology and religious argument, having written “Orthodoxy” in 1909, but after his conversion from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism in ’22, “The Catholic Church and Conversion in 1926,” certainly added an abrasive edge to his controversial writings. But the most successful of all his fiction were his five series on the priest-sleuth “Father Brown” during 1911 through 1935, which even I am familiar, thanks to PBS.
I’m sure GK never imagined prior to his death he’d be better remembered in the mainstream western churches in 2025 for his hobby fictional writings rather than those he agonizingly labored over during his younger years. Perhaps the situation is not so different today though, for we being the earlier driven workaholic fathers more consumed by “providing goods & services” rather than “enhancing spiritual sincerity & integrity” who may now be lamenting how our children lack meaningful vibrant faith walks because they only recall those hobby fictional events procuring those shiny object “goods & services.” Just saying, but absolutely, do not despair. Your later in life spiritual authenticity while Spirit driven and prayerfully directed opens doors previously unimaginable to you, because you feeling sorry for your past failures fell far short of God’s requiring that you repent, accept His forgiveness, ask your wife and family for their forgiveness and then, follow His script, today!
The above paragraph about GK are supposedly facts. Right now in our world’s time frame, not to mention each of ours personally, I am much more interested in our journey towards growing in our faith TODAY, than I am ever in understanding why G.K. says theology requires brains. Folks, I must admit, that these verses, and you know them well, from Matthew 18:2-4 and Mark 10:14-15, provide me the faith and grit I need to have bold unflinching lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and both Christ and His Truth beyond everything else in the entire world,” as Spurgeon was quoted above.
First, consider Matthew 18: 3 “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Mark 10:15 states ” I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” So very simple, but yet, so very profound.
Perhaps you’ve either given, or received, love of the following magnitude. If you haven’t, ask God to help you imagine this scenario right now. Imagine you’re witnessing a loving emotionally soothing parent caressing, cradling, and consoling a frightened child during or after a devastating storm or family tragedy that literally has taken the child’s breath away. In time, consider the child softly snuggling into their parent’s embrace, and saying, “I love you” as the eyes and the emotions of the child comfortably enjoying and fixated with all their senses on their parent, at peace, without a worry in the world, BECAUSE THEIR childlike FAITH TOTALLY TRUSTS their parent to provide for & protect them, and within seconds, may well be fast asleep.
Consequently, and perhaps the above verses with children is not all that much different from what God had in mind to enhance the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere in our homes surrounding we adults in our marriages and families, whether we be a recently married younger couple, or even well towards three score and ten, with bursting quivers, for after an exhausting day of work and providing, we have the opportunity (hopefully at least once in a while) to physically, emotionally, pleasurably, and intimately bask and relax in the all-encompassing satisfying expression of our triangular relationship as husband and wife with our Triune God. It was God who had so purposed and designed us to enjoy our married lives intimacies in the sanctuaries of our homes, where we as adults, similarly trust our mates, and the Almighty Triune God, just as the child above experienced peace, so will we have the indwelling of His peace, for whatever the situation at that moment, as Paul writes in Ephesians 4:7 that “the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” while we resound with our praise in worship.
Perhaps it is our Trinitarian theology that declared it is the Father who begets, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds, proving that everything comes “from the Father,” “through the Son,” and “in the Holy Spirit.”
Regardless of our age or life experiences, I am reminded of John 10:10 when Jesus says that “the thief comes only to steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Folks, the thieving fox is in the hen house. Everything about us that we hold sacred today is under attack, especially our faith, our beliefs, our way of life, our marriages, our children, even our national and global communities. I will close where we began. “You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on junk food – catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.” II Timothy 4:3-4 (MSG)
Indeed, we did turn our backs on truth and chased mirages. As did many in generations before mine, as I did, BUT thankfully, the jury is still out whether we, as the survivors to date, will come clean admitting our guilt and speak relevant and meaningful truth to those who follow us.
Or, will we merely yawn, switch channels, perhaps to PBS and Father Brown, while we go on pretending “we’re good,” checking the boxes, and in essence, turning the lights out on our children, thus sealing our eternal loneliness. An apt title for a novel, or an honest epitaph, “Almost Deceived By Culture.”
HIS SUGGESTED ANTIDOTE: I just happened to read Romans 5 because of a reference from dailylightdevotional.org this morning firing me up for Sunday worship since it so aptly revealed God’s big picture for us. And I challenge you to read it, perhaps in the paraphrased Message Version as well, in memory of my pastoral engineer friend Glenn, who recently transitioning home, but not before confirming in me an appreciation for using the Message Version, particularly amongst His unchurched huddled masses.
This simple song has a worthy message. Enjoy.
UP NEXT: Is Your Life’s Landscape Embarrassingly Cluttered?