Does your bible form your theology or is it the other way around?

Ideally, our theology should be shaped by the Scriptures; Scripture being the un-normed norm which gives shape to the faith of the Faithful. However everyone, on some level, brings their own baggage to the Bible. Nobody is an infallible interpreter of the Bible. But we can do the hard work of trying to be good exegetes, and employ good hermeneutical principles guided by the historic Community of the Faithful--the Church--down through the ages, and good biblical scholarship.

We may not be infallible, but we should always seek to be faithful to the text of Scripture even (perhaps especially) when it challenges our preconceived ideas and notions.

-CryptoLutheran

It can be said that NT theology was formed by Paul, it requires some explanation though. We try to explain what has been formed long ago.

Nice little test about your theology.

In Hebrews 6, we see a list of "fundamental," "elementary," and "first principles of the oracles of God." These are the starting points.

The section starts in 5:12

Hebrews 5:12-14 KJV
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Paul then lists these "first principles," "milk," baby food doctrines:

Hebrews 6:1-3 KJV
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.

The first principles of the oracles of God are:

1. foundation of repentance from dead works
2. faith toward God,
3. the doctrine of baptisms
4. laying on of hands
5. resurrection of the dead
6. eternal judgment.

If our theology strays from these as the foundational teachings of our faith, then I am afraid, as Paul said:

"Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God."

I believe that many believers, including pastors and teachers, have erred in their teaching because they ignore most of these and instead dwell heavily on topics like Sovereignty, Control, and the General Attributes of God (what I call the omni factors). They have stalled in their spiritual and word-maturity because God has indeed not allowed them to proceed into the meat and mature doctrines.

Verse 3.
"And this will we do, if God permit."

Why would God not permit someone to go onto higher truth? It is simply too dangerous to allow them to move into the deeper and higher truths because they will harm themselves with destructive doctrines that not only go contrary to these basics, but teach others to do the same!

I recall what Peter said about the writings of Paul:

2 Peter 3:16 KJV
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

I can almost guarantee you that people who have elevated the "omni factors," "sovereignty," and "control" to such a height that they use them to overrule the very words of Jesus, then there is a problem! The words of Jesus do not need clarification or interpretation. His word IS truth.

Peace

Consider these things. Perhaps there needs to be some rethinking.

Hawkins said:

It can be said that NT theology was formed by Paul, it requires some explanation though. We try to explain what has been formed long ago.

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Keeping in mind that God's eternal truth in his word written (2 Tim 3:16) does not change with time.

The language is the meaning.

My theology involves an interplay of an ecclectic range of sources. From the texts of the Bible, historical positions, post modern philosophy, reader-response literary theory, historic creedal statements...I don't think my theology can be pinned to any single influence, but a conglomeration of my particular circumstances and the intersection of a historic faith. And I think if we're honest about it, we'd all have to admit something similar.

Yes, the Bible certainly informs my own theology. I've always thought the Wesleyan Quadrilateral was a helpful heuristic; although, it needs to be emphasized that Wesley was adamant about the primacy of scripture (hence its place at the "foundation" of the quadrilateral).

public hermit said:

Yes, the Bible certainly informs my own theology. I've always thought the Wesleyan Quadrilateral was a helpful heuristic; although, it needs to be emphasized that Wesley was adamant about the primacy of scripture (hence its place at the "foundation" of the quadrilateral).

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Yeah, that is a helpful illustration. For me, there isn't an issue of primacy to any one of them, though. I don't think we can neatly box things up like that, but instead there is an interdependence within them. Reason clarifies the kinds of categories we're working with and what sorts of hermeneutical approaches we find compelling, tradition informs us about what qualifies as Scripture and what the range of acceptable interpretations might be, experience keeps us from becoming static in our understanding. All of these inform the scope and understanding of Scripture, to the point that we cannot properly begin with Scripture without engaging with the others on some level. And then what we glean from Scripture can and should cause us to re-evaluate our understanding of each in turn, which will then cause us to re-evaluate our understanding of Scripture.

Man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God. That’s primary. Your understanding helps shape that but in a way more secondary and fallible

d taylor said:

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If The Bible formed everyone's theology then all would have the same beliefs.

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Yeah that’s not true at all because you know that you and I have completely opposite interpretations of many passages like 2 Timothy 2:12 and John 6:37-40 for example. Were both reading the same text yet were coming up with completely opposite interpretations.