If God Is
The most important study is theology, which helps us understand our relationship with God and our moral obligations.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the critical importance of studying theology as a means to understand our relationship with God. He points out that many people avoid this study due to their discomfort with confronting their alienation from God. Tozer argues that if there were no God, life would be simpler, but the reality of God's existence imposes a moral obligation on us to seek and fulfill His will. He highlights that true peace can only be found in reconciling our relationship with God, rather than ignoring it.
Text
We being what we are and all things else being what they are, the most important and profitable study any of us can engage in is without question the study of theology. That theology probably receives less attention than any other subject tells us nothing about its importance or lack of it. It indicates rather that men are still hiding from the presence of God among the trees of the garden and feel acutely uncomfortable when the matter of their relation to God is brought up. They sense their deep alienation from God and only manage to live at peace with themselves by forgetting that they are not at peace with God. If there were no God, things would be quite otherwise with us.
Were there no one to whom we must finally render up account, at least one big load would be gone from our minds.
We would only need to live within the law, not too hard a task in most countries, and there would be nothing to fear. But if God indeed created the earth and placed man upon it in a state of moral probation, then the heavy obligation lies upon us to learn the will of God and do it.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Theology
- The Human Response to God
- The Consequences of Ignoring God
- Lack of peace with God leads to self-justification
- Living without accountability to God is appealing
- But it comes at a great cost
Key Quotes
“If there were no God, things would be quite otherwise with us.” — A.W. Tozer
“We would only need to live within the law, not too hard a task in most countries, and there would be nothing to fear.” — A.W. Tozer
“But if God indeed created the earth and placed man upon it in a state of moral probation, then the heavy obligation lies upon us to learn the will of God and do it.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must learn the will of God and do it, as we are accountable to Him.
- Ignoring God leads to a lack of peace and a sense of self-justification.
- Living without accountability to God is not a sustainable or fulfilling way to live.