Most people are at least somewhat familiar with the common adage of “first things first”. This truism refers to the fact that when undertaking any project, the first order of business should always be the laying of a proper foundation for the task at hand.
For example, when constructing a home, a builder does not start by assembling a roof, but rather he first forms footings so that the structure will rest upon a firm foundation.
The principle of “first things first” also holds true in matters of academic study. For all areas of intellectual pursuit have at their core or foundation underlying truths upon which the full and comprehensive understanding of the subject matter at hand is later built upon. For example, the study of biology typically starts with a systematic understanding of life at the basic cellular level. In chemistry, the underlying foundational knowledge would arguably be the primary makeup and roles of protons, neutrons, and electrons into individual atoms, coupled with an understanding of the Periodic Table of Elements.
In the study of Christian Theology however, there is often widespread disagreement within the Body of Christ as to what is important and what is not important concerning the proper foundation for theological understanding. Apart from the fact that all men are sinners and in need of redemption, which necessitated Jesus going to the Cross, there is little agreement amongst believers as to what the foundational focus of serious theological study should be. This has sadly served to create much of the divisiveness that occurs within the Church itself, as is evidenced by the development of the numerous denominations of believers that exist within Christendom.
So how does one establish the proper core of Christian theological understanding? Certainly, a believer could study the various respected theologians scattered throughout the history of the Church in hopes of discovering the true foundation for proper theological comprehension. But the writings and musings of theologians have seemingly never served to provide the Body of Christ with an adequate common consensus that could be adopted by the church at large concerning the proper theological framework of Christian Theology.
Perhaps the answer to the problem could be attained by approaching the issue in a new and novel way, that being, by referring to the teachings of the Person whom believers all purport to be following in the first place, the Person of Jesus Christ.
The True Foundation of Christian Theology,
“The Weightier Matters of the Law”
In Matthew 23:23, Jesus told us just what the most important aspects of Scripture truly are in describing what He terms as being, “the weightier matters of the law”:
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and
anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment,
mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
If we take these words from our Lord seriously, we should realize that here in the Book of Matthew, by referring to certain topics within Scripture as being “the weightier matters of the law”, Jesus is telling us that first and foremost, there ARE some aspects of Scripture that are of more importance than others. He then goes on to proclaim that the 3 most important facets of Scripture for the believer to understand are those of “Judgment, Mercy, and Faith”.
Of these three subjects, we must assume that Judgment is of the most importance, as Jesus mentions it first. As a literary principle, in multiple subject sentences, the subject matter that is first mentioned is typically deemed to be of the greatest significance. This principle also holds true within the Word of God, where we find that unless stated to the contrary, the first subject mentioned in a multiple subject sentence is of the most importance. This is wonderfully illustrated in Paul’s first letter to the Church at Corinth, where we read:
“And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these
is charity.” I Corinthians 13:13
Judgment as the Proper Foundation of Christian Theology
In applying the principle of “first things first” to Judgment in our understanding of laying the proper foundation for the study of Christian Theology, we need to first consider “Judgment” within the “big picture” of the entirety of the Word of God. We must recognize that the final action in the Biblical history of man before the introduction of “God’s Eternal State” will entail a final Judgment at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15), as Scripture clearly teaches that at the conclusion of man’s tenure upon earth, the lives of every individual will be or will have been judged by God:
“As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
This would seem to indicate the true importance of Judgment in the purposes of God, as the total story of the history of mankind will eventually culminate in Judgment. All the actions and intents of the hearts of every man, woman, and child will come under close scrutiny by their Creator at the close of man’s tenure on earth. Consequently, it can be logically stated that, “Judgment, to a large degree, is what life has been all about, from the beginning”, as it is the final action or conclusion of World History.
It is therefore of extreme importance for man to understand just what the basis of this Judgment that God will make upon mankind at the “end of days” will be.
Judgment Considered Logically
In the natural realm, we know that all physical objects and beings can be utilized for a variety of uses. For example, a billfold is typically used to store valuables such as credit cards, identification, and money. It can however also be utilized to prop and hold open a door or perhaps serve as a paperweight on a windy day. When the owner of the billfold assesses or judges the billfold on its performance, his primary area of concern is not going to be on how well the billfold propped open a door in an emergency, or how well it may have worked as a paperweight, but rather how well the billfold performed the primary function for which it was created, that being, how well it performed its principal purpose of safely and securely storing the owner’s credit and identification cards, and money.
In other words, people and things are ultimately judged based upon “How well they performed the duty or purpose for which they were created”, and not so much for the ancillary functions that they may have performed.
When we consider this fact in terms of Christian Theology, it becomes apparent that God’s main concern in His Judgment of mankind will also ultimately be based upon how well individuals performed the function or “Purpose” for which they were indeed created.
In the matter of “First Things First”, this makes the understanding of God’s purpose for man in His creation of man of extreme consequence, for it is arguably the most significant aspect of Judgment. Therefore, when we apply simple logic to the teachings of Jesus concerning the importance of believers understanding Judgment found in Matthew 23:23, we see that it is the proper understanding of God’s “Purpose for man in His creation of man” that will serve to provide us with the fundamental element or foundational principle in our construction of a proper framework of Christian Theology.
Man’s Ultimate Purpose: To “Please” or to “Glorify” God
It therefore follows that it is of extreme importance that we accurately establish what God’s intended purpose for man was and is in His creation of man. Whether man was created as the writers of the Westminster Confession would have us to believe, to “Glorify God and “enjoy him forever”, or if man’s “chief end” or purpose is simply to “please God”, as many careful students of Scripture have avowed, as these are the only apparent and viable options to explain man’s purpose presented to us within God’s Word.
This is the task that we shall now attempt to accomplish by considering the issue from 7 different angles or approaches, with the expectation of coming to a successful conclusion thoroughly supported by the Word of God.
