Beware of Theological Perfectionism!

Lee Irons from The Upper Register has an excellent article entitled "The Problem of Theological Perfectionism." Provided below is an excerpt but please, please, please be sure to read the entirety of the article. It's a good and necessary read. Thanks to Mr. Irons for writing this!

Here is the excerpt:

"In sum, what are the problems of theological perfectionism?

(1) It gives us the feeling that we are addressing spiritual realities when in fact we are engaging in a secondary, intellectual analysis of spiritual realities. This secondary activity is very important, but we must not think that engaging in it is a substitute for the primary activity of loving God and loving our neighbor.

(2) It causes us to think that everything hangs on getting it right intellectually, when we should be putting into practice what we already have come to understand by God's grace. If we have a clear understanding of the gospel and strong foundation for assurance grounded in the finished work of Christ, then sorting out the details of secondary theological issues need not be so pressing. As Paul said, the gospel is "of first importance" (1 Cor 15:3).

(3) Theological perfectionism promotes spiritual pride, rather than a sense of humility before God and awe at infinite mysteries that finite minds will never fully grasp. We must always make a clear distinction between the truth of God and our finite attempts to explain and formulate the truth of God. I don't want to sound too skeptical, for I believe that all things that are necessary for salvation are clearly taught in Scripture (the perspicuity of Scripture). But when it comes to matters that are less central, there are obscurities and mysteries.

(4) Theological perfectionism always causes disunity and dissension in the body of Christ. Of course, unity is founded on the truth of the gospel, and where the truth of the gospel is not agreed upon, there can be no true Christian unity. Nevertheless, there are matters not central to the truth of the gospel that have wrongly divided Christians. Often this happens because the two sides are afraid of the potential implications, theological or spiritual or practical, of some minor point. Instead of demonizing our opponents, we should try to believe that the Holy Spirit will restrain them from taking their error to what we fear to be its logical God-dishonoring conclusion."