An underlying theme of this session was Theological Security.
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place between a place you’ve been and a place that you’re working towards and the things you simply don’t yet know or understand in between.
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place between a secondary position that you confidently hold and the value of someone else’s position that you curiously (and graciously) maintain as a valid possibility.
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place between two views or positions that you see as equally meritorious and have little interest in forming a strong stance on either way.
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place somewhere towards the center, albeit leaning to one side, of a tension that Scripture itself creates and that we aren’t actually intended to solve, such as with the Soteriologal tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.
Theological Security in any of these Middle Places isn’t rooted in either unsettledness nor in immovability.
Security isn’t frantic and fearful, but neither is it unteachable and incurious.
Confidence isn’t found in the “comfort” of no longer having any questions or of having solved every mystery.
We can’t find security in the belief that to find a position is to nullify the validity of other positions.
Security is found in being both settled and also peacefully searching.
This requires:
1️⃣ Humility
In everything secondary to the gospel itself, we have much to learn from each other and there should always be space to change our minds.
2️⃣ Investment
When we know that we’ve worked hard to be students of the heart of God (theologians), we can rest confidently not in having the answers but in God’s faithfulness to make use of our efforts.
3️⃣ Rest
We do the work of theologians but we also know that we are finite and that the One who is infinite has every answer and will perfect every one His plans, completing the good work He has begun in us.
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