Thoughts from Ray Ortlund, Jr.

Ray Ortlund was one of my professors in seminary and is a man I esteem in many categories including teacher, pastor, husband and father. He recently posted some weekend thoughts that I have found challenging and helpful. These are the sort of deeply searching, application oriented sort of questions I need to confront myself with often that I might truly progress in being shaped by the gospel not only in my words but in the depths of my being.

Motive for Studying Theology

In preparing to teach our opening Sunday School class on systematic theology- on why such study of theology is important- I read the opening of J. L. Dagg’s Manual of Theology. I thought the opening paragraph was particularly good and wanted to pass it along:

“The study of religious truth ought to be undertaken and prosecuted from a sense of duty, and with a view to the improvement of the heart. When learned it ought not to be laid on the shelf, as an object of speculation; but it should be deposited deep in the heart, where its sanctifying power ought to be felt. To study theology, for the purpose of gratifying curiosity, or preparing for a profession, is an abuse or profanation of what ought to be regarded as most holy. To learn things pertaining to God, merely for the sake of amusement, or secular advantage, or to gratify the mere love of knowledge, is to treat the Most High with contempt” (13)

May we pursue our study of Scripture with this aim and teach our people to do so as well.

NB: I have searched sometime for a copy of this book and thought it out of print since it was not available at Amazon. However it is available from Sprinkle Publications which can be reached at 1-800-460-3573 (no website).