Theological Humility

Steve Davis ran across these excellent comments by Douglas Moo on holding our doctrinal positions with grace and humility.

In his remarks on Romans 11:33-36 in the NIV Application Commentary series, Moo writes:

On this side of glory, all our theologizing is uncertain and tentative. Humility, willingness to listen, and respect for others are the appropriate attitudes for us finite creatures as we seek to plumb the depths of God’s character and truth.

He does not deny that there are plain truths in Scripture that we are to hold and defend without equivocation:

To be sure, God has graciously given us in his Word a revelation of himself and his plan that everyone can understand. The essence of what that Word says is clear and undebatable.

But Moo gives this crucial reminder:

The details are not always as clear as our theological traditions or denominational loyalties suggest. People holding views with more tenacity than Scripture justifies have done untold damage to the church and to the cause of Christ in the world.

That last statement deserves a repeat:

People holding views with more tenacity than Scripture justifies have done untold damage to the church and to the cause of Christ in the world.

Why be humble in contending for non-fundamental points of doctrine and practice?

Probably every one of us can name some scriptural doctrine that we view differently now than we did twenty years ago ... perhaps many of them.

Isn't it likely, then, that twenty years from now we will view in a different light certain doctrines we now hold and perhaps contend for?

And when we get to heaven, certainly all of us will have to do a quick overhaul of at least some of our convictions!

So humility is in order--not compromise, not waffling on fundamental truth, not a vapid ecumenicism--but gracious, godly humility.


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