Holiness > Theological Knowledge

Your personal holiness will always be more important (and more impactful on others) than your theological knowledge.

To be clear, there does not need to be a dichotomy between theological knowledge, learning your Bible, and growing deeper in your understanding of godly things on the one hand, and personal holiness on the other. It is not a zero-sum game between the two, and you can work on both at the same time!

In addition, some basic theological understanding is necessary for salvation. You need to know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). You need to know there is no name under heaven by which people can be saved other than Jesus (Acts 4:12). You need to know you are sinful and that you need Jesus’ perfect sacrifice to cover your sins (Romans 3:23-24).

So you need some theological knowledge. And it is always helpful to grow in your knowledge of the Lord. In Titus 1:1 we see Paul giving the reason for writing the letter:

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness…”

Knowing God and his ways and commands helps us become more godly because we can (and need) to know what godliness looks like. And as Christians, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can both grow in our knowledge of God and work to live a life of holiness.

God is holy. He is perfect and set apart. For the Christian, growing in holiness is increasingly living in a way that flees from sin, represents Christ in our actions, and honors him. So, while growing in our understanding of God and who he is is important, it does take certain aptitudes and opportunities.

To grow in theological depth, you need to read more deeply; perhaps formal schooling is in order. Having a theological mentor could be helpful. Having access to good theological materials matters (be it books, videos, teachings, etc.). Having the time to dive deeper to study particular topics is also a must.

When it comes to holiness, however, anyone, regardless of education level, geographical location, spare time, or level of intelligence, can grow in this. A baseline theological understanding is needed — knowing who God is, what Jesus has done for us, and the commands and wisdom he wants us to live by — but you can grow in holiness without a deep intellectual understanding of all the things of God.

And this is great news! Because for the vast majority of us, the witness of our personal lives will be much more impactful than our theological aptitude. In addition, theological depth is no barrier to significant moral failure if it is not also coupled with a deep pursuit of personal holiness. Lives are wrecked by poor character and sinful choices. People are hurt when holiness is abandoned or ignored. You can know a lot of things about God, but if you are not pursuing a life with God, what does it matter?

Paul argues as much in 1 Corinthians 13 in his famous passage on the importance of love. In verse 2 we see:

“If I… understand all mysteries and all knowledge… but do not have love, I am nothing.”

Your personal holiness is more important than your theological knowledge.

I am not saying this as a pastor who is trying to make people who are not pastors, theologians, or biblical scholars feel better about the fact that others may know more about the Bible on an intellectual level than they do. I am saying this because it is true.

1 John 2:3-4 tells us:

“This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

We demonstrate our true knowledge of God by obeying him. You don’t have to know all the major views of the end times, the different theories of the atonement, the order of salvation and all the corresponding theological terms, or what TULIP stands for in order to live out the way of Jesus.

I am not saying it isn’t beneficial or helpful to know these things, but they are not what makes you holy. Training yourself for godliness (1 Timothy 4:7-8) is what matters more, and you can do that regardless of your education level.

People can be impressed by social media clips where someone persuasively articulates a biblical idea or why the Scriptures can be trusted (and these things are helpful!). But for most, real lasting impact comes when they see someone who genuinely knows the Lord and follows him. For most of us, we will not move people toward Jesus because of theological arguments, but by the story of how God rescued and changed us.

We cannot share the Gospel or invite someone to church without words. So we should use them and be able to articulate a basic understanding of what Christ has done for us, but the power behind our message won’t be our intellect; it will be whether or not our lives reflect the truth.

The power of our witness, then, is deeply connected to the holiness of our lives.

See what it says in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29:

“Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence. It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption— in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Theological knowledge matters. But it matters not if it doesn’t shape our lives.

Your personal holiness is more important than your theological knowledge. And all of us, no matter who we are or where we live or how much we may know, can grow in it.