Paul says that sometimes we can get off track.
"Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions." Paul from 1 Timothy 1:4-6
There is an academic bent to some folks that is healthy in almost every way except when they approach faith on a merely academic basis. Getting to know God personally is a heart or soul level matter not a dissection of spiritual things in a way that turns the study into merely a cold, mechanical theology. There is a true saying that's good theology leads to good doxology or worship--and good worship is connecting with God and loving Him back for the things that He has done for us. Coming up with a merely academic approach to Him usually ends up in meaningless discussion about some finer points that we actually can't fully know this side of heaven.
If Paul's instruction to believers was to "help them be filled with love coming from a pure heart and a clear conscience and a genuine faith" then that means we love the people around us the way Jesus did. That is when we really know Him. That is good theology lived out in the real world.
But some people have missed the whole point and instead try to put God in a box and try to cram other people into their box of their brand of theology and therefore spend their time debating in meaningless discussions that "don't help people live a life of faith in God" but instead turn them off.
Let's not get stuck in an academic, cold analysis of theology and God. Let's remember that it is about believers in Jesus being filled with His love that comes from a pure heart which comes from faith in our God and Saviour Jesus-- who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and then rose from the grave and ascended to heaven and is coming back again to be our King! The Gospel of His grace is what matters and equally important is the commission He left us in the mean time to tell as many people as we can of His love and salvation.
'Nuff Said
