I appreciate the emphasis on reading Scripture and seeking the Holy Spirit’s help. Every Christian should do that. However, I think this creates a false contrast between Scripture and theology that the Bible itself does not make.
Theological books are not automatically “high-sounding knowledge books with philosophical inferences.” Many are simply believers explaining what they understand the Bible to teach. If explaining Scripture through a book is wrong, then sermons, Bible studies, commentaries, and discipleship materials would also be problematic. The real issue is whether what is being taught is faithful to Scripture.
The apostles themselves did theology. Romans explains justification, Galatians explains law and grace, Hebrews explains Christ’s priesthood, and Ephesians explains the church. They did more than quote verses. They interpreted, connected, defended, and applied biblical truth.
Yes, the Holy Spirit gives understanding. Yet the same Holy Spirit also gave teachers to the church (Ephesians 4:11-12). God has always used human instruments to help His people grow. Timothy knew the Scriptures from childhood because he was taught by others, and Paul continued to instruct him throughout his ministry.
Church history also shows that many of the church’s greatest defenses against error came through careful theological study. The doctrines of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, justification by faith, and many other foundational truths were preserved because faithful believers studied Scripture deeply and wrote extensively about it.
I agree that information overload can be a problem. We live in an age where everyone has an opinion. But the solution is discernment, not disengagement from theological study. The answer is to test everything by Scripture and hold fast to what is true.
A healthy Christian life is not Bible versus theology, Scripture versus teachers, or the Holy Spirit versus study. It is reading Scripture, praying for illumination, learning from faithful teachers, and testing every teaching by God’s Word. Those things work together, and that is the pattern we see throughout Scripture.
Theological book are high sounding knowledge books with philosophical inferences. I would advise people to read the Bible more and pray that Holy Spirit helps with understanding. Paul prays for Christians to be filled with knowledge. And from a child thou art known the Holy Scr.