Living the Call of Christ Faithfully

From Migliore, Daniel. Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. p.13.

“What bearing does the gospel have on the everyday decisions and actions of the community of faith and its individual members? What patterns of our own life, what institutional structures that we may have long taken for granted, must now be called in question by the gospel? What structures of evil must be named and challenged if the gospel is to have any concrete impact on human life in the present? Where can we discern the signs of new beginnings in a world marked by terror, apathy, and injustice?

All these questions presupposes an inseparable bond between our trust in God’s grace and our call to God’s service. The gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims God’s gift of forgiveness, reconciliation, freedom, and new life. But the gift of God enables and commands our free, glad, and courageous discipleship. Theology and ethics are thus conjoined. As James Cone writes, “Theological concepts have meaning only as they are translated into theological praxis, that is, the Church living in the world on the basis of what it proclaims.” True faith works through love (Gal 5:6). We cannot seriously receive God’s gift of new life without asking equally seriously what God commands us to do. Theology exists to remind us of God's gift and command, and thus keep alive the question: What would it mean for us personally and corporately to bear a faithful and concrete witness to the crucified and risen Lord in our world today?”


The above statement is like water to parched lips. As I am part way through my seventh straight year of biblical education, which I am grateful for, I find that I sometimes lack the motivation and focus I should have in intently studying God’s Word. I don’t know if it is burnout or the desire to finally enter “full-time” ministry rather than trying to balance work, school, and ministry all at once. Either way, quotes like the one above have been a wellspring to my theological studies. Specifically, this quote from Migliore refocuses my understanding of theology and reenergizes my passion to study these important questions. I’ve realized that theology cannot be done in a vacuum and for Migliore to bring the study of theology to such an important, serious, yet practical level is refreshing. Migliore helps refocus my theological study because I can get bogged down in the complications and intricacies of my faith that I do not understand. He also reinvigorates my theological study as well because I have often been left yearning for practical intersection between my theological education and my Christian life. The above paragraphs have inspired and refocused me this morning. I pray that they will be an aid to you as well.

by Mark Hershey