Public discussion of much Protestant theology contains so many high-level intellectual ingredients one could lose the central message, that the critical component of becoming a Christian and living the life of a Christian, is the 'Heart'.
In contrast, I points to the numerous Scriptures that speak of a simpler message, and there is none more poignant than the Apostle Paul's core teaching of the Gospel than in his letter to the Romans, in Chapter 10:
The 9th verse says - 'That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.'
I pose two questions which relate directly to this matter of the heart.
First, why might this central issue of Christianity, 'the heart', become so marginalised in recent Protestant theological discussion? and
Second, what actions might be available to return the focus of Protestant theological discussion on 'the heart'?
To the first question I wonder if some Protestant theologians feel the need to be 'seen' to be relevant to the world.
When issues like climate change, the environment and political correctness set the agenda, some Protestant theologians publicly justify their position with respect to these issues. I wonder if it takes such enormous emotional and intellectual energy that it exhausts their spiritual resources.
Personally, after having to cope with intense stress in his own life, I now find that there are only so many hours in a day, so that prioritising becomes the critical strategy.
Sometimes the core Gospel proclamation has been so inundated with a swathe of such fashionable political issues, that the 'lost' become the marginalised, and are in danger of not hearing the message of being 'saved' by the very people who should be able to help them.
In other words, I sense that what Jesus Himself described as 'the world' has set the agendas and some Protestant theologians have fallen for this, hook line and sinker. Instead, I advocate a return to the simple message of addressing people's beliefs within their own hearts.
This leads to the second question, addressing the problem of how to realign and refocus on the 'lost' and follow the clear command of the Great Commission Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew Chapter 27.
The emphasis the entire New Testament provides its readers is that of the Heart. Therefore the answer to the second question must in some way be associated with preaching, teaching and reflecting on this central theme.
Recently, listening to Romans 10 being read on a video I was strangely alerted to this theme.
As an avid reader of things theological, the reading impacted me like a thunder bolt. The constant missing ingredient is 'the Heart'. Without the Heart there is nothing, no substance, for it is the Heart that is spoken into by the Holy Spirit and moreover, Christ becomes alive and fresh for the believer through the Heart.
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Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson’s Press Service International in 2019 was awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association’s premier award, The Gutenberg.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children
