It involves a clear understanding of the personal God who has gone to incredible lengths to save and provide for His people. A personal relationship with God is essential, and this relationship involves a good deal of knowledge. A teacher needs to provide doctrinal foundations if he expects to promote good works. Bad theology produces bad works. A dismissal of the practical for the sake of the theological Some people delight so much in theological speculation and never make practical applications.
All good theology has practical application.
Paul wasn't writing to a bunch of professors. He was writing to Christians whose walk with God was not restricted to academic considerations. A teacher must make the connections between the theological and the practical. He is not to assume that if he throws out a bunch of interesting doctrinal assertions, people will figure out how to apply them themselves. And as noted above, the practical outworking of theological convictions takes place in the church, family and workplace as we interact with people.