The Goal of Bible Teaching

In Sunday’s message I took some time to talk about a subject that I believe is vital to the life and future of the church–the nature of spiritual truth. I said that right doctrine or teaching does not necessarily lead to right living. To put it another way – Accurate knowledge of the Bible does not guarantee that we will display the character of Christ. I’ve listed some Scriptures below to help you see this truth as it is found throughout the New Testament.

“. . .knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” (I Corinthians 8:1, NIV)

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40, ESV)

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, (Gal. 4:19, NKJV)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NKJV)

“. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17, ESV)

I see two distinct and opposite errors in many churches today. The first is simply basic humanism. That is, the belief that man is the measure of all things. Humanism always leads to a lack of reverence for God’s Word and its’ power to change lives. This is behind the movement of many emerging churches who have left what amounts to two millennia of orthodox teaching. The second error I see in many churches today is bibliolatry. Teaching ministries that succumb to this error emphasize right doctrine and historic orthodoxy, but these things become an end in themselves. They fall short of leading people to the life that Jesus clearly teaches is found only in him. Churches that commit this error mistake the formation of knowledge in disciples for the formation of the life of Christ. The Word never becomes flesh in their people. They are full of truth, but lacking grace. This is a subtle error and one that I have been guilty of as a pastor. It’s very difficult to see, because most who fall into this error are committed, sincere students of Scripture, as I believe the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day were. Unfortunately it is an error that causes us to take, rather than give the life of Christ. Could this be part of the reason for the backlash Christianity has experienced in various nations over the centuries? It’s something to think about.

Let’s keep our focus on the goal of Bible teaching – “the knowledge of Christ.” (Ephesians 1:17) “Knowledge” here means “recognition”, or “knowing”. That’s what the study of God’s Word should produce in our lives – the recognition of the person, character, and heart of Jesus. That’s my prayer for SIBC as we passionately pursue our groom, Jesus Christ. Let’s be serious about the study of His Word, and let’s allow it to accomplish the purpose for which it was given. Let’s never allow the means to become the end.

Pastor Dan