I think I am able to comment on this because I am personally well acquainted with intellectual pride and such. So this comes about myself as much as anyone else.
Intellectualism/Biblicism
In the other blog, they define Biblicism as “I know my Bible inside and out, but I do not let it master me. I have reduced the gospel to a mastery of biblical content and theology, so I am intolerant and critical of those with lesser knowledge.” This is a bad thing and might lead to a bad end of your faith or of a church that centers on it.
And we see that this is a pride that not only happens with studying the Bible, but with any intellectual pursuit. It is a temptation for all of us, but I think especially those in seminary. So what does Biblicism look like and how can you move away from it.
There are several results of Biblicism in the life of a Christian, these might sound familiar to you as they did to me:
- Us vs. Them - the us is everyone who agrees with you, the them is usually everyone else (even other Christians). You look down on other Christians because they do not REALLY study the Bible like you do.
- Negative spirit - no one has it all down like you do
- Dead End - Studying the Bible is your end not your means. The problem is that the Bible is meant to be a path to God (prayer and meditation are other spiritual disciplines for knowing God). The Bible is not the Ultimate, Jesus is the Ultimate. One must keep him in mind when you study or you are wasting your time.
- God is distant - you know about him, but you do not experience him. He is someone to learn about, like George Washington. And like George, you never get to know him personally.
- No Grace - there is no grace in Biblicism. You are earning your salvation by being smart enough. That is your work and it is just as legalistic as those who tried to combine keeping the law with grace in Galatians.
What to do about it: Pray. Here is an example. Also start letting the cross and grace permeate your life. Do not base your life on how much Bible you know. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Rely on the cross and rely on grace.
Prayer:
Lord, you were and are the most knowledgeable and intelligent being ever. You are the one who gave us our minds and our comprehension. By you Wisdom you created the earth and everything in it. You created the designs of nature, the intricacies of cells. You knew about strands of DNA before we could ever fathom such a thing. You also placed the stars in the skies and the planets in their orbit. And you care for your creation. When the birds calls out for food, they call to you and you provide. You are truly the God over all.
There is such a temptation Father to become proud when one becomes learned. But I know I must continually look to Jesus. He knew everything there is to know in the universe. But when he came down, he lived as a poor, homeless carpenter. He was certainly humbled. He spoke and many times no one listened. His family even thought he was crazy. Knowing all this I cannot hang on to my pride. In fact it is your word that teaches me that you oppose the proud and those who think themselves to be wise, but shine upon the humble.
With all this in mind, I reflect on your call to know you more. I know one path to know you is through your Word. What a gift you gave us with it. But this is not the end, because your word points to something outside itself. Therefore, knowing your word is not the end but the path. And the path is to know you more. I do want to know your word more, but not for the sake of becoming smarter than someone else. Instead I want to reflect on it more to know your character, to understand how you worked in the past, and then hopefully have the wisdom to understand how you are working in the present and will work in the future.
But Father when I learn, I want to always keep in mind that your word does not point to itself, but to you. It is to connect to you.
Father, may you also give me grace when I interact with others who likewise look to you for grace through your Son. I know just because we disagree that does not mean we are enemies. There is some basic level of family in the Greater Church. I do not want to throw that away because I think I know more about the Bible. I know that would hurt the kingdom and hurt you Lord Jesus. One part of the body calling another part trash. That is no way to follow you. I know Lord that reflecting on your work on the cross will keep us humble. I know reflecting on the grace you offer will keep us from becoming proud.
Lord, may you keep us humble, may you keep us in grace. We are not saved by works (good or bad) but by grace through faith.
Thank you Father for your Son and what he has done for us. Amen.
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