“Educated Beyond Our Obedience”
I love that phrase. A friend used it recently in a blog post about the ways he’s growing accustomed to “doing church” in a brand new way. To paraphrase him, he wants to make sure that his and his family’s study is not aimed at only expanding their biblical education — not moving beyond a particular teaching until there is a plan and commitment to convert the teaching into obedience.
Reading about his experiences coincides with something I’ve been thinking about lately.
Every week we expect a preacher to deliver a multi-point sermon, we have Bible classes covering various topics or passages and then many people attend a small group that discusses another topic entirely.
Sermons, classes and groups may camp out for a while on a single theme by way of a series, but even then, by and large, week in and week out we’re hearing new material on several fronts.
Questions that come to mind:
- Is the volume of teaching hindering members from focusing long enough to plan for and practice obedience?
- What structures are in place that help members convert biblical teaching to obedience?
- Do we think we should have such structures, or should members be expected to do this on their own?
- Are we afraid focusing on one teaching for an extended period will be boring or beat a dead horse for some folks? Is that justified?
- What is the church leadership’s role in this question?
- What is the membership’s role in this question?
Are we educating beyond our obedience? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Good thoughts, Brice. I think you’re on to something. I’d love to read about how this gets played out in your church setting.
I’m reminded of that scene in the garden of Eden in Genesis 3. The serpent tempted the first humans with an opportunity to acquire more knowledge without having to obey the things God had revealed to them so far. Adam and Even chose to be educated beyond their obedience, believing the serpent’s lie that they would become like God in this way. Ironically, educating themselves beyond their obedience made them less like God.
More knowledge isn’t bad. When God told them not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it’s not like He had said, “I will never give you more knowledge.” But there is a kind of knowing that can only be obtained through obedience to the Creator.
I would argue that the devil (“serpent”) is pleased to see us gorging ourselves on more and more sermons, classes and bible studies if it means we’ll never get around to being like God.