Is it time to put a warning label sticker on Bible studies, apologetics books, and seminary degrees?

“WARNING: This resource may damage your relationship with God and other people.”

These resources can provide excellent Biblical content in an engaging format.

But what happens when you keep learning more information without applying it for the benefit of another person?

As the KJV translates 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Knowledge puffeth up.”

For instance, I’ve often been reminded by my dear friends at church that apologists are not known for their humility. Ouch. But isn’t it sometimes…. accurate?

Yet the truth is a gift from God!

When we know the truth, we are empowered to know God. To understand ourselves. To see reality as it is. To build relationships with other image-bearers. To flourish in our vocations.

We are even wired for the truth because God made us to know him. We are thirsty to know what is real.

So here’s the problem: We need the truth, but too often the cost of gaining it is that we harden our hearts to God.

As I once heard someone say, “a hard heart is over-exposed and under-responsive to the truth.”

There are so many ways to try and get around this: We buy another study Bible. We switch churches. We listen to a new worship album. We find a different Christian speaker who can lift our emotions again. We go to a conference to get “recharged.”

But rotating how and when and where we consume Christian content doesn’t fix the problem.

So what’s the alternative?

We can start by looking at the early church. Hebrews 13:7 tells us, “Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.”

The early church found a way to hear God’s truth without developing hard hearts. So if we want the same outcome of bright faithfulness to God, we should imitate their faith.

Unfortunately, you might not like their method…

But let me ask you: is the current method of Christianity working?

Are we developing inspiring examples of Christian faithfulness?

Or are we seeing shallow religious consumption tied to mega Christian brands that continue to implode with scandals?

You might say, well, they aren’t serious about their faith. Hillsong is light Christian pop, I get why they have problems. Less reverb, more organ. See, if we were serious Christians, we could avoid this problem.

I don’t think so.

Isn’t John MacArthur lauded as a “serious” Bible teacher? Mark Driscoll? James MacDonald? Bethlehem Baptist? RZIM?

We’re seeing scandal after scandal after scandal.

So how did the early church do it?

William Bixler shares this insight into their way of life:

The early church's theology of martyrdom was born not in synods or councils, but in sunlit, blood-drenched coliseums and catacombs, dark and still as death. The word martyr means "witness" and is used as such throughout the New Testament. However, as the Roman Empire became increasingly hostile toward Christianity, the distinctions between witnessing and suffering became blurred and finally nonexistent.

Wow. No difference between “witnessing” and “suffering”?

I know what you’re thinking. Carson, isn’t that a bit extreme? Really, die in a coliseum for Jesus? I don’t think so…

But where does truth lead?

Does truth lead to… Comfort? Power? Status? Wealth? Fame?

It can. Knowledge is power. If you learn enough Bible, it can benefit your social life at many churches.

But in the Scriptures, we see that God’s gift of truth is bound together with love.

For instance, how does God introduce his name and identity to Moses?

The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth… (Exodus 34:6)

In the very nature of God, love and truth abound together.

And how do we learn to glorify God? The Psalmist tells us:

Not to us, LORD, not to us,

but to your name give glory

because of your faithful love, because of your truth (Psalm 115).

By contrast, this Psalm teaches us idols are a lie that do nothing (Psalm 115:2-8).

May I tenderly suggest to you that this includes the Idol of Knowledge, even the Idol of Theological Knowledge or the Idol of Apologetics?

So what does it look like?

Consider with me 1 Peter 1:22-23,

Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.

In this passage, Peter beautifully brings together truth and love.

The truth of the gospel message, as revealed throughout the living and enduring word of God, has born fruit.

The disciples responded to the truth by purifying themselves, obedience, and sincere, constant, ongoing brotherly love.

Why? Because they know - intellectually and experientially - the truth that God loves them. The living and enduring word of God - which is eternally true - is a seed that bears fruit. What fruit does God’s truth bear? Holiness and love.

Three tests

I want to invite you to examine yourself — and the sources of truth you allow into your life.

1. When I engage with this resource, does it lead me to purify myself?

2. When I engage this resource, do I grow in my obedience to God?

3. When I engage this resource, do I sincerely love others?

And if a Bible study, a cool Christian website, or an apologetics book doesn’t enable those outcomes, then maybe it does need a warning label attached to it!

Because if the study of truth doesn’t lead to love, then we have separated what is joined together in the very nature of God.