Once upon a time, I was a member of a cult.

No, you won’t find a documentary about it currently streaming on Netflix and the leader’s name wasn’t Jim, Charles, or David.

But, it was a cult nonetheless. Ruled by fear; driven by control; with stringent obedience required.

And, like most cults, we engaged in a lot of Bible study.

Actually, one of the greatest anomalies and most colossal dysfunctions was how we could invest so much time in studying the Scriptures and yet looked less like Jesus with every passing day.

How could that be?

Simply put, religion can be a terrible thing when we exchange the internal working of the Holy Spirit with outward compliance to legalities (which is exactly what we did).

It can move people to have a form of godliness without having a real relationship with God.

It can harden a person as they conform to standards and rules but ignore the Lover of their heart and soul.

It brings out the very worst in people as they strive to maintain the letter of the law while paying periodic lip service to the finished work done on the Cross.

I know because that’s what it did to me.

And, it doesn’t require membership to a cult to find yourself entangled in this religious snare.

Incredibly, Jesus spoke of this very truth when He was interacting with the religious Jews of His day.

“You pour over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about Me. But you are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40 CSB)

If Jesus isn’t Who we love first and run after continually, then “pouring over” the Scriptures can yield dangerous repercussions – cultivating a religious arrogance in us instead of a producing a surrendered, humble transformation of our lives.

We can become tempted to wield our religious knowledge around in a manner that pushes people far from Christ instead of letting it mold us to be more usable vessels for God who graciously exude kindness, mercy, and love.  

In other words, Bible studies won’t ever transform us. Only Jesus can do that.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting we stop reading our Bibles altogether. I’m simply noting that our reading should never be done at the exchange of a relationship with God first and foremost.

Only then, will our reading be effective in changing our lives so that we, as Christ-followers, can positively impact the world.

Until next time, Grace and Glory!