A Subtle Blasphemy

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” —Isaiah 40:8, NIV

I can see the value in the multitude of courses, curriculums, studies, workshops, conferences, books, and sermons that talk around the Scriptures. But in the end, all of those things (and their writers, speakers, and promoters) pass off the scene to be replaced by others. Popularity wanes. The cost of keeping up with all the latest fads in hot new programs gets excessive. Someone invests a new “mousetrap” and we rush off to see if the “cheese” appeals to us—at least until a new “mousetrap” comes along.

And what remains?

That very thing we so often only give a passing nod to in our rush for more information and wisdom, beckons us from beneath the pile of all the pseudo-smarts of modern thinking that we have accumulated.

We should have seen the red flag years ago. If you offer the latest in courses or studies, especially if those courses or studies have to do with self-help, you will likely draw a decent crowd. If you offer a Bible Study that is just that—a Bible and a verse by verse exposition of a passage, few will turn up. You see, we have subtly communicated that the Bible is only relevant when used as an illustration to accompany the latest human brainwave.

Learn to plant churches by studying the Book of Acts? Impossible! Discover how to be a great leader by looking at the lives of Paul, Peter, Moses, Elijah? Not a chance. Practice meditation and stress-relief by focusing on the Psalms? Not going to happen! Find out about healthy eating from Daniel? You’ve got to be kidding! How about learning how to handle money from Malachi? Who’s he?

The timeless truths of the Scripture will never change even though fads come and go. The Word of God never fails even when everything else does and someone has to come up with a new gimmick.

Is there value in the abundance of human wisdom that bombards us at every turn? In some of it there is—but never as a replacement for the invaluable Word of God, which is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.

Giving a passing nod to God as a footnote to our own “brilliant” thoughts is as much blasphemy as declaring that He doesn’t exist. God, and His Word, will still be here long after we are gone.