SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE:

“The Bible tells me so” doesn’t cut it anymore.

Don’t get me wrong: I still hold the Scriptures as the ultimate authority in my life; but merely quoting it is not a way to live. Modernism made our culture a very book-minded, scholarly people.

We love information, statistics, data — “Jeopardy!” Those who sit in pews are the same. Our seminaries became more words-focused than message-focused. Our attention turned to apologetics, defending our faith.

The thinking became that the Christ-life is rational, and if you just understood, you would rationally choose to “believe” Jesus. We even began calling ourselves “believers.”

The modern era reduced the Christ-life to the mere capability of regurgitating verses from Scripture — “the Bible tells me so” — but nothing more. We got very good at quoting Scripture as if that were enough to change someone else’s life. Street-corner preachers shouted the words of God as if hearing were enough.

There are several problems with this viewpoint. Scripture itself warns that belief alone is not sufficient.

Jesus’ little brother, James, wrote, “The demons believe, and they tremble.” The implication is that belief without actions that follow are just as damning as unbelief.

Jesus’ greatest adversaries were the highly religious people who could quote Scripture to the smallest detail. Their “belief,” however, had not made them loving, humble God representatives.

We no longer live in a society that values facts and knowledge as the bottom line, and “believers” are in trouble.

Many people have said the way of Jesus finally made sense once someone stopped quoting Scripture long enough to listen to them and explain what those ancient words mean — or showed them through actions.

St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.” Yes, the Bible is our authority, but we have to stop thinking that hitting someone on the head with it will save them.

RIC OLSEN is the lead pastor of the Beacon church, which has joined forces with Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa. The Beacon plans to relaunch at a new location in Orange in March.