Bill Johnson,the leader of Bethel Church in Redding, California, highlight that “knowledge by itself can be dangerous” when it does not lead us into a deeper relationship with God. He went further to points out that Scripture warns that “knowledge puffs up,” explaining that simply gathering information can sometimes equip a person only to argue with someone who does not agree with them.
Johnson emphasizes that the purpose of Scripture (The Bible) is not only merely to help us “get the facts down” or have all the right information we needed. Instead, Scripture should become a launching pad that leads us to an encounter with the Person it reveals about,(God).
He refers to the words of Jesus in John 5, where Jesus said, “You search the scriptures because you think in them is eternal life. But these testify me and you’re not willing to come to me.” Johnson uses this passage to show that it is possible to study Scripture extensively while missing its ultimate purpose.
According to Johnson, there were people who wanted to know the facts and understand the Scriptures correctly, but they failed to use Scripture as a pathway toward an encounter with Jesus. Their knowledge remained information rather than becoming a relationship.
The central message here is simple: it’s always about the Person. Scripture points us toward Jesus, and biblical knowledge should ultimately draw us closer to Him. The goal is not simply to know more, win arguments, or possess information, but to allow the Word of God to lead us into an encounter with Christ.
His Words;
Knowledge by itself is dangerous. Scripture warns, knowledge puffs up. It just equips me to argue with somebody who doesn’t agree. If the scriptures take me to the person. That’s great. Yeah. Jesus said that in John 5. He said, you search the scriptures because you think in them is eternal life. But these testify me and you’re not willing to come to me.
So there was a whole group of people that was trying to get the facts down, get all the right information down. But they didn’t want to use the scripture as a launching pad to an encounter with the person. It’s always about the person.
