In this video, Dr. Michael Reeves discusses right and wrong motivation when studying the Bible and theology.
It is possible to study theology and to study the Bible with a wrong motivation. And we see this in John 5:39, where Jesus speaks to Jewish leaders and Pharisees, and He says, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that you have life in them, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.” And so, it is possible to study the Scriptures and study theology and not come to Jesus for life, but to think that there is life to be had in the mere growth in intellectual knowledge.
Now, what Jesus went on to say was deeply revealing that the reason the Pharisees and Jewish leaders studied like that was because of their search for glory. So, He says in John 5:44, just a few verses later, He says, “How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not receive the glory that comes from God?” In other words, their motivation for studying was to receive glory from others. And that’s why Jesus said they do all they do to be seen by others. They love to be called rabbi. They love to be seen as masters of the text and that’s why they studied. They did all their study because they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.
And so, the key question to ask yourself when trying to discern your motivation in study is this: Which glory are you seeking in this? Are you seeking to grow in your expertise and knowledge so that people admire you?—In which case you’re doing it for the glory of men.—Or are you seeking to do this for the glory of God? Is God becoming more beautiful, more desirable, more treasured by you? So, ask yourself this when you are dealing with your motivation in study: Who increases? John the Baptist said: “I must decrease. He—the Lamb of God—must increase.” So, who increases when you study theology, is it you or is it God? Did God become greater in your eyes?
And if you do discern that your study could be for the wrong motivation know this, Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” You are actually not even growing in knowledge if you don’t bow down in adoring worship, in fear before the Lord. It is that adoration of Him that is the beginning of true knowledge because the living God is so wonderful He cannot be known without being adored.