People in church like to sound spiritual by saying, “I want to go deeper”. To me, this is the most over used and often overrated comment people make in church. Why do I say this? Because, more often than not, it means “Bible Study” and it reflects a person’s desire to be thought of as pious or spiritual. Yet, rather than throw this statement out, I want to reclaim and redefine it.
So what does “go deeper” mean to me? It means three things:
1. Going deeper into my commitment to God’s Church.
I can’t be committed to Jesus (the head) without being committed to the church (his body). Thus, I must love God’s people with the same fervor and passion that I have for Him. I can’t say I love and serve Jesus if I don’t also love and serve his Bride.
2. Going deeper into my commitment to the world.
The world is dying and lost without Jesus. If I am to “go deeper” I must dive deeper into the muck and mire of a broken world in order to reach people. Pontificating about theological mysteries doesn’t save people from Hell. Only the Holy Spirit, through passionate, loving evangelism can do that.
3. Going deeper into my commitment to being mastered by Christ.
I’m a work-in-progress, and the more God works on me, the more progress I realize I need. Continually working to allow Jesus to be Lord of my money, my attitudes, my eyes, my mind, and my words feels like a never-ending process. Thus, I must go deeper into submission to Jesus every single day.
Does Bible study play a part in these three commitments? Yes. Is Bible study enough by itself? No. Deepening knowledge is not enough, it must accompany deepening commitments!!
