By 
I’ve used the same devotional, cover to cover, for the last 10 years. It’s a very frayed, written in, dog-eared copy of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Every day’s devotion is full of my markings, where I underlined or circled segments that impacted me each year before. Printed on the August 16th page was a sentence that jumped out at me this year. In fact, it practically leapt off the page, making me catch my breath:
“A person’s soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him.”
—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, August 16
Can “knowledge of doctrine” ever be bad?
I have a hunger for as much knowledge about God as I can get. That is what drew me to study theology and why I am a Womenary student. Womenary has been nothing short of life changing for me and my faith. I have learned irreplaceable truths through the study of theology that I personally apply to my Christian walk every single day. Simply saying that I have learned a lot is an understatement.
So I asked myself, while studying doctrine, have I ever felt like I was “avoiding intimate touch” with God? It is possible that I have.
On occasion I have felt “stuck”, for months, in a deep cautiousness that stemmed from great respect for correct doctrine and interpretation. At times it was distracting; for example, not being able to quickly enjoy a “verse of the day” or a single verse on a plaque on the wall.
I know that to accurately engage with Scripture I should read the whole context, get out my hermeneutical tools, define words in the Greek or Hebrew, really spend some time pulling apart the verses and studying them. And only then should I apply God’s meaning to myself or others. I need at least an hour! Where are my Bible maps!?
I was “stuck” in the habit of analyzing critically and deeply before enjoying.
Don’t misunderstand, these are very valuable skill sets to have; but we must remember to “toggle” in and out when appropriate.
An article I read lately in Christianity Today magazine describes one man who experienced feeling “stuck” like this:
“We start to wonder: doesn’t the idea of reading one little chapter this morning encourage an atomized ‘thought for the day’ when the whole point is the one large story that tells about God in Jesus Christ?”
—Christianity Today, March 2019, Ted Olsen.
I was unknowingly experiencing “substitution”.
Substitution is a well-documented possibility when someone spends more time studying about God, than actually spending time with God:
“…substituting intellectualism for heart felt faith… That is, they succumb to the temptation to substitute reading books about the biblical witness for reading the witness itself. Or they allow themselves to substitute concepts about God for knowing the living God who was present in their life.”
—Who Needs Theology? An Invitation to the Study of God by Grenz & Olson
Substitution can also happen in reverse, when we ignore intentional study and learning.
Relying on mountain top experiences, wanting to be spoon fed Truth, or believing how the culture defines things, are all types of substitution:
“Christians frequently exchange the nourishing truths of God’s Word for ‘sweeter’ substitutes. Particularly when life wears thin, we can lean on half-truths about our own resilience rather than on reminders of God’s sovereignty and sufficiency.”
—Gospel Coalition, Stop Eating Spiritual Candy, Feb 25, 2019 by Amy Gannett https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/topics/god-our-refuge/
I believe the words of Jesus, don’t you?
Jesus said to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30, CSB, emphasis mine). Using our heart, soul, mind, and strength is how He instructs us to love God. This instruction can be found repeated by Jesus in Matthew 22:35-40 and Luke 10:25-28.
In my hyper-organized brain, heart, soul, mind, and strength divide themselves nicely into two categories. To me, heart and soul are things that create adoration and personal intimacy with God. Mind and strength are the vehicles for studying and learning about God and His ways, with purpose.
Substitution occurs when we begin to rely more heavily on one category or the other. A healthy Christian walk has to include a careful balance of all of the above. Jesus didn’t say to love Him with our heart OR soul OR mind OR strength. He did not instruct us to rely heavily on those mountain top, blind faith feelings we get from heart/soul intimacy while ignoring the understanding of God and His ways from devoted mind/strength study.
How can we recognize substitution in our lives?
Have you neglected learning about the deeper things of God, neglected feeding the mind/strength side of your faith? If so, I believe Womenary is the best place to engage in intentional, academic study of God and His ways, and guard against extreme heart/soul substitution.
Have you neglected the heart/soul side of your faith? I believe spending intentional time in God’s Word, remembering daily prayer, and maintaining a fellowship with other believers are the best ways to replenish and guard ourselves from extreme mind/strength substitution.
So, I challenge you to a little self-examination:
Have you ever dismissed a simple verse on a calendar or plaque because you know Scripture is best read and understood in full context and you don’t have time for that right now?
Have you ever bought a plaque or a bracelet with a verse on it just because you like how the verse sounds but really don’t know the context of it?
Have you ever let your understanding of God’s sovereignty over your life keep you from praying?
Have you ever sought out the next praise song “fix” at a conference or concert?
Have you glossed over the latest popular group Bible study believing it won’t be “on your level”?
Do you ever blindly gravitate to the most popular Bible study leader or Christian fad because everyone else is doing it?
Have you ever gasped and rolled your eyes in disgust, intentionally disengaging with popular culture to protect your mind from the half-truths that are everywhere?
Have you ever allowed yourself (or your faith) to be comforted or shaped by clever, popular, touching Instagram posts without first going to Scripture for answers and guidance?
The sweet spot occurs when we purposely maintain BALANCE in the middle: engaging with our faith using heart/soul intimacy and mind/strengths skills, by allowing the one to help enrich the other; or as God puts it: apply your heart to my knowledge (Proverbs 22:17, ESV). These previous examples have elements of truth and necessity to all of them; however, they lean to the extreme and can help us recognize the danger of substitution in our lives. Oswald Chambers is saying, knowledge of Doctrine can be dangerous when that is all you have:
Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you. Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge, to make you know what is right and true, that you give a true answer to those who sent you?
—Proverbs 22:17-21, ESV
Love Him well sweet sister. Strive for the balance in His instruction and use your heart, soul, mind and strength.
Emily Smith
As Womenary's Administrative Director, Emily Smith assists the Executive Director, manages marketing and media, and other various administrative tasks. This includes helping with classes, managing Social Media accounts, managing graphic creation and the website, creating web forms, overseeing the blog, assisting students and professors as well as various other digital duties.
Emily became a Womenary student in 2011, joined the Board of Directors in 2015, then transitioned to the staff position of Administrative Director in 2016.
Emily and her husband are active in their local church, enjoy the outdoors and spending time with their 2 adult children and their families.
You can contact Emily at media@Womenary.com. 
