Why do you belief — what you believe?

When listening to people in Christian circles, one will often hear and see so many different variations of what people are actually thinking. All of them are confessing to be Christians, but their lifestyles, traditions, and beliefs are vastly different. It’s understood and expected to be a few minor discrepancies concerning cosmetic issues, but some of their viewpoints are as opposing as night and day and are very deeply rooted — how can this be? For the most part, the Bible is the common denominator, which is the inspired word of God. This fact alone indicates there is a problem with the interpretation — and not with the text on the pages or intentions of the author. Let’s be pragmatic, born-again believers will assuredly have to justify their beliefs, because people say what they believe; Mat. 12:36, “… every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

In the church world there are a vast amount of discrepancies but some of the most heated and contested debates stem from the doctrines concerning the return of Christ and the application of salvation. In reference to the return of Christ, all of the differences are associated with the tribulation period, millennial period or the outpouring of wrath. In regard to doctrinal issues concerning salvation, there are also opposing viewpoints and even the synonymous viewpoints are categorized with different titles, such as: once saved—always saved, blessed assurance, and eternal security.

All of these discrepancies create an atmosphere of uncertainty, which is in direct contrast to the word of God; 1Co. 14:33, “… God is not the author of confusion…” When examining the root cause of all of this contention in the church, the culprit seems to be — a lack of original ideas based on scriptural reading. The majority of people doing the debating are repeating the doctrines that they have been taught. They have never formally studied a topic to form their own opinion about anything. Their proclivity is to merely accept the thoughts, ideas and suggestions purposed by other religious leaders. Choosing such a path can ultimately lead to a lack of respect and a lack of credibility; Mat. 15:14, “… blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” To put it mildly, these great debaters are not expressing their own opinions but are operating in a plagiaristic zone, due to the fact that they have borrowed someone else’s opinions and embracing it as their own.

The next time you are engaged in a conversation or even witness a conversation where there are opposing doctrinal views, stop and take a moment to ask yourself, what is my opinion concerning this matter? Then ask yourself another question, is my opinion based on my own study and research, or is my opinion a repetitive recital of a specific organization’s doctrines and bylaws? Once you honestly answer these two questions, the answers will emphatically reveal to you — why you believe — what you believe. Generally, people teach what they are taught. That being the case, please make sure that what you are taught is in agreement with the Commandments of God and not in alignment with the doctrines of men. Whatever it is that you believe, always substantiate it with scriptural support; otherwise you are standing on a slippery slope and destined for destruction, because what you believe is based on the beliefs of others.