Why Beliefs Matter

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Over the past few years, I have gained a better, deeper, and broader understanding of who God is through the reading of His Word, prayer, listening to sermons, hearing lectures, and researching passages for the numerous papers I must write as Bible major. At the same time, I have endeavored to figure out what it all means and why the things I have been learning matter. In the last couple of years, as I have delved into the study of systematic theology and apologetics, I have come to realize even more just how important the core doctrines of Christianity are - not only in solidifying my own faith, but also in providing guidelines for interpreting Scripture, which, I believe, help to prevent me from misinterpreting God's Word and essentially maligning the name of God. What I mean by doctrines providing guidelines is that they provide a framework by which I approach Scripture. Every believer has some sort of framework or "lens" by which they read and understand God's Word, and I am no exception.

While I have occasionally been accused of blindly following "tradition," the fact of the matter is that those accusations really have no basis. Not only is my very nature skeptical in the first place (though I also hold tightly to beliefs that I have come to know are true), but I have been trained in my Bible classes at college to be skeptical of interpretations of Scripture and even doctrines until they have been proven either true or false through substantial evidence (and the personal conviction of the Holy Spirit!). The reality is that in the past four years, I have reviewed and evaluated each of my core beliefs about who God is and who I am and why that matters, and in the process, have even adjusted or altogether thrown out prior beliefs while adding new ones along the way. Have I taken the views of others into consideration? Certainly! To ignore what other believers have observed in their reading of Scripture is unwise, and only leads to one missing out on the gems of understanding that they bring to the table. However, at the same time, it is important to have a bit of a backbone when it comes to beliefs, even if some of those beliefs are held somewhat loosely, because one never knows when someone will come along whose habit involves twisting Scripture to fit his or her own agenda. After all, has that sort of thing not become a bit of a reoccurring theme throughout the history of the Church?

Having established a little of where I’m coming from, I will endeavor to explain, and perhaps even illustrate, why I think beliefs matter. Beliefs, in my observation, matter because they are the fundamental basis out of which each person lives. For example, if one believes in the intrinsic value of human life, then that person will act and speak in a way that is uplifting toward life – speaking out about abortion, human trafficking, and other human rights issues. That same person will also show respect and care for each person regardless of age, beauty, skin color, gender, or “disabilities.” In the same way, beliefs about who God is and who we are also affect the way we live and speak. If one believes that God is angry, vengeful and impersonal, he or she may act out in anger or vengence, or may choose to be indifferent toward others. If, however, we claim to love the Lord and to follow His Word, and our beliefs are rooted in biblical truths, our actions and attitudes will reflect a godly, biblical mindset. In keeping with the previous example, one who is a follower of Christ will be slow to anger and will deeply care about the needs of others.

So, there it is. Beliefs matter because they affect how we live, how we view reality, who we see God as, and a host of other things. The reason I hold to particular beliefs is that I have become convinced of their importance and my life has been made all the more rich because of them. That, of course, does not mean that I do not continually think through and evaluate each of my beliefs, adjusting them as necessary. However, it does mean that I view my beliefs as essential to my life and my relationship with God, and as a result, I take them seriously. Ultimately though, I know in Whom my beliefs, and hope is found.

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

~ On Christ, The Solid Rock I Stand by Edward Mote (Public Domain)