I
have heard it said that “what you believe does not matter, but that it is what
you do that does. After all, when I go to heaven, will Jesus ask me whether I
believed in the atonement and other doctrines?” At first glance, this statement
appears to have some credence. However, this cannot be farther from the truth. Rather
than our beliefs being irrelevant to what we do, what we do is determined by
what we believe. Our actions demonstrate what we believe! Whether or not we
believe in the atonement of Christ will be evident in what we do. These doctrines
are not somehow detached as this person implies. Belief (pisteuó in biblical
Greek) can also be translated as commit or entrust. The authors of the Bible
understood that if one believes in something, that they would also show it in
their actions. Jesus’ commandment for us to “believe” echoes this. Therefore,
for example, to believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour would mean
that you would also live out that truth, and not contrary to it. Improper
belief, therefore, would lead necessarily to improper action.
To
put it simply, thoughts in our minds, whether emotive, instinctual, externally
influenced, or consciously synthesized, come before an action. Even what is
sub-conscious comes as a result of what we think. If I were to pick up a cup, I
would first have to decide to pick up the cup. I do not simply pick up the cup
first, then decide to do so afterwards. Rather, our thoughts, if brought to
fruition, are the “cause”, and what we do is the “effect” (relatively speaking).
Even in this simple act I must have some belief. In this case I would believe
that I am capable of picking up the cup. I would believe that, if I reach my
arm out towards the cup that I would have the necessary strength to lift it up.
I would trust in the physical constants around me, that they would not simply
change at random. This may be all well and good, but how does this relate to
proper beliefs being important and not merely the effect? What I have established here is that
regardless of what we do, our actions are grounded in specific beliefs. We cannot do anything without it first being
conceived in the mind, and what we conceive in our minds are determined by what
we believe to be true. I believe that I can pick up the cup, I visualize
how to do it specifically, and then I pick it up (regardless of how fast or
slow the process may be). We can then deduce that certain beliefs are required
before I can pick up the cup (other instances would be involuntary and, quite
likely, meaningless).
When
we extrapolate the concepts of belief, thought and action to a worldview, it
quickly becomes clear that certain constants emerge. If, for example, one
believes that pre-born babies are sub-human, they will be more likely to
support abortion. If one believes that they are human, they will be less
likely. In the cases where they do not follow-through with those beliefs would
be when others override them in importance or immediacy. What we believe in a specific instance, inclines us to a certain
action. What we believe as a worldview (the culmination of our beliefs)
determines how we will respond. In other words, if one believes that unborn
babies were human and still advocated an abortion, then, in the greater context
of their worldview, something else took precedence over the life of that baby.
The worldview as a whole has priorities, which determine which particular
belief will win over another when they come into conflict in a particular
instance.
Where
do we go from here? Is not belief meaningless so long as a desired result is
attained? To answer those questions one must ask: How is that “desired result”
determined, and how has that belief come to be meaningful and all of the others
meaningless? This notion is self-refuting. To have a desired result
demonstrates a certain belief; a belief that holds certain action over other
action. However, for that action to be an end in itself, irrespective of
belief, one must ascribe to the meaninglessness of all belief. In other words,
they are asserting, in effect, that there is no such thing as objective truth, and
that the person who determined the desired result has a preference. To believe
that belief is irrelevant so long as the desired result is attained is largely
synonymous with being only preferential with regard to vision, goals and
direction because there is no objective standard through which that desired
action can be determined. This kind of thinking can only be human in
orientation and only show one person’s preference over another’s. By making
that statement, one has demonstrated that the source of their beliefs is human.
If this is true, then how can such a statement be Christian? Such a statement
denies God as its source.
What About Particular Doctrines?
There
are three points that need to be hammered about proper belief:
1.
Belief gives a context for relationship
2.
Belief is a covenant
3.
Belief is a guide and anchor
Belief
gives a context for relationship. Think about it. Christians believe that God
is holy. That holiness (separateness from evil) entails certain requirements
for reconciliation with Him. The same is true of God being loving. If God is
loving, we can know that God is interested in our lives. And the list of
beliefs continue until they give us a context for knowing God, much the same as
a wife learning about her husband. If I never believed anything about my wife
or if I can believe anything that I want about her, do you think that we would
have much of a relationship? Our relationship would be non-existent. Rather, I
learn about her likes and dislikes. I learn about her life, what matters to
her, and seek to get to know her for who she is. The same is true of our
beliefs about God. There are right and wrong beliefs with God as there are with
my wife. What I believe, whether right or wrong, about my wife sets the precedent
for our relationship, as it does also with God. Belief makes relationships
possible, proper belief enables them to thrive.
Belief
is a covenant. Belief is like a contract between individuals. While not all
beliefs require covenant/contracts, one cannot have authentic agreements or
contracts without proper belief. My wife and I have made a covenant of
marriage. Remember that proper belief entails living it out. My wife and I
believe specifically in that covenant that we have become one, that we are to
be married for as long as we both shall live, and that we possess each other in
loyalty. Without these beliefs, our marriage could not happen. I could not
simply believe anything that I want about our marriage and expect that to make
no difference to it. The same is true of God and any legally binding document.
When we give our lives to Him, we do just that. When we say that we will follow
and abide in Christ (sanctification), as He enables, when we are converted, we
make a covenant with God. As with any covenant or contract, there are very
specific conditions; conditions, especially with God, that remain the same
irrespective of our belief. To have improper belief here, as it would entail
action, would be the same as breaking the contract or covenant. Specifics
matter.
Belief
is a guide and anchor. As with any set of believed instructions or framework
for understanding reality, what we believe guides and grounds us. Belief helps
ensure proper action, provides the context for that action, and offers
direction, goals and a vision. Proper belief as a guide and anchor enables proper
discernment to be possible. After all, without truth there can be no discernment
between truth and error (i.e. no way to tell if one is deviating from the
destination on a map). Improper beliefs are either aimless or lead into another
direction that is not of the truth. If Jesus is the Saviour and Lord of our
lives, then His Lordship will be our guide, and our most fundamental beliefs
will be grounded in Him. Christ gives us specific vision, direction,
instructions, and a framework for understanding reality. Anything else would be
a deviation from Christ, regardless of one’s intentions. To its contrary, should
we advocate a Christianity that is directionless, goalless and visionless? A
Christianity that is bereft of any objective input from God? Shall we then be
God’s arbiter? God forbid! This would be a denial of everything that makes
Christianity Christian. To forsake Christ and His Word as our guide and anchor
is no different from suggesting that we maintain an “uncertainty” in regards to
His words. What a useful guide that would be! Indeed, this is a false humility.
The Apostle Paul called people like this “children” when he instructed, “That
we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into
him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15). The
Hebrews also fell victim to this and were instructed, “For when for the time
you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the
first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
milk, and not of strong meat” (Hebrews 5:12). This is where that false humility
leads. Indeed, no one can say that the disciples and early apostles found
“humility” in lacking certain conviction of Christian truths. Quite the
opposite. They taught them with utmost conviction and certainty. That is not to
say that we can never be wrong, but that we always refine and reform our
beliefs to the Bible that reflects our guide and anchor. The Bible is plain,
and our assurance is clear. Therefore, “study to show yourself approved unto
God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
In
summary, our actions demonstrate what we believe. Improper belief leads to
improper action, and proper belief leads to proper action. What we conceive in
our minds to do is determined by what we believe to be true. What we believe in
a specific instance inclines us to a certain action. What we believe as a
worldview (the culmination of our beliefs) determines how we will respond. To
hold that belief is meaningless so long as a desired result is attained denies
God as its source and is self-refuting. Belief makes relationships possible,
proper belief enables them to thrive. Belief is a covenant and, much the same
as any legal document, is very specific. Belief is a guide and anchor, with
which one derives their meaning, purpose, vision, and where discernment becomes
possible. We are either going the right way or the wrong way. Proper belief
enables proper action. We cannot follow God without it, we cannot know Him
without it, we cannot hear Him without it, we cannot obey Him without it, and we
cannot discern truth from error without it. In this, we must agree with Christ
and the Apostles that doctrine matters and what we believe matters with an
utmost importance. May we never downplay this.
As
a final word, let us echo Christ when He said “to those Jews which believed on
him, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
