You’ve heard it said, “It doesn’t matter what you believe so long as you are sincere with your beliefs”. The idea that ideology plus sincerity makes a belief true, good or helpful — is at best silly — and at worse destructive. You can sincerely believe two plus two is, 5 but that’s silly and obviously wrong. Hitler sincerely believed that Jews were subhuman and the source of problems in the world, but such a belief is not only wrong but unspeakably demonic and evil!!!

The Bible places a huge importance on belief and faith, why?

Below is a five-fold-perspective on why what you believe is important:

One, what you believe will fuel and inform your outlook on life – your decision making – your priorities – your choices – your lifestyle and the direction of your life and how you respond to the circumstances of your life!

Two, what you believe has consequences good, bad or ugly. Jesus identified what could be called “blessed beliefs” or “dead end beliefs!” A blessed belief would be for example, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” (Matt 5:6) A “dead end belief” would be what Jesus was referring to when He identified beliefs that led to the destruction of the Jerusalem saying,  “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!” (Lk 19:41-44) Their belief led them to a dead end and brought bad consequences.

Three, what you believe is like a “door”. It literally has the potential to bring realities into your life or shut them out. Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36). So depending upon what you believe will determine whether “everlasting life” enters the door of your life or whether it remains outside the door of your life. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” (John 6:47)

Four, what you believe will either be the result of intentional thinking or nonthinking. Many people form beliefs about God not because of intentional thinking but because they are parroting the ideas of others. Boiled down, you’ll either determine your beliefs or someone else will. Each of us have the moral responsibility to validate our own beliefs. And each of us will be ultimately responsible before God in what beliefs we held and what beliefs informed our lives.

Five, God commands that we take hold of the management of our mental processes that shape our beliefs. God calls for us to make a turning point in our life. He calls for a paradigm shift in our life! This paradigm shift is called “repentance!” In short, repentance means to change your mind which is the key to the blessed-beliefs of God! There needs to come a time in each of our lives that we choose to have our thinking shaped and changed by the Word of God. This will result in a change in our heart which will then result in a change in our lifestyle! The most important area that our thinking needs to change is accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord!

p.s. Please join us for a new teaching series called, “Credo” beginning Wednesday, January 4th, 2012. “Credo!” (Latin = “I believe!”). These studies will be in-depth on the subjects of Bible Doctrine and Christian Growth. Don’t miss it!