I have recently been pondering the difference between saying “this is what I believe and it is based on the Bible”, and stating “this is what the Bible says and therefore this is what I believe”. My hope is that you also take time to ponder these two statements in relationship to how you live your lives. For today, my intention is to briefly distinguish between these statements, and then in future posts to elaborate more on the consequences of each of these declarations.
When someone notes that “what they believe is based on the Bible” (or quite frankly, any other foundation on what we base our lives), I think there is real danger in developing a belief system based on internal thoughts of how we want to live our lives or even how we think we should live our lives, and not necessarily based completely on the Bible. If we start with ourselves and what we think, or even if we adopt the thoughts of someone else as our own because it is something that sounds good and positive, or if it fits into what we want to believe about life or God, we become the standard bearer of what is right and true. For an internal standard is based on our own thinking and it is shaped by many factors, including our nature, upbringing, environment, life experiences, personality, and temperament. And if it is our standard, we can change that standard of what we believe or how we live based on our own whims and circumstances. Or even if we base our personal beliefs on a few Bible verses, we can interpret those Bible verses differently so that they are more compatible to our lifestyle, or we can even find different Bible verses that may be more comfortable to believe. And of course, we can always ignore those verses in the Bible we do not like. The reality is that if we start with our own beliefs, even if they are based on an external standard like the Bible, those beliefs and standards can be modified to allow us to believe whatever we like, and to be comfortable however we behave. For example, I can believe that I need to be honest based on the Bible, but when the store clerk makes a mistake and gives me too much change, I can adopt a new belief that I deserved that extra money because the store charges too much for their items. And to be honest, I could even find a verse or two in the Bible to justify keeping the extra change.
On the other hand, if we start with “this is what the Bible says and therefore this is what I believe”, it provides an external standard in which to live our lives, based on God’s Word. And that standard should not waiver based on our circumstances or whims, although our understanding and behavior may change based on our continual growth as a Christian and our deeper understanding of God’s Word. And we also need to understand that we can do nothing in our own strength (but these statements are for other discussions). So, if we start with the external standard of this is what the Bible says, we actually need to know what the Bible says beyond a cursory understanding, and that means ordering our lives around regularly reading and studying the Word of God. But beyond reading the Bible, we need to take what the Word of God says and believe it in our heart, for the heart is at the core of our very being. Then, if the Word of God is what we believe in our heart, it will be the standard for how we worship God, and how we order our lives and treat others, and for the decisions we make, and even how for we live each and every day we are here on Earth.
“My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom; incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He watches over the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness, justice, and integrity, and every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be delightful to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, to rescue you from the way of evil, from a person who speaks perverse things; From those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who delight in doing evil and rejoice in the perversity of evil; whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways; (Proverbs 1:1-6, NASB).