We think we do. We have studied a topic or a passage for years and have held to one standard for years. But one day, we may see something that we have never seen before. And Biblically, we see that it completely changes what we have believed.
What do we do in this situation? Do we change everything that we believe based on this one passage? As the New Year, 2018, approaches, I believe that there are several steps that we must take when faced with this predicament.
1. We must act humbly.
What do we mean when we say act humbly? Well, this is more about what we should not do than what we should do. This is about pride.
When I was a freshman at Pensacola Christian College, I took the basic speech class. In this class, we had to memorize what was called the effective speaker principles. These 10 principles were to help us learn to be more effective in our speaking. The sixth principle was this: "The effective speaker reads and listens with discrimination, neither blindly accepting the ideas of others nor stubbornly refusing to consider opinions opposed to his own."
When you think about this principle, it is all about pride and applies to every part of our lives. We should not pass someone's ideas off as rubbish because we feel we are over them in rank, skill, or study. We should not ignore an idea because our noble tradition has never considered this before. Rather our actions must be humble, so as not to turn off other people to the gospel. This pride in our lives can be a stumbling block to some people who would otherwise accept the truth of the Word of God.
Even when expressing our previously held opinions, we must act in a way that is humble. There have been multiple times in my experiences where I have been genuinely interested in a topic brought by a preacher. I am ashamed to say that their pride in their teaching turned me off to them. I lost the point of their teaching because their character did not reflect it. And any person can be guilty of this, from the pastor of a large mega-church to the local pastor of the First Baptist Church in Smalltown, USA.
2. We must study thoroughly.
What must any person do when confronted with a problem? He should study it. Sure there are some situations when this is not fully possible- when a decision must be made immediately. But when we have the time, which we do with most decisions, we must thoroughly study through our problems, discussions, and questions.
We have a strong Biblical example of this. Acts 17:10-12 takes us into the middle of one of Paul's missionary journeys. On this journey, he went from Thessalonica to Berea. There, he taught from the Scriptures to this city. This was the people's response: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few (Acts 17:11-12)."
Not only did these people receive what they had been taught, they studied it out. They made sure that what they had been taught from the Scriptures was true according to the Scriptures. They did not take one man's word for it. They studied for themselves what the Bible said.
3. We must live submissively.
When we hear the word submission, we often don't think of it in a positive way. We think of slavery and bondage. We think of the oppression that was enforced on the Israelites in Egypt and the African-Americans before the Civil War. But what is true Biblical submission? It is a calm obedience to someone who knows us better than we know ourselves. It is allowing God to lead us in His will, His Word, and His way. And we must exhibit this submission in every day that we live.
There is nothing in our lives that should not be submitted and surrendered to Him. It could be that we do not want to change a part of what we believe because it means that we have to give up something that we enjoy-- an activity, event, or object. Whatever this may be in our lives, we cannot enjoy a genuine and full Christian life until our all is surrendered.
A song was written that says, "Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest and have peace and sweet rest as you yield Him your body and soul." This is the type of submission that the Lord requires of us.
So, has it ever occurred to you that you might be wrong?
I do not pose this question to get you to doubt your salvation, beliefs, or convictions. I am asking you to consider your response. How will you live in light of this question? How will you act when your convictions are questioned? Will you stay humble? Will you study God's Word for all that is in it? Will you submit every part of your life to Him?
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