The Importance of Beliefs

Christianity, at its core, is about a relationship with God, not a list of things to believe in. But this doesn’t mean that our beliefs are unimportant. As my beliefs about my wife drastically impact our relationship, so my beliefs about God will have significant consequences on how I relate to Him. We need to get our beliefs right. Fortunately, the Bible gives us lots of help. You will spend the rest of your life getting to know and understand God, but this Plan on Beliefs will introduce you to some of the foundational Christian beliefs. In our first passage, Paul is nearing the end of his life and is encouraging his apprentice Timothy to teach sound doctrine (a correct set of beliefs). As you will see, from the earliest days, Christian leaders put great emphasis on right ‘theology’ (God-thinking) and ‘doctrine’ (beliefs).

Explore: 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NIV)

1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Journal

1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant?

2. What would I like to discuss/explore further?

3. What do I need to do?

4. Why are sound beliefs about God so important?

Reflect

Paul's instructions to Timothy begin seriously: "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead." This isn't casual advice; it's a deadly solemn charge. Timothy is to be ready to continually preach the truth he has learned and to use it to forge the minds and hearts of his listeners by correcting, challenging, and encouraging.

Why such urgency? Because Paul knew that many would eventually reject sound teaching in favour of teaching that simply validated what they wanted to believe. This is human nature. We tend to seek out voices that tell us what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear.

Sound beliefs matter because they shape who we become as Christians. If we build our faith on false ideas about God, we end up with a distorted Christianity that doesn't reflect God's truth and leads us away from God. We end up building our own god (believing what our “itching ears” want to hear). Sound beliefs aren’t about having all the right answers to impress or judge others. Sound belief is about knowing God as he truly is and living in light of that truth.

You don't need to know everything at once. Be patient. Your understanding of God will grow over time. But even after a lifetime of studying the Bible, you will still never fully comprehend God. This keeps us humble. However, starting with right doctrinal basics will help you build a strong foundation for your faith journey – one that won't collapse when challenges come.

Pray

Lord God, thank you for your word that shows us who You truly are. I want to build my life on truth, not on comfortable ideas that simply validate what I want to hear. Give me a hunger to learn more about You. Help me to embrace sound teaching, even when it challenges me. Keep me from being swept away by popular but empty ideas. Thank You that You have revealed Yourself in Scripture and through Jesus. Amen.

Respond

What are some big things you believe about God? Where did these beliefs come from? How do you know they are true? Are they based on Scripture, or something you’ve heard from others? Write down any questions you may have for your mentor.

Written by Dan Sweetman