Our personal beliefs
See to it that no one takes you captive through
philosophy and empty deception, according to
the traditions
of men, according to the elementary
principles of the
world, rather than according to
Christ… (Col 2:8 )
When we think of
deception as Christians, we usually think of deception as being led astray by a
false religion, or some false teaching being presented to the church by its
leadership. Most Christians wouldn’t
even consider the possibility that they themselves might have been lead astray
by their own personal beliefs. Beliefs that they adopted as children and as
adults, beliefs ( religious or other wise) that have become a part of their
unconscious behavior.
Our beliefs are
very important! They act as filter that screen out information that comes into
our minds, and controls our every action.
Our beliefs establish boundaries that show us right from wrong, or what
is healthy and unhealthy behavior. But when
faced with the possibility that our beliefs could be in causing us
unnecessary pain and hardship, we are creatures of habit. As a result, we have
gotten used to seeing things a certain
way, after a while, it is hard to
see things any other way. It becomes even harder for us to understand
why other people can’t seem to see things the same way as we do. But we usually
attribute this to their lack of intelligence, lack of training, lack of
opportunity, or out right rebellion on
their part to the truth. THE TRUTH AS WE KNOW IT !
For many
Christians, their “Model” of what it is to be a Christian, is the model that
every Christian should fallow. Our interpretation of the word of God, becomes
the pure truth, and should be fallowed with out question by every Christian, no
matter what denomination. And we have no patient with those that don’t believe
as we do. This concept has cause a lot of unnecessary blood to be shed through
out the history.
When Jesus Christ
came in fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah, those who
knew the scriptures the best were the ones that failed to recognize Him. Not
only did they miss Him completely, they crucified Him. Why? Because He didn’t
fit there model of what the Messiah would look life. There wanted and were
expected a mighty and powerful king, a king who would destroy the Romans and free from their bondage. They were
not expecting a baby , born in a manger,
who took the form of a servant so that He could did on a cross.
Even in the face of
the reality that our beliefs could be causing us a lot of unnecessary pain and
hardship, it is not easy to let go of our beliefs. Why? Because what little
safety and security that we do feel in our life, is often threatened by change.
And in order to accept the possibility that our beliefs could be causing us
unnecessary pain and hardship, we have to be willing to change the direction of
our thinking. And face the truth about our life!
Facing the truth
When Christ told
His disciples; You shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you free. (
John 8:23) He was not only referring to
the intellectual meaning of the word TRUTH ( not to tell a lie, or a false hood ). Nor was He
simple talking about the TRUTH of God’s Word, the Holy Bible, and its affects
on our lives.. He was talking about the
TRUTH, the whole TRUTH, and nothing but the TRUTH.
The TRUTH is “ God loves us just the way we are”, but He
loves us to much to let us stay that way”. Because God loves us He wants us
to be conformed to the image of His Son ( Roman 8:29) Because He loves us He wants to help us grow up in all aspects
into Him who is the head, even Christ ( Ephesians 4:15)
Our willingness to
change and to face the truth about our beliefs, is our way of taking His hand
and saying; “ I trust in YOU!” For you are secure in the knowledge that He will
never give us more than we can handle ( I Corinthians 10:13). He can cause all
things to work out for the good of those that love Him ( Roman 8:28). And He
will supple all our need according to His riches in glory ( Philippians 4:19)
God love us to
much to force us to face our beliefs openly and honestly. After all He has
given us a free well. But He does hope that we will allow Him to take our hands
and lead us out of our world of darkness, and into the light. And if you are
anything life me, He may choose to take
you on a journey into your past. You may argue that; “God does not want
us living in the past“. And that is true! Our past has a way of seeping into
our present and future, unless we are willing to face the deception of our past
open and honestly. Unless we allow God to show us the deception in our beliefs,
that have lead you down a dark and very destructive path.