To Believe or Not To Believe

To believe in God or to believe in something else? That is the question that I have wrestled with over the last few weeks. Why? Well, I have a friend who I grew up with challenge me to wrestle with this. And here are a few of my quick thoughts.

1. How hard is it for any of us to change what we believe?
We all grow up with different backgrounds, families (healthy, dysfunctional, or broken), opinions, point of views, religious and spiritual understandings. Each of these characteristics form what we become. And as we grow, we learn more about the rest of the world. We learn that what we have always thought, may be a small option in the world and generation that provides so many possibilities. However, have we all reflected on why we believe what we do? Many people I have come across believe what they do simply because that is what they have always been. And that is not a bad thing. No. I grew up an Adventist and am still one today. Yet, I still had to make that decision and come to that conviction for myself. Maybe it would be stronger if I had a life changing testimony. But, I am who I am. And we do have our own testimonies. However, it seems as if some people have never analyzed what they believe for themselves. They are not sure what they believe. I appreciate when people are convicted of their belief even if it is different than mine. It a least shows that they are thinking. But, to change your belief from what you previously took a stand for takes courage. It takes strength. You are not only standing against friends, but usually family. This courage however, should never be the driving motive. In other words, you should never stand for something just because you have courage. You should never stand for anything unless you feel without a doubt that it is truth.

2. What is truth?
Well, this is a tough one. There are things that I have always held as truth. There are things that I feel are unshakable. I grew up believing that God was unshakable. I grew up believing that the Bible was unshakable. However, what if you don't believe in God? What does that say? Does that mean that truth is in something else? I feel that many people use the logic that they have to prove what is or is not truth. I know that we all like things to make sense. And if they don't, what's the use. And even much of Adventism (the most logical theology I believe) is built on logic inside of the Bible. I believe we are more logical thinkers when it comes to religion than many other denominations. However, does that mean we have all the absolute truth. By no means. I am sure there are hundreds of smarter people than me. However, I, just as each of us needs to do, has to find what is truth; not truth for me, but truth for the world. We need to find that truth and understand that we may continually grow in our understanding of it. Don't solidify only what your mind can conclude, but realize that we will always grow in truth if we are open to it.

3. What about the morals we live by?
In the society we live in, there are morals we live by. Where did they come from? Well, they came from the founders of our country. Whether they were Christians or Deists, they were concerned about the moral codes to conduct society in a peaceful manner. But, when I think about it, are the morals we live by really created just to bring us peace amongst ourselves? Do you think that morals, the inclinations of doing right and wrong in one's mind, is perhaps generated in some sphere outside ourselves. To me it makes no sense why I don't want to lie, cheat, steal, or even kill, if I don't have morals from God himself. Yes, they are all good things to do and to help people live in peace, but what about the inclination of right and wrong? Are we not all tempted (or if you don't like that word) or at least inclined to think doing what is right and wrong? You see, when you dismiss God from life, you dismiss morals in general. There is no higher code of life to base decisions. You are the means to your decisions. You have the choice to do whatever because there is no moral code to be accountable to, except that over the government you are under.

What have I chosen?
I hope I never come to the point where I feel I have all the absolute truth. I hope no one does. And that statement in itself may sound a little postmodern. But, that is the reality. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I believe that he was born of a woman, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross. I believe he did miracles to show us God. And does all this make sense? No. Do I think all of this is possible? Not by any logical man. But, if God is involved, why not? Is God not above everything else? Will there not be things that I don't understand that I will have to accept by faith. Once again, my mind is limited. I try to understand, but I won't put stock in understanding everything.
Finally, my belief in prophecy defines a lot about my belief in God. If I believe that prophecy was given to Daniel and other OT prophets, than I need to accept that much of those have been fulfilled. Daniel learned from the angel of the 2300 days. This prophecy pinpoints the coming of Jesus, his ministry and death. Furthermore, the prophecy of Daniel 2 also alludes to kingdoms rising and falling. And just as it says, it happens. But, to not be sure. But, to not be sure that these books were not compiled or written by other authors later. Does that strike fear or confusion in your mind? I told my friend that I guess anything is possible. But, on the fact alone that I have hope, that if I died and went to the grave believing what I believe, than I have no regrets about the happy and peace filled life I have lived. What if I'm wrong? Well, I have peace. But, if you are wrong, if you don't have hope in something beyond your own logic, than so be it.

Life is not easy. Life is confusing. But, I want to remain faithful to Jesus. That is the hope that I hold to today. Joshua's challenge: "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15