A Willingness To Change Our Religious Beliefs

As Bible teachers, how often have we made a careful research to re-evaluate some former conclusion we had made concerning the Scriptures, and found ourselves in error? While being in error is not a good thing, never finding our error is a great deal worse (James 3:1) — proof that we sometimes do not honestly “test all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21; cf. 1 John 4:1).

We usually become filled with fervent passion when anyone challenges or questions our religious beliefs. Many times, it is not the ideas themselves that are dear to us, but rather that our self-esteem is threatened. We are by nature stubbornly pledged to defend our own from attack, whether it be our person, our family, our property, or our opinions. Sadly, few of us take the pains to study the origins of our cherished religious beliefs. We like to continue believing what we have been accustomed to accepting as truth (our comfort zone). Unfortunately, resentment often arises when doubt is cast upon our beliefs, which leads us seeking every manner of excuse for clinging to them. The result is that most of our so-called reasoning, consists of finding arguments for continuing to believe as we already do.

The spontaneous and loyal support of our preconceptions — the process of finding “good” reasons to justify our religious beliefs (or any belief) — is known to modern psychologists as “rationalization.” Rationalization is the self-vindication which occurs when we feel ourselves (or our group), accused of error. Many times, our so-called good “reasons” have little value in promoting honest enlightenment, because no matter how solemnly they may be put forth, some are at best the result of personal preference or prejudice — not of an honest desire to seek accept religious knowledge based upon the inspired Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16).

In our reveries, we frequently engage in self-justification, for we cannot bear to think ourselves as ever being wrong, even though in God’s word, we have constant illustrations of our weaknesses and mistakes (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22-24; 2 Samuel 12:1-13; Acts 8:9-24). So, we spend much time finding fault with circumstances and the conduct of others, rather than admitting our own failures and disappointments (cf. Matthew 7:1-5).

Dear reader, when studying and teaching God’s word, may we always possess honest and open hearts — always having an humble mindset — ready to admit our mistakes and errors when they are pointed out to us (or when we discover them ourselves) — and then a willingness to change our religious beliefs according to God’s religious standard — the Bible.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets