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C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity wrote “If you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time everyday. That is why daily praying and religious reading and churchgoing are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief, nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. As a matter of fact, if you examine a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?”

Several years into my life as a Christian, I began to doubt what I believed about God. I wondered how I knew that God was real and why I thought the Bible was the Word of God. Fueling my doubts were experiences with Christians who did not demonstrate much love, grace, and mercy, nor seemingly any concern for the unity of the believers in Christ. I thought “if I don’t see God through the lives of the people who believe in God, how do I even know that God exists?” At the time, I was teaching band in the public schools, which did not leave much time or energy for studying what I believed. I also had never been confronted with the need for reasoning my beliefs. This mix of hurt and lack of knowledge came together to create “the perfect storm” for my Christian beliefs. Rather than turning only to the arguments that would support my doubt, I went looking for answers to the doubt I harbored. If God is real, I figured I should find really good answers in support of his existence. As I read arguments for and against his existence, the reliability of the New Testament texts, and the evidence for the resurrection, I found that the best answers pointed towards the reality of God. These findings brought me to a place where I could no longer say “I have no good reason or evidence to believe in God.” I still had questions, but I could not get around God as part of reality. Now let me be clear. I realized I couldn’t just believe in God because I wanted God to be true. Actually, I did not know if I even wanted God to be true, because of my painful experiences with members of the church. I wanted answers. I wanted to know what was actually true so I could live my life better in accordance with reality; no matter what I found.
It was certainly possible for me to turn away from my former beliefs and focus on building a case against God. There is a lot of material available for doing as much. However, I did not see that as a responsible reaction to my situation. I had to be careful that my doubt was not simply fueled by hurt or anger with people. So I read the arguments on both sides of the issue. I then read the refutations of those arguments and the refutations of the refutations. This may seem like overkill, but for me it was necessary so that I could honestly look people in the eye and say, “I believe in God, because….” It took a few years to come back to trust that God is real. It also took a lot of study. Perhaps this situation could have been avoided if 1) I was originally committed to learning about my beliefs, and 2) the Church was committed to rigorously train congregants about their beliefs and doctrines. Here we return to C.S. Lewis’ quote that once we have individually grappled with why we believe God is real and our reasoning for the faith we have in God, we must continue to think on these matters, as well as on our doctrines. Part of faith in God includes a lifelong commitment to learning about him (Proverbs 4:6-7, Romans 12:2, Eph. 4:11-15). Notice also how Lewis points out the reason we must think on these matters is that neither belief in God, nor any other belief, will remain alive in our minds if we do not think on these matters. That was the aspect of my Christianity that I had almost completely neglected: thinking on the doctrines of God. I guess I figured, “I’m saved. So I’m okay.” Yet, this was just not true. I wasn’t okay and I didn’t even realize it. I was not being responsible with what I professed to believe. I had not spent adequate time learning my beliefs to gain an understanding of why I believed. If we, as Christians, are going to say we have the truth, then to be responsible with that belief we need to actively pursue an understanding of our profession. We must be ready to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us.[1] MJ

This post can also be read on The Point Radio blog. I will be blogging over there now as well as here at Confident Christianity. Some other bloggers include Brett Kunkle, Sean McDowell, Jonathan Morrow, Randall Niles, and more!

A little about ThePoint: In association with BreakPoint.org and the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, The Point’s primary mission is to “engage real life in real time from a Christian worldview.”

[1] The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S. 1 Pe 3:15

5 thoughts on “Responsibility with Beliefs”

  1. For ~23 years I did not care at all about reading the Bible or devoting my life to God. I had spent plenty of time around 'Christians' and they (not trying to be mean) certainly were not giving off the light of Jesus.

    It is hard for a lot of people, including Christians, to see other Christians not behaving appropriately and begin to doubt. But of course these other Christians are not behaving appropriately because they are not staying studied in God's word.

  2. Thanks for your honest thoughts Mary Jo.Certainly believing in a good God with so much evil is a real problem,and I have seen too much evil.

    In my case I didn't believe quickly but took years to study both arguments.Even after believing I kept on studying to see if maybe I was wrong.

    While I was investigating I asked questions to born-again Christians who had been believers for years.

    I was shocked to find out I knew much more about the evidence in favor of Christianity than they.In fact,they proved useless to answer my hard questions,the technical doubts.I thought they knew all that.Not even one Christian had knowledge.

    Later some left Christianity but I think they never really believed,it was an emotional thing.If you really,really believe you look for answers and sooner or later you find them.

    Maybe I am wrong but I think the real believer looks for evidence spontaneously,it shows there is a firm belief.Those who just believe for its own sake don't impress me in the least.I think they just think they believe,they really don't and in a few years they will leave Christianity.They never really believed.

    Many of the answers just came all of a sudden,when I somehow related different technical details and saw how they solved one puzzlement.

    I think what is important is quality not quantity and those who go to church and never ask questions,look for answers would do us a great favor by leaving once and for all and leaving the real seekers with us,the learners.They really embarass Christianity with their lack of curiosity.

  3. Yes, Mrs Sharp we ARE to know the TRUTH and let our thinking on the doctrines of God become a daily renewal in our lives–"love the Lord your God with all your,,,,,Mind". This is what brings us joy the truth-John 17:13 and sets us free-John 8:32, and this is why God desires truth in our inmost being-Psalm51:6–JOY in the deepest depths of our soul, joints, marrow…

    Yet, most of us sadly, for it to get DEEP within us- requires the great physician to do some cutting. Many Christians do not let that renewing of our minds go any further by letting our thinking on God's word the truth- the defending of the faith to give an answer for the hope we have, get into our hearts–"Love the Lord your God with all your heart,,,"

    they say the longest journey is from your head to your heart and from what I'm seeing in MANY Christians –people who are saved, are that they don't actually LIVE Christ

    Why? From what I've seen in other Christians and especially in my own life for a season, we Christians don't want to learn from the discipline and rebuke of God when he allows pain, adversities and hardships in our lives and this is leaving many stunted in their walk with Christ and shallow in their JOY with Jesus."Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge but he who hates correction is stupid"-Proverbs 12:1.

    It is impossible to really appreciate Jesus, be more obedient to Jesus and learn how much God truly loves us if we do not learn to put into practice that knowledge in our minds by actually letting it get to our hearts so that we can understand and say as Paul said– "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,"Phil. 3:10

    They say you cannot know how someone feels or appreciate them unless you walk in their shoes–We are to walk as Jesus walked and many of us fail to take Jesus by the hand –

    Satan loves for us to know our theology and talk about the resurrection just as long as we do not ever LIVE God's resurrection power in our lives.

    thanks for your love for the truth

  5. Thanks Mary. Your story really matches up with what I am going through as a believer. This past year my faith has been tested so much. Throughout high school I was very involved in my Youth Group and very seldom prayed and read Scripture. God has made known my hypocrisy and that I needed to examine my faith. It's very encouraging to have people like you giving a rational defense for the faith and that the foundation of the faith is supported by evidence. Thank you so much for what you do.

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