From an Eternal Perspective, Few Beliefs are Nonnegotiable
When it comes to what we believe, should we hold loosely our theology or grip it tightly? Our initial reaction may be that we need to maintain a firm grasp on the things we believe. But this may not be the best approach.
When it comes to our theology, we should hold it loosely. Yes, we must back what we believe with biblical truth. Yet too often, well-meaning practitioners reach the opposite conclusions and can likewise back up their beliefs with Scripture.
Who’s right and who’s wrong? Maybe both sides are. That is, maybe both sides are right and, at the same time, both sides are wrong. They may be right in their conclusions and wrong about why it matters.
Modern Day Pharisees
Most people pack too many things into their theology and demand that everyone agree with their perspectives. Yet I can see Jesus sadly shaking his head over their theological sparring.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus criticized the religious teachers for their hypocritical rule following and missing the point of truly following him.
I wonder if he does the same today with our hypocritical adherence to a narrow and close-minded theology. Does our insistence on determining the details of our faith cause us to miss the point of truly following him? I fear that it too often does.
Too many Christians are dogmatic when it comes to what they believe. And they reject all others who believe differently. This epitomizes the error of modern thinking at its worst. They are present-day Pharisees. They need to repent.
Jesus Is the Way
There is one essential element of our faith. Everything else plays a supporting role or is secondary.
Yet if we hold all these ancillary theological elements closely, we only align with people who agree with us. For all others, at best we keep them at a distance. At worst we outright reject them. This should never be.
When it comes to these other things, we need to adopt a hold loosely mentality. After all, we could be wrong, and they could be right. From the perspective of eternity, these things don’t matter.
A Humble Approach
Holding our beliefs loosely requires humility. Jesus was humble (Matthew 11:29). We should follow his example. This includes being humble with our theology.
The opposite of humility is arrogance.
Too many people carry a smug arrogance about what they believe. Their theology is lengthy, and they’re proud of the excruciating detail about what they believe and why. They’re confident that their conclusions are right. Ergo, everyone else is wrong.
The result is division. The result is a failure to love one another, which the Bible frequently tells us to do (John 13:34 and ten more times). A failure to love one another is the result when we don’t hold loosely what we believe.
The only thing that truly matters is that Jesus is the way to the Father (John 14:6).
Salvation comes through Jesus and him alone. May we allow ourselves to disagree on the details. In the process, we keep our eyes—everyone’s eyes—focused on Jesus.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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