Spending Believe
When people read through the different blogs and articles on "The Free Believers Network" site, I see two different ways of thinking manifested. Some people sit around and analyze what they believe. They love to be challenged with their belief system. They stand up for it, they fight for it and some will even die for it. If you so much as dare to contradict what they believe, they'll come out fighting like an angry poodle. They can quote Bible verses that back up their beliefs and they've even memorized the verses that back up the verses that back up the verses. Over time they become seasoned debaters because of their many coffeehouse quarrels and chat room rumbles. They've developed a memorized and scripted set of answers for every possible question or contradiction to their system of beliefs. Not only can they debate their position and win, but they've become experts in convincing unbelievers to become believers in their exact system of beliefs.
On a personal level, they use their beliefs to get them through some of life's toughest times. They can stand beneath their beliefs when the storms of life come rushing in. They steady themselves on their beliefs when the ground begins to shake beneath their feet. During times of uncertainty and darkness, they hold on with all their might to those beliefs to get them through. Even in the lonely times of life, their belief system provides company and reassurance. A person of age and experience might even minister to others in these shaky times by reciting passages and quoting comforting beliefs to the one in need.
The system of beliefs becomes more than just a way of life; it becomes the very essence of life itself. Over time, if properly applied to one's life, their system of beliefs becomes woven into every possible avenue of their existence. Everything within them is influenced and affected by it. The way they see the world around them, the way they hear things that are being said to them and even the way they feel about themselves, is often shaped and determined by that system of beliefs.
The willpower and the inner resolve to hold to that system, at any cost, and to never let go or question the authenticity of those beliefs, is what signifies a mature and faithful Christian, in the eyes of many people. At last, at the end of one's life, when they have fought the fight and run the race, they faithfully pass that system of beliefs down to their children to carry on as a legacy. From generation to generation, the system of beliefs is passed down like a family heirloom.
The irony of this is that when the question is posed, "Why do you believe what you do?" the only answer that this "believer" can conjure up is, "Because the Bible says so". Or at the very least (if you are lucky), they might quote scripture to build a case as to why they believe the things they do and why you must, as well. Each Bible verse is quite convincing and clearly says exactly what they tell you it says. One by one, the passages outline a path to a system of beliefs that are not only true and right, but also provable.
Again the question remains unanswered: "Why do you believe what you do?"
Believing in what you read or what you've been told will only last until you read something different or until someone tells you something different about what you read. It's just an idea or a concept. At the very best, you can only believe "ABOUT" such things, but it would be impossible to believe "IN" something that you didn't experience firsthand. When we believe in things that we haven't personally experienced, we are not benefiting ourselves one iota. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that most of what Christians hold to and believe has absolutely no redeeming power. Yet, ironically, they will fight for each and every point of that system as though salvation itself was contingent upon that particular belief.
A good example is the Christian belief of the Virgin Birth. This is something we strongly believe. We claim to believe it with all our hearts, but it's impossible to believe in the Virgin Birth. We can't believe in the Virgin Birth with all our hearts because none of us were there. We don't know from experience whether or not Mary was really a virgin. We can only "hold to" the Virgin Birth, but we can't really believe in it. But rather than "holding to" that piece of doctrine, we have taught people that they must "BELIEVE" in it.
I am convinced that because we Christians have blurred the lines between things we "hold to" and things we put our "Belief" in, we have over-spent our faith. I have found that many of us spend "Believe" on things that were only meant to be "held to" and the repercussions of this are astounding. When we come to the point where we need faith in order to get through a situation, we find ourselves fresh out.
I have found that people generally fight for what they believe. The problem is that we now have people fighting for what they hold to, because the lines of faith and tradition have been blurred. Sadly, for some people, God Himself is nothing more than a tradition. He's an idea that they've never personally experienced. Every single "belief" they have about Him is something they've either read or have been told by someone they respect. The moment anyone challenges what they've memorized, they become agitated and uncomfortable. Their system of beliefs is like a chain. It's only as strong as its weakest link. If one thing could be proven wrong, the entire system fails.
I once asked a friend of mine what would happen if scientists and archeologists were to someday prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus had both Mary's and Joseph's DNA. In other words, what if we found verifiable proof that Mary was not a virgin, and Jesus actually came from her and her husband and not from the Holy Spirit as we have been taught. My friend's response was not unlike many Christians today. She said that her entire faith would be ruined. It would be over.
This is a perfect example of where many people are today. Their religion is a list of things they "hold to," but within that list, there is not one single thing that they actually "believe." The problem is that this generation has been taught to believe what we hold to. When something we hold to doesn't pan out; our belief is shaken because it's only as strong as what we hold to. Belief is supposed to be put into something we KNOW. I personally don't care if they found that Jesus was born of a monkey. My belief is not based on those little things I hold to. My belief is based on what I've experienced and what I know to be true.
The moment you KNOW something through personal experience, you are a thousand times less likely to argue it with anyone. Insecurity comes when we decide to put our "believe" in something we "hold to" rather than in the things we know. Our religion has taught us to spend our believe on just about everything other than God Himself. We're supposed to believe in the Bible. We're told to believe that the Pastor is speaking God's words to us. We're told to believe in every single point of our denominational doctrine. We're taught to believe in the Trinity, the virgin birth, the Sacraments and about a thousand other things. When Christians start putting their faith in all these things, it's no wonder they have little or nothing left when it comes to God Himself. Christianity was never supposed to be a blind faith religion and yet that is exactly what it has become.
We were never supposed to put our faith in a Bible verse. The Bible verse is there to express what faith in God can do. Unfortunately, today we are taught to read the verse and put faith in the verse itself. We read that whatever we ask for in His name, we will receive. We try our best to put every ounce of our faith in that concept and nothing happens. Nothing happens because that's an improper use of "believe." Belief is supposed to be put in your "already-existing relationship" with the Father. Belief in that relationship is what causes the essence of that Bible verse to spring to life; not belief in the verse itself. Sadly, this separation is almost completely overlooked in this generation.
Christians today sit around analyzing what they believe rather than analyzing what they KNOW. The problem is that they can't know anything until they let go of what they believe. Their experience will only take them as far as their "system of beliefs" will allow. Their eyes will only see things within that system. Their ears will only hear things within that system. You will see only what you believe and you will hear only what you believe. I am convinced that this generation is having their "hold to's" stirred and shaken. Only then will each individual be left to see exactly what they truly believe. Becoming a Free Believer is about living only on what we believe and know from experience. We have a deep reverence for the things we hold to, but we know the One in whom we believe.
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I find that those kind of times that I have learned from God to be the most meaningful and they stay with me and is there when I need it. Not like trying to conjure up a scripture in which I did get very good at! LOL You KNOW when you hear from Him, ya just do!
Yes KB. Once they personally experienced it; it no longer needed to be taught to them. It was burned on their minds and hearts forever. That's a far cry from something they've memorized don't you think?
Wouldnt it be like in the Old Testament where God showed up and exposed an attribute about Himself? Like Jehovah-Jireh, My Provider because He showed Himself to be that for them, they actually experienced it?
Makes me think of the scripture "always learning, but never able to acknowledge the truth" in Timothy. I need to seek Him more than I seek bible verses.
Though many will take this statement wrong Yolanda, I can't say that I disagree with you. I've always found that the most stable Christians who seem to know the Heart of God more than anyone around them are people who have embraced themselves and know who they are. To many that sounds like we are saying that we are God. Not true. Knowing your own heart is the first step to haveing any kind of contact and understanding of God.
I’ve come to realize that relationship with God is me, facing myself. It’s honesty, an unmistakable knowing about who you really are and what’s really in your heart. You’ll hear Christians say, “God told me this,” or “God told me that.” Well yeah, He did. God told you you’re a jerk because you yourself finally faced the fact that you are a jerk. God told you you’re going to get the job. Yeah, he did because you know you interviewed well and really hit it off with the interviewer. You know it in your heart because all truth lives there and that's also where God lives. You know when you know when you know. That’s God. That’s relationship with Him. If you don’t have relationship with yourself you can’t possibly have relationship with Him.
Very well said David. Thanks.
Well said. I think we start worshipping our belief systems, what we believe as opposed to worhipping the God we claim to beleive in. It is a subtle, yet deadly thing that our belief system becomes our God.
I personally like to call it presence
I totally agree Ike.
Darin do you agree with my first comment or both?
Darin, great post. I also agree with your comments about knowing versus "relationship." I participated in a synchroblog last week on the topic of spiritual maturity, and the conclusion I came to was found in 1 John 2:13 where John wrote: "I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning..." It really is all about knowing him who is from the beginning. (You can read my entire post if you're interested here: http://tinyurl.com/4lvndl ). Anyway, I eagerly look forward to what you have to say on this topic in the future. I really enjoy your straight-shooting style. It's so incredibly refreshing.
"Who do you say that I am?" This question came around to me over and over after I left the churches. What God is to me...may not be what he is to you. I had to bond with God as I know him which in my case has been an on going process that may never end. It is more revelation than a relationship.
I'm working on something. I agree with you all. I really think us Free Believers need to begin to correct our former language. I think we should really try not to use the old terms that hurt and confuse people. Hopefully I'll have something posted in the next two or three days. It is a relatinship but I think we need to call it something else because that term has been destroyed over the years. I'd love to hear your ideas. I'm thinking of calling it a "knowing". When you read my post you might understand that a bit more.
I too, would like to see another description of 'relationship' with God. It's been degraded and overused, to the point of meaning practically nothing. Even 'intimacy' with God has been misconstrued. I'll be interested to see what we can come up with that acccurately describes that special place God has in our hearts and vice versa. More please, Darin!
"Believing in what you read or what you've been told will only last until you read something different or until someone tells you something different about what you read." Darin......I actually agree with you. But the flip side of what you are saying is that if God moves upon a person and regenerates that dead sinner to life........that person will persevere no matter what.
This was an eye opening blog....I'll admit I was tempted to stop reading it, how dare you question the virgin birth. Now I'm glad I finished it, you are right we are willing to fight about things we haven't experienced ourselves simply because we were raised believing it. I remember when I was probably about 7-8 years old, asking my Sunday School teacher how did we know Adam & Eve was true since it happened so long ago. You would have thought I was the worse person on earth...she couldn't believe I would question it. I learned early on not to ask any questions....just believe. This blog has made me stop and rethink some things. You are right, there should be a different word instead of relationship, but I'm not sure what it would be.
Firewood, I love your question. The concept of relationship with an "unseen" God is a difficult one to grasp and yet has a simplicity about it. I am still trying to wrap myself around it/Him. I agree with Aida, also, that a podcast or some further discussion/explanation would be helpful for many. Darin, I am finding that I am "knowing" Him more as more of what have "held to" comes into question. Thank you for the way you express God's reality to you in a way that helps others to know him too.
I am putting something together that will better describe the "relationship" thing. I am beginning to wonder if we shouldn't bann ourselves from using the word "relationship" when it comes to us and God. It stirs up too many human missconceptions and it's difficult for people to understand.
Great blog post, Darin. I can really relate to all that you've writthen. I hope you'll post your conversation with Firewood as a blog. I think we would all benefit by reading your comments. BTW, I agree with Ike. I think you're brilliant and good looking as well.
Firewood, I'm really glad you wrote this. I think that the mistake most of us make is people hear about “relationship with God” they almost always see it from a human standpoint. That’s impossible; you’re right. It’s nothing like that. When we seek that, we will always come up empty. I would love to talk with you personally if you are interested. Either that or you can email me personally. The answer to this comment would take more than what this section allows. When I say relationship I’m talking more of praying, getting answers, getting insight from him, knowing His presence, trusting in Him and watching Him work in your life, knowing when He is speaking to you. Stuff like that. The difference between that and what your friend has is night and day.
I do still see people argue from their personal experience, like when it doesn't match our Christianity. I know someone who says: "Everything in my being cries out 'There is no God.' For me to believe otherwise in the face of everything I see is insanity." There is little difference between him & me experientially, yet I choose to believe there is a God. Darrin, you mention the "already-existing relationship" with God. This is a common Christian term. Can you describe how you 'experience' this relationship? How does one have a relationship with a spiritual being? I can't say I have ever experienced anything I would call a "personal relationship" with God. I've sought this for decades but have nothing more than 'acceptance by faith what the bible says about God.'
great - you speak a timeless God truth he yearns for us to get cause that is why he came, right?, to make it easier to get. OT folks only had the word in letter, he came so that the word would be in flesh and we could know Him/it relationally and personally. SO, we slow of hearing and never believing types go and build the same old religious structure based on sole dependence on the written word all over again. George Fox said it somewhat like this to the believe in the book only crowd of his day - "You say Christ said this and Paul said that, what can you say?" Michael
Way to go Darin. You are such a great man. You're also really good looking. Keep up the good work you brilliant person you...
Paul himself said, I know WHOM I have believed. Not what book I've believed in or what set of doctrines and religious rituals are crucial. Darin, you and a few other teachers out there have been like honest and competent mechanics. You uncover the real problems, instead of giving a trumped-up diagnosis and shafting people in the process. I have been thinking about this very concept, the difference in what one believes, and what one KNOWS. And, WHO one knows. The bottom line is real, healthy relationship, and that was sadly lacking in all my years of churchianity.