As I observe the things going on in the world today I must make this point, there is a lot of “jacked-up” thinking going on! The term “jacked-up” is slang and means “really messed up!” Therefore I want to emphasize an often over-looked principle even among some in the faith community. The principle is this: “Wrong thinking leads to wrong believing!” If your thinking is wrong your believing will be wrong. Listen, I’m not talking about sincerity. You can be sincere, but sincerely wrong! Just because you are sincere in your thinking does not make it right. Faith is a powerful spiritual force! The word “faith” is a noun. It means to believe; to trust and to obey. To act on your faith is to act on what you believe.
We all believe something! That something is based on what we have been taught, heard, seen, experienced or observed. Our beliefs are further impacted in the context of tradition, culture and political party, etc. These things cause us to formulate thoughts or a way of thinking! For those of you who may have gotten offended with me and perhaps thought “Who is he to say what is ‘jacked-up’ thinking?” I will answer this in an indirect way.
What should we believe? Since we all have opinions, what should we believe? Whose opinion is right? There must be a standard from which and by which all our thinking and believing should be formulated and judged. I humbly submit to you that what we should believe is the truth! Right about now you are probably wondering if things just got better or worse because of the statement I just made. But let us push on by faith!
What is truth? What is the standard by which all mankind should live? I submit to you that truth is the Word of God (the Holy Bible)! The scriptures tell us that God is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19). Jesus himself says the word of God is truth (John 17:17,19) and he himself, is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)! God is the creator and maker of all things. The Bible is God’s standard of living, rule book and blueprint for living.
How do we apply the truth to our lives? To successfully apply truth to our lives we must know the truth, believe the truth and obey the truth. In other words, applying the truth to our lives begins with hearing, studying and meditating the word of God. Even as born-again Christians who have believed and confessed Jesus as Lord, we must continually renew our minds! This is because even though our spirits (inner man) are changed at the new birth, our minds are not. We must learn to think like God! See Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:17-24. If we believe God, the word of God, then we will adjust our thinking in the light of the Holy Scriptures.
Wrong thinking leads to wrong believing. From public policy to personal preferences, what we think impacts what we believe. Even as I write this blog, I’m hearing on the news some “jacked-up” thinking concerning Israel, politics, Christianity, marriage, parenting, education and the “end of the world!” It is particularly disturbing to see the number of professed Christians say they are followers of Christ yet espouse anti-Christian (unscriptural) beliefs, support anti-Christian organizations and help elect officials who often oppose or ignore Christian beliefs. Worse yet, if you profess to be a Christian and think you don’t have to walk in forgiveness, especially towards your spouse, children, parents and the household of faith, your thinking is wrong. Therefore I submit your faith is not what you think it is!
Something to think about… To some it may seem as though I just have a “burr under my saddle!” But for me, it’s about a “belief in my heart!” A belief based on the truth (the Word of God). I challenge you to think about your thinking! Many times have I adjusted my thinking on certain things as my knowledge and understanding of the word of God increased. Are you willing to adjust your thinking when the word of God calls for correction? We all want a vital and powerful faith. If you want to have a faith that pleases God (Hebrew 11:6), you must have thinking that pleases God (Isaiah 55:6-9)! If you don’t know what to think concerning current events, go to the Bible, a Bible believing church and pastor to get your answers.
Thanks for a timely word. Learning to adjust my thinking according to the word of God has paid great dividends in my life. This is a life-long discipline for me. I greatly delight in God’s word!
Good word Bishop!
Bishop, I love reading your articles. Thanks for being consistently faithful in your preaching, teaching, and service to God!