04220 – We Christians Should Ask Ourselves…
Cremer, Benjamin

A short list of questions we Christians need to be better about asking ourselves regarding our beliefs:

How might I be wrong?

How might the passion of my beliefs regarding an issue be causing me to ignore errors about my beliefs themselves?

Do my beliefs about social and political issues reflect the complexity of those issues or are they just one dimensional, absolute, “either/or” categories?

Have I ever actually talked with people who are impacted the most by the issues I claim to have strong beliefs about?

How might the practice of my beliefs be harming others? Harming myself?

How do my beliefs cause me to treat others, especially those with whom I disagree? With cruelty or compassion?

Do I love my beliefs more than I actually love people?

If Jesus showed up right now, would he even be allowed to change my mind about certain things? Even just a little?

I have found these questions (and others) helpful in preventing me from turning my beliefs into an idol.

Jesus didn’t call us to love our beliefs as ourselves.

Jesus called us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

If our beliefs prevent us from loving others well, that is when we know our beliefs need to change.

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