Why Do You Believe What You Believe?

Why Do You Believe What You Believe? · 14 December 2019

Be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.

Have you ever met somebody who does not know why they believe something, but still fervently believes it? Or maybe you are that somebody who knows what you believe, but not why you believe it. Well, if that belief is in God, Jesus, and the Bible, you might want to figure out why you believe what you believe. You might want to add reason to or increase reason for your belief and faith because using your mind will certainly make your belief and faith stronger.

Some people might think that reason has nothing to do with God or the Bible. They say it is all about faith. It is all about how you feel inside. That might be how faith and religion are portrayed, but it is far from how it ought to be. After all, Jesus said to love God with all our minds. (Matthew 22:37) And if we claim to follow Him, we ought to make sure we love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind. We must not forget the mind.

Yes, followers of Jesus must have faith. But without the mind, we will surely find it difficult to share that faith. After all, at the very least, you need to be able to have an answer for those who ask you why you believe what you believe. The apostle Peter said to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15) Which leads me to what I believe. Very simply and concisely, I believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, died on the cross, was buried, and physically rose again. And that He ascended back to heaven where He sits next to God, the Father. I also believe that the Bible is true and is inspired by God, and as such the Bible and God have authority over my life. Yes, God can tell me what to do.

Which is why I am writing about reason and faith. Not because I am an authority on the subject. I am not. I am just a normal guy telling stories and giving reasons for why I believe. And I am hopefully giving people out there some reasons that they can use as well. Whether they are searching or helping others in their search.

Again, I am not an expert. If you want to read some experts, let me tell you about three of my favorite authors on the subject. C.S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, and Lee Strobel. I like these authors because they approached Jesus and the Bible with critical eyes. They were skeptics. And at least one of them was trying to prove the Bible wrong. But they all found the evidence too convincing. They followed the trail and ended up following Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth.

What I am trying to say is that you do not need to take my word for it. Or anybody else’s for that matter. Look into what I am saying. Look into the claims of Jesus. Look into the Bible. Be critical. Be skeptical. But be open. And then follow the evidence. Wherever it may lead.

One more thing. Everybody needs Jesus in their lives. They just might not recognize the need. Which is why people, especially those who think they have all their needs being met, need to understand your and my reasons for believing the Bible and following Jesus.

By the way, I am not writing just for those who are already followers of Jesus. I am writing for those who are skeptical and critical too. I am writing for those who are seeking. Especially those who are seeking the truth. Yes, there is truth. (More on that later.)

My goal, as always, is to help you think and reason. Because you certainly need to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you. And remember (hopefully better than I do) the gentleness and respect.

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