My Bible class was split into groups to discuss questions over our reading of “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis on Tuesday.
What I thought was going to be a quick ‘Question and Answer’ around the room turned into almost 30 minutes of conversation about whether we actually had complete free will or not. Each student that participated in the conversation discussed their beliefs and backed them up with scripture and personal experience.
Although we did not come to an absolute answer during that class period, there were many good points that stuck out to me and left me thinking. I believe that it is important to have conversations with people that leave us thinking, especially difficult ones that leave us with questions.
When we have conversations that get us thinking, we are engaging and testing our faith. This is good because we are facing the reality that there are other ways of thinking out there and that what we think may or may not be the whole truth. If we want to find the truth, we have to seek it out and look at all our possibilities.
I’m not saying that you must walk away from every conversation thinking that everything you’ve ever known is wrong.
It’s more like saying that you might walk away with a stronger belief or a realization that you are weak in your understanding of that particular topic. If you walked away realizing that you didn’t know as much as you thought you did, don’t feel lost or discouraged.
The good news is, you can begin to research that topic so when it comes up again you will have the answers and your own opinions.
Everyone needs to decide what they believe about their faith for themselves. You may have heard the saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything.”
If you do not have a firm foundation, then you will be tossed back and forth between all the opinions and thoughts of others. You cannot go through life just clinging to what your family or friends say.
Find out for yourself what is actually true or not and what you believe, because that is when your belief will become sincere and real.
For Christians, 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.”
We need to know what we believe for ourselves and so that we can be ready to give a testimony to others when they ask. Other people are trying to do their research too and you can help them find their answers.
Don’t be afraid to have questions; God wants us to bring them to Him. He wants us to have a personal and genuine faith, and sometimes that means doing some searching ourselves.
