Right and can’t be wrong?

Let me tell you something right now,” the preacher said. Huffing and puffing between words he continued, “I haven’t changed my beliefs or doctrinal convictions one bit in 47 years!” Dozens of preachers and the majority of conference attendees erupted with a hearty “Amen!” I was not among them. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard something like this, and sadly I am sure, it won’t be the last. I really don’t believe such a statement is something to be affirmed, but rather challenged. When I hear a preacher (or any other confessing Christian) boldly state they haven’t changed their beliefs or convictions in decades, all I hear is – “I am not actually studying the Bible.” Why other born-again believers would applaud such a brash statement is beyond me.

Allow me try and clarify what I am saying in a more cohesive manner; if you are a Christian and you haven’t changed your understanding of some portion of the Word of God, it’s evident you’re not studying the Bible. Period. Now I know that may sound strange to some and even offensive to others, nonetheless it is a fact. I will go even further and state not only should every Christian be able to identify certain beliefs and Biblical opinions that have changed over the years, but also acknowledge the correcting work of God’s Word and Holy Spirit continues to reshape our thoughts and behavior throughout our lives.

I want to be crystal clear here. Christian, I am not talking about changing your belief on major Bible doctrines. Truths like, the Biblical account of Creation or the doctrine of the Trinity and certainly the only soul-saving message of the Gospel, cannot and must not be abandoned. On these and other truths upon which the souls of men hang, we must not waver or equivocate one iota. Every believer should be well-grounded in the fundamentals of the faith and not carried around by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). Hence, when I say our convictions on certain truths should change, I am most certainly not talking about those teachings theologians term as “Cardinal Doctrines” of the Christian faith.

Had it been some major doctrinal truth the preacher quoted at the beginning of this article was referring to, I would have joined in the chorus of amens. However, it wasn’t. Instead, without Scriptural warrant he was criticizing other “compromising Christians” for not holding to the same extra-Biblical standards as he. I suppose he thought, perhaps still thinks, this makes him more spiritual-minded or righteous than other Christians? It doesn’t.

Since Jesus stated there are “weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23) necessarily then, there must be other truths, that while important, do not have the same eternal significance. On these lesser doctrinal issues, we should neither be overly dogmatic or uncharitable to those who disagree. Instead, believers should show grace and give their Christian family time to learn. Further still, in matters where the Bible is silent, no Christian has the right to try and bind the conscience or conduct of others.

I guess I am critical of preachers because I am one. More than that though, those of us who stand behind a pulpit and teach others ought to be willing to be wrong from time to time. My goal as a Christian, and as a pastor, is to be as Biblically sound as I possibly can be. Even if that means I no longer believe exactly the same things I was taught or believed in the past. Change is hard and sometimes it puts us in uncomfortable positions with close family or friends. Yet, if we deem God’s Word to be authoritative and are truly serious students of Scripture, we are inevitably going to see things differently as we grow and mature as Christians.

The only reason someone hasn’t changed their belief about some tertiary truth, or learned a better way to understand some specific Bible verse, is simply that they aren’t actually studying the Bible. God’s Word is a mirror which will reveal all of our imperfections, both moral and doctrinal imperfections. The more time you spend staring into God’s Word, the more it will reveal where you need to change. Is there ever a point in this life when followers of Christ should stop being students of God’s Word? Do any of us clearly understand the entirety of inspired Scripture? No.

Quite candidly, the problem with some people, Christians included, is that they simply refuse to be wrong. While I can’t speak for other denominations, growing up as an Independent Baptist, I have witnessed this obstinate behavior over and over again – from the pulpit and the pew. And it’s not only ugly, it’s arrogant. Proverbs 1:5 states, “A wise man will hear and increase learning.” Proverbs 9:9 declares, “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” The Christian life should be one of constant growth. That is, continually growing in the grace and knowledge of the truth.

Are you willing to be wrong? Do you have a teachable spirit?

Being loud doesn’t make someone right. Being boisterous and inflexibly opinionated doesn’t mean someone is speaking truth. Just because someone hasn’t changed their beliefs in decades, doesn’t mean they were right in the first place. Christian, don’t be prideful and stubborn thinking you’ve got it all figured out. You don’t. And neither do I.

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