My faith started with doubt.
When I was 12 or 13, I went to my dad and told him that I wasn’t sure I believed the whole “Christian Thing”. Now, you have to understand who my dad was. When he was that age (12-13), his Sunday school teachers would ask him where verses were in the Bible because he knew and they didn’t. He was asked to be an elder at a many of the churches he attended.
But when I told him at 12-13 that I wasn’t sure I believed the whole “Christian thing”, his response was one of the wisest things anyone has ever said to me.
He said (with a genuine smile)
“Good, Great 🙂 You can’t ride the coat tails of our faith forever. So I’ll show you why we believe what we believe and how to do the research for yourself. If you find out were wrong and can prove it, we’ll do what you’re doing.”
That started a lifelong search for the truth on all things, not just my faith. (and obviously I stayed Christian after doing a TON of research.)
I have this “strange” idea that God gave us intellect and reason because He wants us to use them. Most people have no problem with that in concept. However in practice you will find it gets a lot of opposition. I try to be like the Bereans, who were called “noble-minded” in the Bible.
Acts 17:10-11
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
When I’m presented with an idea, I like examining the Scriptures to see whether those things are so… And that gets me in trouble. A lot. I’ll apply to Christians something that Ronald Reagan once said:
“The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.”
It’s amazing how little the average Christian (even many pastors) know about what the Bible says. Take for instance the Book of Revelation and the context surrounding it. The vast majority of Christians have a VERY skewed view of what it means because they don’t consider the context.
Or Tithing…
Or what faith really is…
etc…
This website is a place for me to examine those doctrines (and many others) through the lens of the Scriptures to see “whether those things were so”. I’ve recently started a page that eventually will contain my statement of faith, but as of this edit (mid December 2021) it only contains a Creed in the mold of the Creeds of church history.
Oh, and if you were hoping for a little bit more about me personally, I’m in my 30s, married, no kids, and I work from home. I love investing, shooting, designing, writing, and anything with cinnamon, (especially cinnamon rolls).
God Bless and have a wonderful week, 🙂
The Berean Patriot