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Packaging Beliefs

Something I've noticed is that people will often assume what you believe about many things based solely upon what you believe about one thing. This is true about politics, entertainment, religion, and pretty much everything else. For example, I really enjoy Star Trek and therefore I've had family members and friends just assume I like other shows just because I like this one franchise.

That's an example where it really doesn't matter, but this sort of thing happens a lot. If you indicate you agree with Democrats or Republicans on one, singular issue many people automatically jump the conclusion that you must buy into their whole platform. Instead of being willing to examine each and every issue separately we instead package our beliefs into bundles. We assume that if you agree with A then you must also agree with B and C while disagreeing with Y and Z.

The same is true for matters of faith and theology. Part of what it means to be a Christian is the content of our beliefs. These inform and shape our actions and are likewise molded by devoting our entire lives to the service of Christ. While Christianity is certainly far more than just a set of beliefs, there is no denying that this plays an important role.

The thing is we get into this habit of packaging beliefs together within the church. The very fact that there are labels out there of "progressive Christians" or "conservative Christians" or whatever indicates this. If I were to say that I believed in the authority of Scripture many people would immediately assume my beliefs on a host of separate issues.

We do this all the time. We treat all the issues we face as going into one camp or another instead of realizing that all these questions and issues are all unique have their own sets of answers. For example, just because you believe women should be allowed to participate in the public worship assembly does not mean you believe gay marriage is biblical (yes, this is a pretty common case of packaging I see a lot). Just because a person believes in the inerrancy of Scripture does not mean they are a young earth creationist. The examples go on and on.

We must learn to respect one another enough to recognize that we don't just buy into the packages of beliefs bundled together by others. We are all capable of working through issues and questions individually, though whether we choose to do so and put in the work is another question. We also need to understand that right belief isn't the sum total of the Christian life. Jesus has made a claim on my entire existence, and while what I believe is a part of that having the right belief without obedience in my life is worthless.

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