Waves

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ." - Ephesians 4:14-15

Knowing the context of Ephesians, I assume Paul was writing about pagan teachings and heresies, instructing his followers not to be tricked by the newest fashions in theology. And today that holds true. There are so many theories, theologies, belief systems, moral codes, and ideologies that it's like slowly drowning in a sea of ideas. I could spend my life evaluating each one, and still die without truly understanding more than a few systems. So much cultural and individual thought influences even the simplest ideas, how can I keep from finding truth in many systems? How can I stand firm under a weight of information? When one way feels right, but contradictions tradition, which way do I go?

God did not make a static religion. While he doesn't change, his interactions with his followers does. Maybe that's because we are flawed and it really all should have stayed the same for millennia, but striving for that seems a little strange. We can't stop change, only God can, and he clearly hasn't made a static world. Obviously, not all change is good, but as Christians, we can evaluate which traditions to uphold. For example, the method of baptism is no longer crucial in most Protestant circles. It's important and debated, but not something that church-goers are generally willing to split over. We don't murder people over it anymore.

Our single issue topics have changed as society changes. Our understanding of the Bible has been fundamentally altered, tossed by governments and church leaders and new understandings. Therefore, how can I stand on my beliefs, knowing them to be, at best, flawed. At the worst, they can directly harm others around me.

But, I'm learning that having no firm beliefs can be just as damaging. Understanding what and why I believe is foundational to my character, and for me, that means a lot of questions. Because I love tradition. I want to believe what my pastors preach. I want to simply join the Christian community with faith, no arguing. But that's not who I am, and that's currently the truth I am choosing not to have tossed by the waves of opinions around me.

Note: This probably sounds like a reaction to Trump and the current divisions in the church. But it's something that I've been struggling with for years as I have struggled with traditional understandings of the Bible.