What you believe really does matter

A dangerous, growing trend among Christians is the feeling that somehow what one believes does not matter. Much of this is a reaction to churches where dogma is over-emphasized; or, I should say, where preferences quickly become dogma and then are over-emphasized. On the other hand, as Christians, we cannot move away from the idea that what one believes really does matter; hence, why Christians have developed creeds. I think we have to move away from a definition of “belief” which is discussed solely in terms of “mental ascent.” Belief is much more than that. Belief consists of not only what one mentally ascends to but also how one lives. It is holistic. Whenever I begin this discussion, I am often met with concerns about certain beliefs determining who is “in” and who is “out.” There are certain doctrines that determine if one is indeed “in” or “out” (e.g., the Nicene Creed), but if we only hold to belief as “what doctrines I mentally agree to” then we miss the point.

I would like to propose that one embodies “belief.” Belief is not only a mental enterprise, but it is also a physical, spiritual, emotional enterprise. How I live determines what I believe. It can also be said, what I worship is what I become. If I worship greed, I become greed. If I worship sex, I become a womanizer, sex-monger-er, addict, etc. It’s an empty life. If I worship Christ, I reflect Christ (or, if you’d like to say, become like him). Let’s say I “believe in” greed. I mentally believe money will make me happier. I will live out a life that pursues wealth. I will become a consumer. My happiness and joy will be wrapped around greed. My whole life will reflect it.

In the same way, if I believe Christ to be ” the Son of God, begotten of the Father [the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God], Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father,” my life reflects that. Not only will I mentally confirm this, but I will live like this is true. If Jesus is the Son of God, my displays of reverence will be dedicated to him. If I believe he is “Light of Light,” all my joy will be wrapped up in him. If I believe he is “begotten, not made, being one substance with the Father,” I will place all my burdens upon him. On the flip side, if I believe “There was a time when he was not,” I will be a heretic, and that has its own disadvantages.

Therefore, what we believe matters. Not everyone is on my level of belief, and I am not on the same level as others. But the more I think about it, the more I truly believe that what you believe really does matter.