Belief Windows
Christians' needs are revealed to us through Jesus' example found in Luke 2.52: "Jesus grew in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and man." In other words, our needs are categorically physical, mental, social, and spiritual-with the last being the central need of all who claim God as their Father. Like Smith's "Reality Model" explains, many of us form beliefs about what meets our needs as we make rules and establish behaviors that we hope will result in our satisfaction, be it religious or not. But should our faith (our belief windows) "come from" these needs or God's word?
"Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Rom 10.17). Think about a belief that most Christians share: believers go to church. From where does this tradition originate and why do many of us strictly adhere to it? Put another way, do we go to church in order to meet a need or because God commanded it in His word?
Of course, many of us believe it comes from Scriptures such as Hebrews 10.25 (don't forsake meeting together), Mt 18.20 (where two or three gather), or Acts 2.46 (attending the temple together), but do any of those verses portray what we would call "church" today? Has our practice of churchgoing adulterated our interpreation of God's word? The real issue is whether we are willing to examine ourselves to see where our faith resides: in our traditions (legalism) or in obedience to God's word. If so, how do we do study to show ourselves approved?
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