The Foundation of My Belief

by Hugh DeLong

What is the foundational base of my belief (and consequently, yours)? Not that my understanding becomes the standard for your belief, but how you read, interpret, and understand the revelation given by the Spirit.

Let us start with several observations.

There is a revealing of God’s will to men. (OK, first hurdle – what scriptures are you basing this on?)

Such was not a personal, universal revelation to each person, but a collective, authoritative revelation through chosen men. (Hebrews 2:1-4; I Corinthians 14:37-38; II Timothy 3:16-17; etc.)

The problem: not only must you take into account the original writing and inspiration, but also the recognition, collection of, translation into various languages, dissemination of such texts, etc. There are indeed pitfalls all along the way of this journey. This will require you to constantly inspect your own thinking and conclusions! It is hard to argue with yourself and lose, but it is needed.

The question is often mistakenly asked, ‘What does that text mean to you?’ as if the meaning of the text is separate from the author’s original purpose and meaning.

There has from the beginning been differences in the understandings of men! (That is, in fact, the basis of the debates between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders of His day – reread, for example, chapter 5 of Matthew – ‘you have heard’ but ‘I say unto you’… or specific areas of debates of His day in Matthew 22).

As you can see, these same problems were present in Jesus’ day as they are now, except that the text being discussed was what we know as ‘the Old Testament’, and today that has broadened to include the New Testament.

The bottom line, you must respond to this whole debate, and you will answer to God for how you respond. Let someone else do your thinking? (Why are you reading this?) Read other people’s ideas and then compare them with the original text (compare the Bereans in Acts 17). Refuse to read anyone else’s understanding? Read all of them??

I would suggest (are you still reading this?) that you start with John 20:30-31and John 1:1. Jesus – who do you say that He is (perhaps start reading Jesus’ asking this question in Matthew 16:13-16)? Then, start a life-long conscious study of the revealed text.

Easy? No.

Needed? Absolutely.