Session 16

Do You Know What You Believe?

From Romans: A 16-Day Devotional

Ever try to buy a car without a plan? Probably not. Because when we don’t have a plan, it’s easier for someone to talk us into buying something with bad gas mileage or poor safety ratings. We research cars before making the decision to buy one, because we don’t want to be talked into making a bad investment.

The same can be true when it comes to following Jesus. Without a strong foundation, it’s easier to be swayed by what other people say.

If we don’t know what we believe, we’ll believe anything.

In Romans 16, Paul tells us to watch out for false teachers, or people who claim to follow Jesus but contradict what He says. These teachers will create divisions among the church

If we’re not mindful of what the Bible teaches, misinformed blog posts and off-handed comments can cause us to doubt what we believe. We’ll question what the Bible plainly states and rationalize sin based on the persuasiveness of the argument instead of its truth. In order to stand against flattery and smooth talk, we have to know what we stand for.

The best way to know what’s true is to see what the Bible says for yourself. Ask God for understanding before you start reading, and if you get to a sentence you don’t understand, just keep going. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. Seeing a difficult verse in the context of the rest of the chapter can help us understand what the passage means. When in doubt, ask an older Christian you trust (such as a pastor, parent, or mentor) to explain the things you don’t understand.

If we don’t know what we believe, we’ll believe anything. By knowing where we stand on who Jesus is and what God wants for us, we can “be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil“ (Romans 16:19).

Reflect:

• What do you believe about Jesus and why do you believe it?  
• Are there other Christians in your life who will challenge you in a loving way about what you believe? How do you respond when this happens?