“3 If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, 4 he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.” 1 Timothy 6:3-5

“But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” 1 Timothy 6:9-10

“20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding irreverent, empty speech and contradictions from the knowledge that falsely bears that name. 21 By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith.
Grace be with all of you.” 1 Timothy 6:20-21
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These passages are from the final portion of this letter to Timothy, a young minister, and they stand as confirmation that what everyone believes on any given subject really does matter. Paul is laying out the framework of a worldview to Timothy, a worldview that is going to seem very different, very strange in comparison with the world & society around him. Enough so that a young minister may be tempted to soften his stance a little on different positions in order to reach more people, a temptation that says, “This is a grey area, don’t be so rigid.” or “This isn’t a salvation issue, just let this one ride for now. You can shore them up later somewhere else.”

But in reality, that worldview needs to remain solid, it needs to be firmly placed in the truth of Christ. A loosely spoken word here, a compromise there, and before long, you find yourself defending positions that you once said were wrong. You give up too much, you let too much get by in an attempt to placate and gain greater influence rather than trusting in the message you have been given.

And this isn’t just for ministers to remember, but all those who follow after Christ. Your worldview matters. What you believe absolutely makes a difference, and if you deviate from the truth in Scripture, then what you follow is no longer Christ, but pride, sin or selfishness. That worldview filters everything you see, everything you do and everything you support. It determines how you treat people, where your priorities are and what you stand for in life. It matters deeply.

Is it about you and the arguments your can concoct? Is it about how clever you can be in defending your new belief set, or is it about the truth of God as He has written in HIs Word and shared by His Holy Spirit? Is it about money and prestige, or does life have a deeper meaning than that? Is it about being seen as ‘releveant’ or is it about standing firm in the promises that God has made?

What we believe matters. And if it doesn’t line up with God’s truth first and foremost, then we are simply wrong. Not kind of wrong, not sort of off-track. Wrong. And the humble heart will accept correction, instruction and in grace reevaluate where they stand. The prideful heart with skewed priorities will dig in, unbending, and seek its own end.

So, GoLove, sharing what Jesus commanded and doing so in His truth. Not bending, not twisting, not compromising, but in grace and love, bringing people to the full knowledge of God, the Spirit at work in you. Let His truth stand as the lens to all you believe, and teach others to do likewise.