Why are there so many beliefs about the Bible?

Although many things ARE clear in the Bible, and need to be believed and obeyed with a trusting heart, some things are less clear and there will be differences of understanding for two reasons I can think of easily. Firstly, there are different aspects of the truth that can be understood. Not all views are contradictory. Secondly, people tend to follow people when it comes to their understanding of some Scripture – and no person is always following the Holy Spirit PERFECTLY at all times.

What IS amazing is how there is so much actual AGREEMENT amongst so many Christians!

Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has chosen to express some truths in ways that require us to seek God Himself in order for us to appreciate their meaning. Jesus made it clear enough in the parable of the sower (Mark 4) that there are different kinds of heart conditions people have, and that people’s heart condition affects the way they perceive the message of God.

Obviously we have many different denominations and traditions in Christendom. Most of these came into existence when God wanted some particular truth re-emphasized. Rarely does a movement go on to embrace all that God will unpack from the Scriptures in the future. So God raises up a new movement. 

Sadly there is also deception concerning the truth of the Word of God because demon spirits are also very active in the church everywhere, seeking to deceive and distort the truth. Sometimes demons succeed in installing their ideas (and sin itself) into seminaries and other places where church leaders and teachers are trained. So the battle for truth is not so simple. Thankfully Jesus gave us power over evil spirits, but we need to use it (see Luke 10:19; James 4:6,7).

Our hope as Christians is that God will ultimately bring us into the unity of the faith through the ministers that He sends to help us understand the Scriptures (Ephesians 4:11-16)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

This is not as simple as just having a correct systematic theology everyone can subscribe to. It actually requires obedience to revealed truth. God does not have to reveal the truth to disobedient people. So we really need to begin by implementing what we understand from the Word of God especially concerning walking in divine love.

For more information on this issue, please visit Why are there so many different churches and beliefs within Christianity.

God bless you,

Michael Fackerell