What’s wrong and what’s right? These days so many people have different views on one thing that, at times, it nearly feels impossible to know what’s right and what’s wrong. There are so many beliefs and rules that people have put in their heads. I’m not saying everyone’s point of view is wrong. But somehow, we all read one thing and each one of us gets a different meaning out of it. So, which point of view is right? I’m pretty sure you all know what I’m talking about. The Bible.

We all have the same Bible with the same words, but somehow, we all get a different meaning out of it. Not the main things: those are easy to understand because they’re spoken plainly. We all agree on the facts of Jesus birthday, we all know Jesus rose on the third day—everyone who reads the Bible knows that we receive salvation through Jesus. And this is something we all agree on. But then we start reading about the way of life. How a Christian should live his or her life. And we began to have different views.

We read a certain verse and reach an understanding. Then we hear the same verse explained by someone else and they have an entirely different view. We can’t argue with them unless we have other verses to back up our view. Or unless we have certain verses that clearly state that their view is wrong. We may not voice our argument outload, but it’s in our head. Now unless we know our point of view is right because we have more verses that state so, we don’t have a right to argue. First, we have to gain a deeper understanding on that topic. And once we have that understanding, we can stand by what we know is right.

But what if you can’t find a certain verse on the topic you were talking about? Sometimes it’s hard to find a subject in the Bible because it’s a very small subject or it was unheard of in the Bible times. God knew times would change and that new problems would arise. But he gave us the most important rules to live by, in the years Jesus taught. And we can read all about them in the four gospels. He blessed the apostles with incredible wisdom to teach us how to better live as Christians. And if we apply those teachings first, then every other little thing that the world comes up with today, will be easier to understand.

But if we don’t study with an open mind, we won’t understand other point of views, because we’re too busy defending ours. Often times we want to read a certain thing because it fits to what we want to hear. We want to be right and we don’t want anything changing our ways. If we’ve thought a certain way for a while and preached it to other people, then we don’t want to find out that we might be wrong. Everyone wants to be right. It doesn’t matter if we’ve preached old fashion beliefs or modern beliefs. But if we read with an open mind to learn more about Christ—no matter who might end up being right—if all we want is to know the way of Jesus, then we will find our answer. And we’ll be happy with it no matter what others try to tell us.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6: 6-8 NIV

That’s why, when we read the Bible we should pray before we read. Pray that God will open our mind and heart, so that we may learn God’s point of view and not ours. Because God’s point of is the Christian point of view. Christians don’t make their own point of view: they reach an understanding of what Jesus’ teachings mean, by asking God to let them understand it how He meant it.

When we know someone is wrong, we shouldn’t lash out and insist we know best. Instead, stick to what we know God meant and be an open example of every teaching ever taught by Jesus. And if the conversation does come up, talk about how Jesus talked about. Because our point of view is not our own, but God’s point of view and no one stands a chance against God’s words.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 ESV