Does Every Person Have a Right to His Own Beliefs?

Mike Johnson

The answer to the above question is, in one sense, YES, but in another sense is NO.

To begin with, consider the question from a “constitutional” or “legal” standpoint.  People do have a right to their own beliefs in matters of religion according to the law.  They can believe in God if they want to, or they can be an atheist.  People can think whatever they want to about the Bible; the government does not force us into a particular religious belief or doctrine, and we can be thankful for this.

On the other hand, do people have the right to believe what they want to before God?  Can people believe whatever they please with God’s approval and without any consequences?  The answer to this question is NO.  In this sense, people do not have a right to believe what they want.  There must be authorization in God’s Word for us to have a right to believe it or practice it.

Consider some Old Testament cases.  Eve, for example, did not have a right to believe what she wanted.  She accepted a lie and partook of the fruit, which caused her expulsion from the garden (Gen. 3).   Nadab and Abihu could not believe what they wanted, either.  They offered “strange fire” before God and consequently were killed (Lev. 10).

In the New Testament, we read where it is possible to believe a lie and be lost.  II Thessalonians 2:11-12 says, “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”  Thus, since one can believe a lie and be lost, it can be said that what one believes is important.

In John 8:31-32, Jesus said to some Jews who were believers, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jesus also warned his disciples (Mt. 16:6) to “. . .  beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” He was talking, according to verse 12, about the “doctrine” of these groups.  Why this warning if a person can believe a false doctrine without consequences?

Further, He pointed out that if people teach for doctrines the commands of men, they worship God in a vain matter (Mt. 15:6-9), and that every plant not planted by his heavenly Father will be rooted up (Mt. 15:12-14).

II John 9-11 makes it very clear that what we believe is important and that people do not have a right to their own belief.  Here John said, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. We must abide in the “doctrine” or “teaching” of Christ.  If we don’t, we do not have God.  Can a person who “does not have God” be saved?

In II Timothy 2, Paul spoke of two false teachers — Hymenaeus and Philetus. He said (v. 17-18) that their message would spread like cancer, and they had strayed from the truth.  The doctrine they taught was that the “resurrection is past already,” and they had “overthrown the faith of some.”  Was it important what these two men believed about the resurrection?  How about those whose faith was overthrown?  It was important what they believed and taught!

If what one believes is not critical, why does the New Testament spend so much time condemning false doctrine?  Consider the book of Galatians.  If one’s religious beliefs and practices do not matter, please answer the following questions.

  • Why was Paul concerned about the Galatians being “removed from the gospel?” (1:6-9)
  • Why was Paul concerned about false brethren? (2:4)
  • Why did Paul withstand Peter to the face? (2:11)
  • Why was Paul concerned that the Galatians had ceased to “obey the truth?” (2:11)
  • Why did he say that some of the Galatians had fallen from grace? (5:4)

Yes, from a constitutional standpoint, we do have a right to our own beliefs, but that does not mean God allows us to believe whatever we want.  We must not confuse the two areas.  Those who please God must abide in the doctrine of Christ.