Today I asked my wife to read one of my recent articles. “They’re too long.” She said.
“It’s a four minute read… just this one, the content is important…” I countered. She agreed with some hesitation.
After reading the article, she began to educate me on how my stances sometimes change, making the perspective I’m sharing somewhat unbelievable or hard to accept by people in my inner-circle.
Hard stop.
I love my wife. More than any other living person on earth. She is my best friend. She has taught me a lot about humility over the years; she has pledged her faithfulness to our marriage and was an instrument God used to call me from wandering toward death back into life, so my sentiment is strong. I don’t value anything or anyone as much as I do her, religion excluded. The things I admire about her go on and on. But these words, the purpose of which I’m still unsure what or how they were meant to serve, couldn’t be more incorrectly stated. Thus, spurring today’s article.
Maybe some of you have experienced something similar? If so, today’s writing is 100% meant to encourage you.
Human beings are constantly receiving new information. Constantly. In mass quantities. We learn, we observe, we reflect, we dismiss, we reassess.… An opinion or stance that we held a year ago may not be the same today because we may have encountered stronger evidence, clearer reasoning, or deeper understanding. That is not weakness. That isn’t lack of intelligence. That is wisdom, maturity, and growth. And from a biblical standpoint, this is required of us as believers.
Scripture consistently presents growth as a defining mark of spiritual life. The apostle Peter commands believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Growth implies movement.
Movement implies change. If our understanding never develops, then our faith is not growing; it is stagnating.
The Bible never praises stubbornness in belief. Instead, it warns against hard-heartedness and closed minds. Proverbs 18:15 says, “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” Wisdom is not static. It seeks. It listens. It weighs. It examines. A person who refuses to reconsider their views in light of truth is not demonstrating conviction, they are demonstrating pride. Who would respect another that is unwilling to change their mind when faced with new evidence and more information?
Even the early church modeled this principle. In Acts 17:11, the Bereans are described as noble because they examined the Scriptures daily to verify what they were being taught. They did not accept teaching blindly, nor did they reject it reflexively. They investigated. They tested. They compared claims against God’s Word. Their willingness to evaluate information carefully was praised, not criticized.
Theological growth does not mean abandoning truth. It means refining our understanding of it. The difference is crucial. Truth itself never changes, we know this because God’s Word is eternal (Isaiah 40:8). But our comprehension of that truth can deepen over time. A child and a scholar may read the same verse and grasp different levels of meaning. Neither changes the verse; the growth happens in the reader.
This is why humility is essential in theology. First Corinthians 13:12 reminds us, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.” Our knowledge in this life is partial. That reality should produce teachability, not arrogance. The believer who understands this will hold convictions firmly but hold themselves humbly, always open to correction from Scripture.
History shows that many of the greatest servants of God revised their understanding as they grew. Apollos, described in Acts 18, was eloquent and knowledgeable in Scripture, yet his teaching was incomplete. When Priscilla and Aquila explained the way of God more accurately, he did not resist correction. He received it, grew, and became even more effective in ministry. His willingness to learn did not diminish him, it strengthened him.
There is also a moral responsibility tied to this process. When we receive clearer truth, we are accountable for how we respond. James 4:17 states, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” Knowledge increases responsibility. Growth demands action. When God reveals something new through His Word, obedience must follow.
And discernment is vital to this evolution. Not every new idea is true, and not every persuasive voice speaks wisdom. First John 4:1 warns believers to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” Growth does not mean accepting every new perspective. It means evaluating everything against Scripture, which remains the ultimate authority.
In a world flooded with opinions, trends, and competing ideologies, Christians are called to be both steadfast and teachable. Steadfast in truth. Teachable in understanding. These two qualities are not opposites, they are partners.
Spiritual maturity, then, is not proven by how loudly we defend what we once believed. It is proven by how faithfully we follow truth wherever God reveals it.
The goal is not to be right all the time. The goal is to be faithful all the time. And faithfulness means continually allowing God to shape our minds, refine our understanding, and lead us deeper into His truth.
So be bold in your willingness to admit when you are wrong, and educate others as to why. Never stop seeking answers, for this is the pathway to ignorance. Have a heart and mind willing, and excited, to learn new things, this will open doors for you. And in this, always, regardless of what the message is or who it comes from, be bold in your calling. Be humble in your corrections. And give others the same grace, respect their ability to change their minds based on new evidence, more experience, or better education.
Remember, what others might think or assume about you, is not your business or burden to carry. Walk in the freedom God has provided you to accomplish the mission in which He has tasked you. Everything else will work itself out as it should.
~Devin
Devin Osborne
