Belief: Is a decision made within the mind, by the will and with the emotions that directly and instinctively mandate behavior and personality.
Belief: Bible New Testament Greek: pivstiß Pronounced Pis'-tis: "A conviction of the truth of anything" Translated in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 as "Belief" and 239 other times in the New Testament as "Faith". The word "believe" from the New Testament Greek is from the word peivqw, pronounced pi'-tho, and means to convince or be convinced or persuaded.
Merriam-Webster defines belief as:
"1: a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing2: something believed; especially
: a tenet or body of tenets held by a group3: conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence" – Merriam-Webster Web site 2008.
We may say that we believe in something, but the real evaluation of the matter is if it is shown in our lives. It is not that a person is a hypocrite because they do not act out what they believe but they are a hypocrite because they claim to believe something that they in reality do not act out. Hypocrisy is lying to one self about what you believe. Not a deception of others but of self. Therefore it is not for anyone to evaluate another's hypocrisy or belief, but for each of us to evaluate our own life. Look at your check book, your calendar, your completed tasks, the eyes of your children. Take a snap shot of the last 3 months of your life, that is what you believe. It's not that our belief's motivate our actions, our actions are our beliefs. Don't look at how you want to be like, or at ideals you think grand or at the motivation of others for what you believe, look at how you act day to day. Now look at the ideals that you want to act out in your life, what you want to be. The degree that the two line up, is the measure of your integrate. If you are not happy with your integrate you have 2 choices: 1. Change your outward behavior until it matches your ideal or 2. Change what you think you claim to believe until it matches your behavior. The second option requires a realization and ability to accept reality. Option one, requires self-discipline, self-respect, self-motivation, self-confidence, the help of a core set of close friends and very often the help of "a higher power" (Bill W.)
So, what do you believe?
