What If I'm Wrong?

What If I’m Wrong?

by Rich Amick

Do you ever think to yourself, “What if I am wrong?”

If you wonder whether you understand all scriptural teaching correctly, the honest answer is no. None of us has perfect understanding.

In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul wrote extensively about justification—God’s act of declaring us righteous by faith. After explaining this doctrine, he transitions to the assurance and benefits of salvation. In doing so, he writes:

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous person; though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD through the death of His Son, much more, HAVING BEEN RECONCILED, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:6–10)

Because God justifies the ungodly, undeserving, and helpless who trust in Jesus Christ, we do not need to fear that imperfect understanding will jeopardize our salvation. However—and this is crucial—that does not mean we should remain stagnant or content with our current level of faith.

Peter wrote, “Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). He also wrote, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

There is not a single instance in Scripture of God rejecting or chastising someone for an honest misunderstanding while humbly seeking to trust and obey Him.

But as we grow toward maturity in Christ, we can rest in this truth: the real issue behind the question “What if I’m wrong?” is not intellectual perfection—it is the posture of the heart and the willingness to trust Jesus for salvation.