Deconstruction and reconstruction of faith

Faith deconstruction and reconstruction is a concept that is valued by a minority in the Church where a person examines and disposes of aspects of their beliefs or their entire belief in God and adopts new beliefs. The idea that this practise is beneficial, if not essential, to the maturity of a Christian is not only very dangerous it also implies that the faith of a child that has gradually developed over the years as the child develops into adulthood has no substance and therefore no validity. The idea of reconstruction and reconstruction is unbiblical and also has underlying negative effects on the family unit and children’s ministry.

The prevailing danger of deconstruction and reconstruction is that it is expected that there are aspects of the Christian’s faith that need to be rejected. If the believer has good biblical foundations these beliefs should not be rejected but should be drawn upon and embraced as the believer experiences life and therefore matures in their faith. The believer should be encouraged to cherish the basic Bible beliefs established in their lives and persevere in their faith.

God encourages parents to teach their children His truths. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. A young believer should be trained in Bible truth and encouraged to maintain these. They should not be encouraged to reject it.

Deconstruction is often targeted, by a minority, to believers at an impressionable age. If these young believers are told it is a rite of passage to rebel and reject what they have been taught from the Bible at home or in the children’s ministry, they have attended, to establish their own faith it encourages a spirit of rebellion and can act as a conduit to devalue the family and respect for Christian parents by undermining home Bible teaching, the children’s ministry Biblical teaching, and ultimately their own personal relationship with God.

If a believer has truly given their life to God as a child then the relationship they have with God is as valid at this time as when they are ninety. To say that a young person must reject what they have known before or that a child’s faith does not count is a lie. Satan would love this lie as it devalues the relationship we have through Jesus Christ. Satan hates it when a person is restored to God and will use any tool to try and devalue our relationship with God.

Rather than view a need for deconstruction, by the young believer, it is better to recognize and celebrate the emerging understanding of their faith as an adult and growing knowledge of the Bible that continues to develop as a child becomes an adult. As the young believer experiences life’s challenges they can a draw upon and apply the Bible teaching they have learned and recognize how God will work in these challenges, revealing that He is God and that He is faithful.