What difference does belief make?

What Does Belief DO?

Song in my head: Your Name by Paul Baloche

     I just listened to the first 20 minutes of one of my favorite podcasts, Beyond the Box, and it got me thinking about theology and my journey from Calvinism to ultimate reconciliation. Isn't it scary how we Christians judge each other (and ourselves) based on our beliefs at any given time? Especially because anyone seeking God will "...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...", which means beliefs about God and reality in general will change over time. All true learning brings about change.

I think the reason we judge based on belief is that we think beliefs are powerful enough to bring about salvation. You know, "To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God," (John 1:12)? It seems like believing and accepting certain doctrines is extremely important to our salvation. But what does salvation even mean anyway? What do these beliefs save us from, exactly? And how does it work?  My ideas and beliefs are constantly being renewed and "edited". How can something so inconstant and inconsistent be the "rock" on which my salvation rests? 

      I thought Jesus was the rock, the foundation. 

It seems to me that just as the earth revolves around the sun, whether people believe it or not, Jesus died to save the world from sin and reconcile all people to God, whether people believe it or not. It's a fact, not an opinion, and believing or disbelieving the fact does not make it true or false. So how could believing in something save me from anything? 

     There has to be something more...something deeper that is missing.

...to be continued...