Men Of Conviction

Illus: David Gibbs, is a lawyer that has fought many battles in the court room on the difference between convictions and preferences. According to the US Supreme Court -

• A preference is a very strong belief, held with great strength. A preference is a strong belief, but a belief that you will change under the right circumstances.

If your beliefs are such that other people must stand with you before you will stand, your beliefs are preferences, not convictions.

Preferences can be changed by family pressure, lawsuits, jail,

or the threat of death.

• A conviction is a belief that you will not change under any circumstances. Why? A man believes that his God requires it of him.

David Gibbs says that preferences aren't protected by the constitution. Convictions are. Convictions on the inside will always show up on the outside, in a person's lifestyle. To violate a conviction would be a sin.

Convictions are not a matter of theology, but they are a matter of lifestyle. Convictions deal not with what you believe, but it goes much deeper than that, it deals with how you live.

Moses had conviction, but Aaron did not. Moses would never have worshipped the golden calf. Aaron knew it was wrong but he did not have conviction and his lifestyle proved it.

Because you know something is wrong, does not mean you have conviction.

• Knowledge comes from the brain

• Conviction comes from the heart

Illus: That reminds me of a famous actor that was an after dinner speaker at a big function. When he stood up to speak, he invited his audience to choose a poem for him to recite.

There was a long silence, until a retired clergyman raised his hand and asked him to recite Psalm 23.

The actor was slightly taken back, but agreed to do so, provided the clergyman would recite it after him, which the clergyman reluctantly agreed to do.

The actor recited Psalm 23 and received a standing ovation.

When the clergyman recited the Psalm, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

The actor came over to the clergyman and said to the guests, "Do you know the difference between his version and my version? I know the 23rd Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd."

When people have REAL CONVICTION, it comes from the heart. Some people say they love the Lord, but their lifestyle does not indicate that.

Illus: They remind me of two guys who are talking about their 95 year old boss's upcoming wedding with a twenty-four year old woman.

• One man said, “She said her heart is full of love for him!”

• The other man said, “There is a name for this kind of wedding."

• "What do you call it?"

• "We call it a football wedding."

• The first man said, "What's a football wedding?"

• The other says, "She's waiting for him to kick off!"

When we really have love in the heart, it is reflected in our lifestyle. If you really believe something from the heart, it is going to affect your actions.

Illus: Once, when Alabama was playing Auburn, Coach Bear Bryant sent in his 2nd string quarterback with instructions to run on every play and not pass the ball. Alabama led by three points and only had to run the clock out to win. Three downs in a row Alabama was crushed. On the fourth down with a few seconds left and Alabama ahead, the quarterback took the snap. Looking into the end zone he saw his receiver open and the temptation was too great. He threw the ball only to see it intercepted. Though he was the slowest player on the field, the 2nd string quarterback ran down the interceptor and Alabama won the game.

After the game, coach Dye of Auburn said to Bear Bryant, “How could that boy run down my boy who was so much faster?”

“Simple,” answered Bear, “Your boy was running to score a touchdown – my boy was running to keep me from killing him!”

When we truly believe something it will be reflected in our actions.

God’s church needs men and women of conviction that know right and wrong, based on God’s Word. Because God’s Word says something is wrong, they will not do it.

We see a good example of this in the life of the three Hebrew Children. When everyone else was bowing to the gods of this earth, they refused to bow because they had Bible convictions.

Let’s take a closer look at these MEN OF CONVICTION, that we might learn to be like them. First, let’s look at-

I. THE COMMAND

Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon, built a powerful Empire in the ancient Middle East.

• He conquered the fierce and cruel Assyrians