Short Lesson on Convictions
My purpose is not to make an exhaustive study of this subject but to get you thinking about your convictions, and whether or not they are based on what the Bible teaches.
What does the word conviction mean?
Joshua 14:7
I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,
“I am persuaded”
“I am Convinced”
How are our convictions formed?
Culture
Knowledge
fears
As a Christian
we believe that we have been convicted by the Holy Spirit through gospel truth,
the law read
or heard,
reflection,
affliction,
calamity…
And from that experience we base our convictions
Are your Christian convictions holiness?
You are regularly called a "saint" or holy person in the Bible,
Holiness in this regard denotes the high ethical and spiritual meaning of the word it is used to signify the appropriate quality of your life and conduct.
Christian Convictions are not holiness, but Holy People have convictions based upon appropriate qualities of life and conduct..
What are these appropriate qualities of life and conduct?
Lets talk about some of our convictions we might hold to.
1. Telling the truth – Honesty -
2. Self Control
3. against Pride
4. Gossip and inappropriate speech
5. Sexual purity
6. Holiness in regard to entertainment
7. Pure thought life
8. Use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs
9. A strong work ethic
10. Materialism
11. Credit and financial practices
12. Gambling
13. Dancing
14. Involvement in Lawsuits
15. Regular Church Attendance
16. Secret Societies
17. Astrology
18. Modesty
19. Reverence / respect
Now I want to take you to the scriptures to examine what the Bible says about the formation of our convictions
TEXT: I Cor. 10:23-33
1 Cor. 10:23
"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive.
What’s he saying?
EVERYTHING IS ALLOWABLE TO YOU, BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS GOOD FOR YOU.
What kinds of things do you suppose were allowable to the disciple in the world they lived in?
Hedonistic world
Not a lot of pleasures
Sex
Food
Drink
Entertainment
What sort of things are allowable for us today?
You could smoke cigarettes. There is not a place in the Bible that says not to.
BUT IS IT GOOD FOR YOU.
You could drink alcohol… there is not a place in the Bible that says not to.
BUT IS IT GOOD FOR YOU.
EVERYTHING IS ALLOWABLE TO YOU BUT NOT EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL BE CONSTRUCTIVE
Literally build you up…
In other words some things that are allowable will tear us down..
Or are destructive
What do we do with this truth…
Verse 24 gives us the overarching principle by which we should make decisions on what we should do or not do.
[24] Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
We are not to consider only ourselves, but we must be sensitive to others.
____________
The big problem of the day was those who ate meat sacrificed to idols.
To the Jewish understanding this was a big sin…
But with a change in covenants there was a change in perspective about meat sacrificed to Idols
[25] Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, [26] for, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it."
PAUL SAYS YOU ARE FREE TO EAT IT
What might be some things in our life that could be comparable to meat sacrificed to idols?
Eating dinner at the FEAST restaurant in the casino.
Some may feel this is a sin
But Paul says you are free to eat…
[27] If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.
Paul here is setting up an argument. Say you are sitting at the table ready to eat with unbelievers. The meat may have been sacrificed to idols, it may not have been…the earth is the Lords… so you are going to eat it….you have the freedom….
But then someone comes up to you and says you call yourself a Christian and your going to eat that meat sacrificed to idols…..
What do you do….
Paul says….
[28] But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake-- [29] the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours.
Does that mean its wrong to do something that God has not said is wrong and others have said is wrong. Absolutely not…except in the presence of one who is personally convicted its wrong… Then it would be sin for me to do it.
For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? [30] If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
1 Cor. 8:10-13
For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? [11] So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. [12] When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. [13] Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
[31] So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. [32] Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God--
Do not cause anyone to stumble- unbelievers or believers!
[33] even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
The main message of Paul’s teaching on convictions is that the church learn two things
1. yield your rights of freedom in the presence of the convictions of others.
2. grow up in Christ and understand our freedom
a. Everything is permissible for, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it
b. But not everything is good for you
c. GROW UP Do not raise questions of conscience, AND MAKE EVERYHTING SUCH A BIG ISSUE
d. Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
e. Do not seek your own good but the good of others,
