Where do convictions come from? Are they something taught, felt, inherited? These are important questions in the life of a believer. I think the simple answer is yes to all 3 questions, but here is the crux for us to ponder on:
Convictions have to be
grounded and proven in the Word of God. I can have a preference about a subject, but if I can't defend that with Scripture, then that is what it is; a preference.
Our Pastor is doing a series in Luke and we came to Chapter 14 Sunday. You know the story. Here's the KJV version of it:
1
And
it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief
Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
2
And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4
And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5
And
answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen
into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
6
And they could not answer him again to these things.
7
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
8
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10
But
when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he
that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then
shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with
thee.
11
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
You may ask me what this story has to do with convictions. Everything! You see Jesus was making the Religious leaders of that day look inwardly and not outwardly so the real them would come to the light, not the one in the suit. Those leaders of that day were not doing things from a heart-felt, Bible believing conviction, but because that was how they always had done things, and they loved looking righteous and important on the outside. The Pharisees looked good by all accounts, but Jesus could see straight through to the heart of their pride issue. He calls you and me to "humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God" and have convictions based on the truth set forth in God's Word, not because it's the latest christian fad, or because sister or brother so and so does it this way.
All convictions can be taught, felt, and inherited, but they better be confirmed and grounded in God's Word. Only He is our final authority.
