Convictions Not For Everyone

[KingsKid4Ever]

Regarding gray, unclear, or vague areas of conviction everyone is entitled to their own. Just because God says some gray area is wrong for me does not automatically make it wrong for everyone else. He deals with each of us differently, so we must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). What may be conviction to one is not necessarily conviction to another.

Example . . . When I first got saved a sweet couple tried to convince me that women should not wear shorts. That is their conviction, but I just do not agree. So, I asked God why women can’t wear shorts if they are modest shorts. His answer was very simple. He said, “I never said you couldn’t.” I argued with Him about what my friends had told me and all He kept saying was, “I never said you couldn’t.”

Then, He led me to Acts 5:29 . . . “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Wow! I finally understood that God doesn’t always convict everyone of the same thing. I believe our convictions come from what He knows is best for us individually at particular times in our lives; just like we do our children. We teach them with the expectation that they will learn, grow, and mature. As they grow we expect them to take on more responsibility according to their own level of maturity, and as they take on more responsibility they are given more privileges. When their responsibilities are not upheld some of their privileges are suspended, but our love for them is not. We discipline them accordingly, but we do not disown them and kick them out of the family.

For a very long time when God would convict me of something I thought He meant that conviction for everyone, and I would get all judgmental toward those who wouldn’t follow the same conviction. Then, I realized that just as we deal with our children individually, God deals with His children individually. We must follow our own convictions even if others don’t follow theirs, and even if the convictions of others are not the same as ours.

God is not going to judge us according to the convictions of others but according to the convictions of our own hearts. But, we should pray for those we think are wrong while at the same time keeping an open mind to the possibility that we might be the one who is wrong. If we are wrong we should make things right according to God’s leading. If we are right we need to live that conviction without trying to force others to see things our way. Yes, we are to be concerned for one another, but we should never pass judgment, label, or call names when we disagree.

The key is to have a mature and teachable spirit that is not easily offended, because there will always be someone who disagrees. It is not our job to pass judgment. As Christians it is our responsibility to point out what we believe and why then let God do the convicting and the convincing.

 

[Boanerges]

Regarding gray, unclear, or vague areas of conviction everyone is entitled to their own. Just because God says some gray area is wrong for me does not automatically make it wrong for everyone else. He deals with each of us differently, so we must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). What may be conviction to one is not necessarily conviction to another.

Indeed we are to follow our conscience before the Lord at all times. What is not sin to one of us can truly be sin to another if that other feels it is wrong and proceeds as God judges the heart of the matter.
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling- manifest your salvation bringing your flesh to the cross dying to your old way of thought and believing the Word of God above all. It may tremble even as Jesus own flesh quaked before the thought of that cross in Gethsemane. So yes work it (manifest it in your life) our but understand that you are only saved by grace and though a man's works be burned away completely he will be saved by faith in Christ.