Thursday, December 31, 2015

What are Your Personal Convictions?

Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards

The process of continually developing personal convictions is vitally important in the life of a Christian. If you're single, this can be of great help to you before you take the plunge of marriage. If you're already married, it can work to shape and refine your unity as a couple.

Over the years, I have discovered many people (singles and couples) who have unspoken personal convictions. They're unspoken, because they really don't know what they believe until someone steps on their toes. The result? Boom! Their convictions functioned as landmines located just below the surface of life that can, and often do, randomly explode, because people didn't actively know what they were. They have been the cause of damage in relationships to people of all walks of life. Do you really know your convictions?

My convictions have been forming and developing for years. I actively base them on doctrines and principles found in the Bible. Why? Because it is there that God has revealed His perfect design for life. I have many more than these listed below, but here are my top ten. All of them can easily be defended throughout the Bible.

Here are my Top 10:
          1. Jesus saved me, because I couldn't
          2. I have been saved from sin and for Him 
          3. Christianity is an "all-in" life of worship 
          4. His Spirit is shaping me into Christ's likeness
          5. My time, skills, stuff, and money are His
          6. Parents are primary disciple-makers
          7. The local church is God's plan for His mission
          8. Prayer and peace go hand-in-hand
          9. The Bible is God's relevant Word to humanity
          10. Judgment, Heaven, and Hell are very real  

If you don't know your convictions, take some time to figure them out. Here are a few resources to help you in this important effort:
 - The Bible: this is by far the most important!!
 - What should Christians do when convictions violate a tolerant society?
 - Blog: Moral Convictions Must Emerge Out in the Open
 - Blog: Mental Growth means Growing into More Definite Convictions

No comments:

Post a Comment