I have been thinking about the word, "conviction" as it relates to "commitment." Many times pastors bemoan the lack of commitment they perceive in their membership. They say things like, "Our people are just not committed like they should be." Or, "What the church needs is greater commitment." While I agree that commitment is a needed attribute among believers, what may really be lacking is conviction.
I have typically thought of conviction as that bad feeling when I have done something wrong - I was convicted of my sin, for example. But what I think is a more accurate description is "that which I believe to be right or true." Conviction is the thing that I am convicted of, the thing I live by no matter what. If my conviction is that marriage is honorable, then I will honor marriage. If my conviction is that truth is paramount, then I will be truthful. If my conviction is that God is a reality, then I will live according to His reality.
Should a believer gather with others at worship on Sundays? Yes, that is my conviction! Is worship more important than other activities? That is also my conviction. Does God deserve the best part of the first day of the week? My conviction tells me, "yes."
What are your convictions?
No comments:
Post a Comment