Personal convictions arise when areas of the Bible are gray. In the New International Bible Dictionary, conviction is described as a way the Holy Spirit convinces Christians of the path towards righteousness (Douglas & Tenney, 1987, p. 232). In contrast, according to the Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, conviction is defined as “a strong persuasion or belief”. A personal conviction is a combination of both definitions, combining strong beliefs with God’s placement of them on a person’s heart. In order to facilitate Christlike thinking and action in one’s life, a Christian should have and develop their own personal convictions.
Personal Conviction Development
Personal convictions get their start by our faith education base and how we
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49). Personal convictions should be developed in order for the Christian to begin to understand Christlike thinking and action.
Convictions to Avoid
Not all convictions help us maintain our path towards Christ’s likeness. Convictions that are linked to nothing more than superstitions can harm a Christian’s focus. For example, on Facebook there are multiple instances claiming if a post is shared, the person will be blessed. There is no merit to these posts and Christians should not spend time on these superstitions. The only way to be blessed in this life, is through the son, Jesus Christ. Sharing and posting on Facebook may be entertaining, however it does not lead to Christian thinking or action. As Christians, our focus should be on God and what His Word says. There are no quick and fast ways down a Christian life path. The Bible warns us against a superstitious focus in 1 Timothy 4:7, as Paul clearly tells Timothy to stay clear of any superstitious myths or tales and focus on God. This is good advice for us all in today’s world.
Another conviction that should be avoided are those that are established to attract attention for a selfish ego. A few years back, a group of church members decided to attempt a Daniel Fast over the Lenten season. Several members on the fast added a competitive element. They were determined to be the only ones
In Christian society and belief, as well as many other religions, the one true possession that a person has total control over is their everlasting soul. It is this spirit that makes one truly unique from everyone else. The fight within one’s self between good and evil and the day to day struggle to ensure that the goodness prevails is the focal point of a true believer’s life. It is only by this triumph on goodness that he can achieve Salvation in the eyes of God.
The article The Myth of Certainty by Taylor Daneie talks about What it means to be a true Christian that lives in a healthy way. Daneie starts listing off a bunch of questions to get the reader to start thinking about their own life. She talks about being a respectable person and the challenges that a person faces in their life when they try to be a Christian. She talks about the doubts that she knows people have to face from society. A big part of her story was talking about what group a person fits in with and the contributions they make to that group. She says, “We belong to communities of belief which help shape, whether we are conscious of it or not, our views of the world and the actions in it” (Daneie p.21). Once people get into their groups and for their world view, it is tough to try and change them; nearly impossible to get them to change their mind.
The first point of Christian thought and practice is to understand the terms: religion, belief, faith, and spirituality. Religion, refers to the collector value experience practices and beliefs of the community. The reading describes belief as a mindset that something is true especially something that could never
My faith and how I lived in my faith made serves as a lasting example to believers in Christ (Lindslay, 3). In life, I believed that all work that I did was spiritual work for the betterment of the Lord’s kingdom. Whether I was writing, ministering, eating out, or simply talking with friends, all work, all things, all I did was for the advancement of the Lord’s kingdom. For the work of “a Beethoven” or the work of a “charwoman” were all the same in my eyes; for both the workers, their work should be “offered to God” and done “humbly” “as to the Lord” (Eshlemen, 2). Although I struggled with cynicism, this way of living life challenged and brought new meaning to my life (Lindslay, 3). This idea on the life I lived and how I lived the life I was given serves as an example of Colossians 3:17 for Christians who wish to live and long to live in similar fashions (The Holy, 237). This way of living my faith truly required me to be quite public and open with my thoughts and beliefs. My faith was not always outright and public. When I was young, my family was my first spiritual influence (Eshlemen, 5). My faith started when I was young, but was shattered with the death of my mother when I was ten years of age (Lindslay, 1). This tragedy shook who I thought God is. The death of my mother affected me deeply. In fact, in college, I denounced the protestant
Moral conviction is something that everyone should have, it is inherent, or at least that is the assumption. In the book, "A Case for Christianity", by C. S. Lewis, Lewis argues that it is part of the "Moral Law". Not the part that will make you forget about yourself and help someone else even though it might put you in danger, but rather the part that makes you feel bad when you have wronged another person or broken your own moral code. That is just it though, you set your own moral code, not anyone else. Sure it can be influenced by teachers, parents, friends, movies, media, and numerous other entities of our society, but the end result is your own choice, your own moral standard that you have set for
I live near Montrose, Colorado, an inconsequential city of a mere twenty thousand inhabitants. Within this reasonably small town, a total of thirty-six distinct churches serve those who profess to know Christ. The astounding variety of denominations in the United States certainly evidences itself in Montrose. In stark contrast, these divisions did not even exist among the Christians of the first century A.D. Many denominational splits occur because Christians clash over authority or disagree on doctrine. I believe that churches should, first and foremost, recognize Christ as the sole head, avoid petty man-made divisions over slight discrepancies in man's interpretation of the Bible, and yet not hesitate to disassociate
The principles are for continual growth and elevation for Christians. The instructions in The Bible are not only for guidance is a comforting and strengthening agent. Given this statistic, this could be an additional reason why God created mankind in His image to take part in on other wonderful helpful contributions. Highlighting the difference between a secular worldview and a biblical worldview, the incorporation of belief and doctrine, theories of vocation and efforts for living righteously is proven to be an influential lifesaving
Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture is written by Joel Green, a New Testament scholar, and Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Prof. Green, has participated and contributed greatly on a wide range of topics related to both New Testament scholarship and theology.
In Mere Christianity, Clive Staples Lewis, known as C.S Lewis known best for his writing, and being a Christian apologist, divides the novel into 4 different section. Each book emphasizes the struggles he has faced and overcome as well as personal life lessons he has learned. The first section, Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe focus on moral law and the law of nature. Christians Believe, second section, corresponds with his life because Lewis has had many interviews defending his faith and studied the Bible thoroughly. In the third book, Christian Behaviour. It talks about all of the different types of morals and behaviors Christians are called to follow because Lewis has studied into Jesus’s teaching he has a deeper understanding of what Jesus has called his followers to be. Lastly, Beyond Personality: or First steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity, is about the first steps and the process of becoming a Christian. Lewis went from an atheist to a highly Christian figure in the church and believer society resulting into a lot of personal knowledge of the topics in his novel. C.S. Lewis’s life influences his writing in Mere Christianity through his ability to portray the foundation of Christianity from the growth made from both his believer and non-believer life, using the amount of studies and research done defending the views of atheists and Christians, his studies in people and Christian behavior, and finally how his intimate growth as a godly person
The convictions that humans accept are meaningless without the actions that instigate and perpetuate the belief. For
Lead The Charge Horizontal Organizational Chart is the one I see fit more my leadership style. Once I read the assigned requirements, I am convinced that chart B will help me more develop a friendly work environment at current my military and future ministry positions. Currently, I have 16 years of military service. I spent time as enlisted and now as warrant officer and I have been able to appreciate that leading personnel is not an easy task, but leading from the front I gain trust from my subordinates and successfully completed the mission. I ensure what I task my troops; I am also able to execute. I like to feel how they feel while they are
So much of society seems to live his/her life on a sort of self-serving autopilot mode. Rarely does one stop to think how or why he/she is making certain decisions or how these decisions can affect his/her life in the future. Often times, it is not until one has a “string of bad luck” or something tragic happens in one’s life, when he/she will turn to Jesus for help “getting them through this problem” only to return to one’s self-centered ways once his/her life has returned to normal. Living life with a Christian worldview is not something that one can take off a shelf and use when needed and allow it to collect dust on that shelf the rest of the time. This paper will discuss the many parts that make
Conversion to Christ leads to a committed life to His heart and our life's actions.
How does one learn to see God’s heart? What does it mean to live God’s heart? Finally, how would a believer speak God’s heart? This essay will discuss the foundations of character formation and discipleship by first identifying the formational attributes of the Gospel, next explain how the Gospel can affect one’s approach to discipleship, and finally, identify personal practices of spiritual disciplines that I will exercise in my daily life.
God expects individuals that call themselves “Christian” to grow spiritually. The Word of God encourages personal examination as a part of the growth process, as found in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” Becoming more Christ-like focuses on how He works in us and not on our work for Him. The Cycle of Works demonstrates that regardless of work we complete, the acceptance of others, the sustainability of our works and the significance it brings, we cannot compete with God’s Cycle of Grace that show us that we are significant in His sight and that brings us sustenance and acceptance