Everything That Does Not Come from Faith is Sin

Convictions

Romans 14.23 is a troubling verse if you consider the implications it addresses: if my actions are not aligned with my faith, that's sin, and sin begets death. In this passage, Paul is addressing the Romans about a matter that is of great importance to we who claim Christ as our Savior: convictions. A "conviction" is a firmly held believe, something we perceive as true even though others may not agree. For instance, some Christians are convicted not to drink or smoke or play nonviolent video games, while others are convicted to worship God on Sundays sitting in pews or read their Bible before every meal and pray every morning. But we must be careful not to confuse "convictions" (what we believe) with "faith" (what God says).

"And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment" (John 16.8). Our convictions come from our faith and are inspired by the Holy Spirit working individually within believers to inspire us to live righteously as we avoid sin. Therefore, our convictions can be bilaterally categorized into those which keep us from wrongdoing (God's "do not"commands) and those that implore us to live justly (God's "do" commands). For instance, God says "do not get drunk," not "do not drink," but our conviction is to avoid "drinking" in order to prevent "drunkenness." God commands us not to forsake fellowship and so our conviction is to gather weekly under one roof. However, we must be careful not to mistake the conviction for the commandment.

 

"So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another... but rather decide never to put a stumbling block... in the way of a brother" (Rom 14.13). Paul's convicting language in this chapter mirrors Jesus' own warning that it is better to tie a millstone to your neck and dive in a river than cause your brother to sin. And yet do we consider why we hold certain convictions as dear, if not more so, than the Word of God? I'm taking the next few days to examine my own convictions and to ask the question: do they come from faith or do they usurp my faith?