Conviction or Convenience A Question of Why We

Conviction or Convenience? A Question of Why We Serve God

Conviction or Convenience? • Convenience = the state of being suited to one’s personal ease or comfort • Conviction = the state of being convinced, a strong persuasion or belief • In religious matters, is your service to God motivated by conviction or convenience?

Those Who Acted From Conviction • Abraham (Gen. 12: 1; 22: 1) • Joseph (Gen. 39: 9) • Joshua and Caleb (Num. 14: 6 -10) • David (2 Sam. 24: 24) • Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack, Abednego (Dan. 1: 8; 3: 17 -18; 6: 10)

Those Who Acted From Conviction • Mordecai and Esther (Esther 3: 2; 4: 16) • Antipas (Rev. 2: 10, 13) • Few in Sardis (Rev. 3: 4)

When We Act From Conviction • We take a stand on God’s word, not tradition • We please God, not man • We receive persecution in this life, but heaven in the next

Acting From Conviction • Some stand for truth at all times (Prov. 23: 23) • Some attend all the services when possible 10: 25) (Heb. • Some establish a sound church or travel great distances to worship with a sound church (Acts 19: 9; 20: 6) • Some preach the whole counsel of God, including the negative (Acts 20: 20, 27)

Those Who Acted From Convenience • Jeroboam (1 K. 12: 25 -29) • Pharisees (Mt. 15: 3 -9; 23: 3 -4, 23 -24, 25 ff) • Pilate (Lk. 23: 20 -25) • Peter (Gal. 2: 11 -14) • Felix (Acts 24: 25)

When We Act From Convenience • We neglect and compromise the truth • We become lukewarm, apathetic, or inconsistent in our service (attendance, etc. ) • We become worldly

Acting From Convenience • Some will change the work, worship, and organization of the local church to meet the desires of the world (instrumental music, the Lord’s supper on Saturday, etc. ) – 2 Tim. 1: 13 • Some will not preach on controversial subjects (denominationalism, M-D-R, worldliness, etc. ) – 2 Tim. 4: 2 • Some will not engage in institutionalism, but only because they are not large enough to do so

Acting From Convenience • Some no longer believe that Christianity is the only way to God (Jn. 14: 6; Acts 4: 12) • Some compromise the creation account to accommodate modern evolutionary science (Gen. 1 -2) • Some are no longer religious at all (Tit. 1: 15 -16)

Conviction or Convenience? • Convenience travels the broad of compromise and falls (2 Pet. 3: 17) • Conviction travels the narrow road of principle and takes a stand (Phil. 1: 27)

What Makes A Person Convicted? • Early indoctrination (2 Tim. 1: 5; 3: 15) • Constant and consistent practice (Lk. 2: 27, 42; 4: 16) • Deep-seated trust and understanding (2 Cor. 4: 13; 1 Pet. 3: 15) • Personal belief and persuasion (2 Tim. 1: 12)