Personal Convictions Arise When Areas Of The Bible Are Gray

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 â€Å"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†¦show more content†¦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