(Gospel Guardian, Vol. 12 No. 44, Mar. 16, 1961).
Robert Harkrider
The vast difference between conviction and convenience has rapidly become a misunderstood subject. The search for convenience has perhaps led more Christians to bow their knees to Baal than any other disease. Conviction is lacking, and sin, camouflaged by popularity, continues to take its toll in the church.
A sharp contrast exists between the two attitudes. While conviction will prompt the Christian to stand under every test, the desire for convenience leads to compromise, and thereby spiritual death is the result.
Much preaching needs to be done on the meaning of conviction and its characteristics. An elegant picture of true conviction is found in a quotation from an article by J. W. Evans while he was living in Orlando, Florida. The article was about a sermon he had preached at the Par Avenue church. The title, “Have Convictions-Will Stand” may remind us of one of the popular TV programs; but its content is far removed from TV westerns. After expressing his appreciation for the good reception given to the lesson by the members at Par Avenue, brother Evans adds the following words which are to the point and worthy of serious consideration.
- “Again I say that I thank God for members of Par Avenue who are able to make proper discernment on weakness and strength, quantity and quality; who refuse to be swayed from Bible convictions by discouragements that weed out the weaklings. These know the WHY of ‘a falling away.’ (1 Cor. 11:9) They know that part of our warfare must be fought with ‘spiritual wickedness in high places;’ that sin and error crouch in camouflaged corners of even the kingdom of God. But it only takes a Gideon’s army with broken pitchers of light to flush them from their dark hidings. This army has heard the short, sharp blast of the bugle call – ‘Stand, Therefore Stand’ And ‘Stand’ – we are entrenched behind the impregnable citadel of Bible convictions. Too soberly convicted to be flushed out by the tear-gas bombs of sentimentalism; too confident by the majority-that-God-makes to be routed by the bombardment of ‘multitudes on the other side;’ too near the ‘Captain of our salvation’ to be intimidated by the screaming mischief-missiles of innuendoes, slander, and prejudicial epithets. Yes, we Have Convictions – Will Stand.“
Morsels like these, after being masticated and digested, should nourish the strong to more strength and provide the weak with the courage to be loyal to truth under every temptation. Christians are being tried and tested for their love of truth. Many are courageously standing for that which they know to be right, while others, not studying the Bible for themselves, are swept away by the pleasant and fair speeches of teachers and preachers who seek only to scratch itching ears with “great swelling words, showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.” (Jude 16)
God recognized this type of attitude among his people, the Israelites. In Ezekiel 33:31, the prophet spoke, “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” Notice particularly that these came as ones belonging to God, and love flowed from their mouths. But it was not the kind of love God desired, for their “heart goeth after their covetousness.”
Peter and John manifested the true spirit of love with God when, after being warned not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus, replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.” (Acts 4:18-30)
- “be entrenched behind the impregnable citadel of Bible Convictions. Too soberly convicted to be flushed out by the tear-gas bombs of sentimentalism; too confident by the majority-that-God-makes to be routed by the bombardment of ‘multitudes on the other side;’ too near the ‘Captain of our salvation’ to be intimidated by the screaming mischief-missiles of innuendoes, slander, and prejudicial epithets.”
Yes, may we “Have Convictions – Will Stand!”
Editorial Comments:Conviction or convenience–which is it for you? Do you attend worship simply when it is convenient (which may be often) or is it a matter of conviction (Heb. 10:24-25)? Do you dress modestly a matter of convenience (because of job requirements, cold weather, appropriateness of the occasion) or is it a matter of conviction (1 Tim. 2:9-10; Matt. 5:28)? For you, is the matter of being a Christian conviction or convenience?
There are too many brethren that behave out of convenience, not conviction. This can be very evident when controversy arises. For instance, one may attend services faithfully for years, but when troubles arise in the local church, they being to miss. Likewise, one may dress modestly, but when the church begins to take action to discipline a member for immodesty, they speak out against it. Further, for many years one may preach long and hard against fellowshipping error of any kind, but when a friend begins to espouse such, they fall silent at the tomb or, worse yet, they defend the fellowship of their friend (cf. Eph. 5:11)! This manifests that their stand on false teaching was a matter of convenience, not conviction!
The above article by brother Harkrider needs to be read and reread! Do we have conviction? Are we willing to accept the Lord’s teaching? “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:34-37).
Do you have convictions like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who, regardless of the threat of death, said, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan. 3:17-18)? Do you have convictions like John the Immerser, who lost his head over his stand on marriage, divorce, and remarriage (Mk. 6:17-28)?
More of us need to say, “Have Convictions — Will Stand!” Will you?
Steven F. Deaton
