This was written September 8, 2009:

This morning, I’ve been thinking about personal convictions and our freedom in Christ. I read a devotional excerpted from material written by Jerry Bridges regarding the danger of legalism and judging others based upon our personal convictions. Mr. Bridges states:

“We must not seek to bind the consciences of other believers with the private convictions that arise out of our personal walk with God. Even if you believe God has led you in developing those convictions, you still must not elevate them to the level of spiritual principles for everyone else to follow. The respected Puritan theologian John Owen taught that ‘only what God has commanded in his Word should be regarded as binding; in all else there may be liberty of actions.’” [Excerpt taken from Transforming Grace]

Paul addresses this issue in Romans 14. There were some who were so afraid of eating meat sacrificed to idols that they limited their diet to only vegetables. Others ate whatever meat was offered to them, since they were secure in their freedom in faith, knowing that all meat that is accepted in thanksgiving is clean before God.

It is easy for some of us with strong personal convictions to do as Jerry Bridges notes above. We may judge others for indulging in something since we cannot practice our freedom in the same way because of our personal convictions about the matter. Pride begins to rise up.

Those of us who exercise their freedom in faith must be aware that we could possibly cause a brother or sister to stumble (Rom. 14:13). Personal convictions are often given by God to guard against specific weaknesses. (Our God is a personal God, isn’t He?) If my actions cause someone to weaken their personal convictions without the necessary faith, they could stumble and fall into sin. Not only that, but it might be easy to look down on one who, according to us, needs personal convictions and is not truly free. Again, pride can begin to rise up.

We may even go too far and cross the line over into sin that is forbidden in God’s Word. This was true in the case of the woman called Jezebel mentioned in the letter to the church at Thyatira in Revelation 2:20. As a self-proclaimed prophetess, she encouraged those without the necessary faith to eat things sacrificed to idols, violating their personal convictions, and so causing them to sin. Not only that, but she encouraged immorality as well, something that is clearly not sanctioned by God’s Word. This is obviously taking things too far, but I believe than many Christians have fallen into this trap in the name of freedom. The irony is that without repentance, they will remain enslaved to sin, not experiencing the freedom from sin that is theirs through Christ.

I grew up in a fairly conservative denomination, and did not really begin to understand the freedom we have in Christ until later in life. I generally equated living the Christian life with following God’s rules. So if I am going to err, I will most likely err on the side of legalism and judgment. Even so, after I had understood a bit more about freedom, I almost became ensnared by sin, justifying my actions in the name of freedom. However, if I am fully aware of my dependence on God’s Spirit to live as He desires, looking to Him for guidance in my personal convictions, it is easier to avoid both kinds of error.

What is your tendency?

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19