28: Conviction

Have your convictions remained the same over the years, despite of the many things that had happened in your life - good and bad? I believe mine changed. Perhaps, some of them. One perfect example is drinking (alcoholic drinks).

When I entered college, it was when I started drinking socially. I got drunk a few times too - not a pretty site to see. I really didn't see anything wrong about it. Until God changed my heart about it when I started walking seriously with Him. He convicted me about it and without any hesitation, I decided to stop. He made me realize that I didn't get anything good from it. 

Either you believe in the Bible, being the final authority in your life or if you don't believe, need not to worry.  You can't find any verse in the Bible that says drinking is a sin. But getting drunk, of course, just Google verses about it, and you will see there are a lot. 

But it doesn't mean that because drinking is not a sin, we just freely do it. We always have to consider the people around us. If you have a friend whom you know is struggling with alcoholism and still you continue to drink, or if you have a friend who gave up drinking and you still force that person to drink, then that's a different story.

Romans 14: 13- 18

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

We all believe in different things. We stand up for something because of different reasons.  It's truly difficult not to judge others if we measure it against our beliefs. I, myself, is sometimes guilty of it. But I'm just grateful that God didn't give us the task to be the judge of this world (well, we can never be qualified with our imperfection). As Romans 14:12 says, " So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God."  Not ourselves to others. 

I pray that with what I believe in, I will not cause anyone to stumble. Not to judge, but to accept and love just like what Jesus did for me who is imperfect and a sinner.

To God be the glory! :)