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IT IS A CONVICTION OR A PREFERENCE?

Romans 14:1-11

1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.  2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.  5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

INTRO: What is written here is neither new nor necessarily profound, but hopefully it will be helpful. Many Christians attempt to make convictions out of preferences, or others make preferences out of what should be convictions.

Definitions:

 Conviction: Something believed so deeply that nothing should be able to change your view or move you away from that belief. Convictions for the Christian must have strong scriptural support. Some say that a conviction is something you would be willing to die for rather than renounce. The “fundamentals” of the faith should become convictions in our lives, e.g., the inspiration of the Scriptures, the virgin birth of Christ, His blood atonement, etc.

But a true Bible believer would expand those beliefs beyond a few mere fundamentals and extend them to many strongly held Biblical doctrines!

     Preference: Something you believe, maybe even strongly, but not something you would be willing to die for or even lose friends over. It may be a belief you have based on a principle you believe in, but it is not a command of God but may be a Bible-based concept. For example, perhaps you believe that church membership is taught in Scripture, but it is not something you would be willing to die for. Perhaps you wouldn’t choose a church that didn’t require membership, but that would not mean you view that church as apostate, i.e., they haven’t abandoned the Bible or turned their back on “the faith.” You may still be able to fellowship with a believer in that church even though you may disagree on that point. You would have to break fellowship if that was a conviction.
 

In the text above the concept of Christian liberty is advanced. For example, some believers think the celebration of Christmas is O.K. (a family get-together, exchanging of gifts, a tree, etc.) and emphasize the virgin birth of our Savior especially at that time of the year. They know that there is no command in the Bible to do so, and are aware of the commercial and pagan traditions surrounding the holiday, but choose to honor the Lord and build family ties and friendships during this season. “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.” Rom. 14:6

      Surely he would not consider this a conviction, but rather a preference. He wouldn’t die for this celebration (or lack thereof), but nevertheless enjoys it and even emphasizes the spiritual aspects of the virgin birth of our Lord.

Another believer may emphasize the pagan origins and activities associated with this holiday and choose to avoid it altogether. Or he may even simply avoid it because of the materialism and commercialism associated with it. Of course some even attempt to associate the pagan practices of idol worship of the queen of heaven in Jeremiah 7 and 44 with Christmas and thus choose to disassociate altogether from any festivities at what we call Christmas.

Both believers know that Christ was not born on December 25th of course, but one chooses to remember His incarnation, and the other chooses to avoid all references to the date and Christ’s birth. Who is wrong? Who is right? The verse in Rom. 14:6 indicates that neither is necessarily completely right or wrong.

QUOTE: The Defender’s Bible note on Luke 2:13 “The probability is that this mighty angel, leading the heavenly host in their praises, was Michael the archangel; this occasion was later commemorated by the early church as Michaelmas (“Michael sent”), on Sept. 29, the same as the date of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. It would have at least been appropriate for Christ to have been born on such a date, for it was at His birth that ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us’ (Jn. 1;14). This would mean then that His conception took place in late December. Thus, it might well be that when we today celebrate Christ’s birth at what we call Christmas (“Christ sent”), we are actually celebrating His miraculous conception, the time when the Father sent the Son into the world, in the virgin’s womb. This darkest time of the year – the time of the pagan Saturnalia, and the time when the sun (the physical ‘light of the world’) is at its greatest distance from the Holy Land – would surely be an appropriate time for God to send the spiritual ‘Light of the world’ into the world as the ‘Savior, which is Christ the Lord’.” (Lk. 2:11)

     Perhaps another area believers may disagree on without division would be on the local church (organization) and the invisible church (organism). Many good and godly men are on both sides of this issue. While nearly all of us have strong feelings and beliefs about this subject, it is perhaps wise not to make it a test of fellowship.

     Often believers quibble, argue or even separate from each other based on otherwise trivial “convictions” rather than admit they are simply strongly held beliefs or “preferences.” Personally I have abandoned a number of former “convictions” and see them now as “preferences” not worthy of dividing over. In fact those who cause “divisions” over trivial matters or “preferences” are spoken of strongly and negatively in the Bible.

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

NOTE: The term “the faith” embraces a body of truth or doctrine which must be believed and defended at all costs. It is this body of truth that we must base our convictions upon. Any N.T. book of the Bible which begins with the word “Paul” (all his epistles), will reveal these doctrines for the Church Age. This in no way diminishes the other N.T. books, but God called Paul to delineate and defend “the faith” and clearly spell out Church Age doctrine in his epistles.

     Finally, allow me to say that above all, do not allow anything which I have written above cause you to disassociate from me as what I have simply attempted to do was to give you some insight into the differences between convictions and preferences, as I see them. Of course, as with any man-made or human centered (non-inspired) views you may choose to disagree. But may I humbly ask you to at least consider the logic and scripture backing of what I have written.

  No doubt much more could be written, and surely has on this subject, but my intent was simply to add to a subject that is often confusing and causes division among God’s children unnecessarily. I hope you will agree, but if not, then let us disagree agreeably.

Dr. Paul C. Fedena
(Pastor emeritus)