Q. 1. What is a “personal conviction”?
A “conviction” is a broad term that can refer to any strong persuasion or belief, or anything about which someone is “convinced.” For example, the bodily resurrection of Jesus is a firm conviction of the whole Church. It is something about which all Christians are firmly convinced.
When the word “personal” is used to qualify “conviction,” it is usually meant to indicate a persuasion or belief that is unique to the person and should not be expected of other Christians. More than one person may hold the same conviction, but it is not a matter of consensus, even in a local church. It is not something over which Christians should quarrel, separate, or form a new worshiping community.
Q. 2. How do we know that the category of “personal convictions” is even biblical?
Romans 14 is a key chapter on personal convictions, especially verses 1–6:
14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Some early Christians had strong opinions—things about which they were convinced in their own mind. In this case, their personal conviction was that they should observe certain days and only eat vegetables. These were likely Jewish Christians who were convinced that God still expected them to observe the Old Testament feasts and avoid unclean foods (and thus, out of carefulness, they avoided meat altogether). Many other Christians, however, did not have this personal conviction. Paul encouraged mutual respect and tolerance as long as both parties were sincerely trying to please God their Master.
The category of “personal convictions” is still legitimate today, in part because scriptural principles must be applied, and not all Christians will agree about how to do this. Churches should try to work together on how to apply biblical principles in their culture, and wise pastor-teachers should lead the way in this difficult process, but at the end of the day, reasonable Christian liberty must be upheld. Unless something can be read in Scripture or proved thereby, it should not be expected of church members. Still today, “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Rom. 15:4).
Q. 3. How does someone develop a “personal conviction”?
In a best case scenario, “personal convictions” are the end result of someone seriously wrestling with how to apply the Bible or biblical principles to the unique circumstances of their life, family, or culture. After much prayer and study, the person concludes, “I am convinced that I should [x], but I don’t expect every Christian to agree or do the same.” These kinds of convictions can be very admirable because they reflect a heart that is serious about pleasing God in everything.
Other times, people have personal convictions because they believe that the Holy Spirit has directly spoken to them about something. While I’m open to this as a possibility, God primarily leads us through his Word, and I’m concerned that some Christians base their beliefs and practices more on what they feel that the Spirit has said to them than they do on serious study and application of God’s Word. If the Spirit does directly speak to a person about something, that person should at least be able to show through subsequent study that what the Spirit has said is consistent with Scripture and a reasonable application of some principle revealed in Scripture.
Q. 4. What is an example of a “personal conviction” today?
I know some people who have a personal conviction that television is almost always detrimental to the pursuit of holiness; therefore, they do not have a TV, and it might even violate their conscience to buy one. However, they don’t feel superior to Christians who have a TV, and they don’t push their conviction on others, though they sometimes humbly explain why they hold this conviction and invite other Christians to consider it. Given the amount of profanity, nudity, violence on TV today, this is a reasonable application of biblical principles, and these Christians should not be looked down upon as “legalists” or weirdos. Since personal convictions go beyond what can be reasonably expected of all Christians, they do tend to be more “careful” or “strict.”
Q. 5. Are some people’s “personal convictions” unreasonable or illegitimate?
While we should be careful about judging others, as Paul warns, I know of some Christians who have “personal convictions” that I do not consider to be reasonable applications of biblical principles. While I try to assume the best of these believers, their “personal convictions” lead me to think that they may be caught up in legalism, scrupulosity, or performance-based religion.
For example, I have a very difficult time believing that the Spirit has told some people not to wear certain colors, or not to wear some perfectly appropriate article of clothing. It seems more likely that “the voice of the Spirit” in these cases is actually the intrusive thoughts of an overscrupulous conscience, and that these believers do not adequately understand or enjoy their liberty in Christ. If such a person belonged to my local church, I would try to get to know them better and look for edifying ways to speak words of gospel freedom into their life.
Q. 6. How important are personal convictions?
Personal convictions tend to feel extremely important to the individual who holds them. This can even become unhealthy, especially if their Christian identity is wrapped up more in their personal convictions than in the convictions of the whole Church. While we should seek to be “fully convinced in our own mind” (Rom. 15:4) for good reasons, our personal convictions are still relatively unimportant compared to the mind of God as revealed in the clear teachings of Scripture, or compared to the mind of the whole Church throughout history.
In my own life, I have few personal convictions. I am not a conscientious person by nature. I do try to apply biblical principles to my life, but most of my attention from day to day is focused on simply obeying the plain teachings of Scripture (e.g., to be patient and gentle with my wife and kids!).
Q. 7. Can someone’s personal convictions change over time?
Someone’s personal convictions may change or develop over time. In fact, it may be a sign of growth if they do! As their understanding of Scripture grows, they may realize that some personal convictions were based on misinterpretations. Or perhaps as they grow stronger in faith and maturity, they realize that some guardrails are no longer necessary.
For example, when I first got saved, I felt that God wanted me to stop playing Xbox. As a teenager, I played constantly, and I struggled to have consistent personal devotions because my reflex was to turn on the Xbox as soon as I got home from high school. I went from playing Xbox for several hours every day to not playing it at all! Although I can’t remember for sure, I think I may have testified about it at church (e.g., “I feel that God wants me to stop playing Xbox”). In that early, formative time of my spiritual life, I felt convicted against Xbox. But about a dozen years later, I have no conviction against video games or game consoles in general. In fact, I bought an Xbox a few years ago to play Lego games with my little boy and I sometimes play games with a friend to unwind and relax. As I’ve grown spiritually, it’s easy for me to exercise discipline with video games. Now that they aren’t a spiritual hindrance, I don’t feel bound by God’s direction in my life when they were.
For this reason, we should not judge others when they change their personal convictions. We should not assume that it’s hypocrisy or that they are backsliding or “backing up on light.” In fact, it may be a sign of spiritual growth. In the case of Romans 14, those with the most personal convictions were the ones who were “weak in faith” (Rom. 14:1).
Q. 8. Can personal convictions become dangerous?
I have already offered some cautions throughout this article, but it is also worth considering Article 11 of the 25 Articles of Religion, the historic Methodist confession of Faith:
Voluntary works, — besides, over, and above God’s commandments — which are called works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogance and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ says plainly, “When you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants.’”
Every time that I read God’s Word, I’m painfully aware of how much I need to grow in obvious areas of character and wisdom. I think that most Christians would be better served by focusing less on “personal convictions” and spending more time studying the Sermon on the Mount or the Book of Proverbs. There is plenty there to keep us busy for a lifetime!
