Uncomfy Studies: Introduction

The Workings of Personal Faith Convictions: Accountability

As believers, we are accountable to the larger Church family. This is actually one of the functions of baptisms. A baptism is a public announcement to a congregation that an individual has committed themselves to Christ, and gives permission to that congregation to hold them accountable to that commitment. This is why BELIEVERS are to hold OTHER BELIEVERS responsible for their wrongdoings and their sins, as well as for the growth of their faith. However, we will see in the first message of this series why this is only applicable for believer-on-believer relationships.

This makes the individual’s full belief in the validity of their conviction even more vital. Should concerned sisters and brothers bring their concerns to them, they should be prepared and confident to explain their personal conviction to them.

However, this accountability goes another way, too. Not only is the believer accountable to the congregation, but the congregation is responsible to the believer. They, as the individual’s chosen Church family, are accountable for providing examples for them to learn and grow from that God lays down in the Scriptures. As that individual believer grows and becomes a member of the congregation, they become accountable for providing an example for believers that come after them.

This tells us a couple things:

1. For those not sharing the conviction- as mentioned previously- do not judge the individual’s personal convictions. The only circumstance in which it is permissible is if you have serious reason to believe that the conviction is (a) causing them or others serious harm or (b) it is causing them to sin. Because these two things tell that is not a God-given conviction.

** However, when approaching them, do give them the chance to explain their conviction, as it is their responsibility to be prepared to offer in the face of questioning. Do not accuse, just be honest and have a conversation. **

2. For the one who has a personal conviction about something, do not expect others to share it, if it is an individual instruction God has given you and you alone. It is both difficult and wrong to bring someone into something that they do not have a personal call to or understanding of. It is actually called spiritual abuse, a topic for a later message.

3. Also for the convicted one, do not flaunt your conviction. Remember, once again, that those around you may not share your conviction. I am not saying hide it, but I am also saying don’t show it off. Additionally, remember that other individuals may have their own personal convictions. In fact, they might have a personal conviction that you do not understand.

4. Remember the different maturity levels of faith and your responsibility to be an example for other, younger believers. This is for both. There may be something you have come to understand and be convicted of over time, that could shake the foundations of a younger believer– simply because they have yet to come to their own understanding of that concept. World example: we don’t expect a preschooler to be able to learn calculus. They have to build up to it. It is the same idea here.

What this sometimes means is that if your conviction or stance on something is causing confusion or conflict within a fellow believer who has not come to the same understanding or has a different understanding, it is better to find a way to refrain from displaying it as blatantly. An easy example, if you feel no conviction against drinking alcohol but your friend does, refrain from drinking around them if it is causing them confusion or if it is tempting them. Find a balance that works where you are staying true to your own personal convictions and the knowledge you have, and you are avoiding being a stumbling block for others who either are still navigating their personal convictions or have a different conviction about the circumstance.

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The reason I bring this up is because this… this is the goal of the entire Uncomfy series. I want to provide Scriptural evidence to help you build wisdom on subjects that are Gray Areas… so that, with the help and guidance of the Lord, you are able to reach a personal stance and set of actions based on your own faith journey regarding these circumstances.
This is, once again, why you’ll find more Scripture than me in these. I might, in course of writing them, reveal where I stand-my personal convictions- on these topics, but I will not push them on you or into my understanding of them. That isn’t my job nor my goal. My goal is provide knowledge, to birth wisdom and all its benefits described previously… and open the door for God to reveal exactly what He wants you to do in response.