With a lack of convictions comes apathy, a slothfulness of the Spirit, if you will. Convictions are most generally structured around the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong, and for the born-again believer these are the truths contained in the Word of God. With a lack of conviction in this area comes the fulfilment of James 1:8, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” And this is the path that many who claim Christ as Lord are on, their yes does not always mean yes, and their no is wavering, to say the least.
Their lives for Christ are at best based on their emotions, and at the worst are centered on fear, the fear of personal retribution for what they have lightly considered their convictions toward the Lord to be. It is enjoyable for them to read the account of David and his killing of Goliath, they desire to even place themselves visually in his place at that moment, but when they see blatant sin on the subway, they turn the other way, when they are questioned on their faith, they have no firm convictions, but will assuredly head for the protection of their home, reassuring themselves that next time they will do better, asking the Lord as they always do, to give them more strength to stand next time, knowing they will not.
The examples in the Scriptures to them are no more than examples, fanciful reading that stirs the emotions, but rarely if ever the actions that would require them to live a life of faith, of conviction to stand in every season. The reason of course is fear, fear of the loss of respect in the eyes of others, fear of the loss of all material possessions they have acquired over the years, fears of punishment, yet the accounts in the Scriptures of others who did so continue to draw them.
I want you to do something, I want you to stop reading this for a moment, pick up your Bible, find in it where we are told of an account yet to happen in the future, where we are told that “They loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev. 12:11) And I would dare ask you to wonder if that is speaking about you. This verse is set not only in our time, but it is also relative to our brothers and sisters during the tribulation period, sorry my friends, but death by martyrdom is not relegated to only certain time periods in the age of man.
My guess is that you can see the desire to serve as mightily as this, but deep down you do not want to, it is why we will not look deeply into ourselves in this area, it is why we have so few real convictions. It is why in most of us fear is the ruling factor, not faith.
Many have become cowards for Christ, little talk and even less action, they may speak bold words on the chat sites or other internet venues, but when blatant sin is seen by them in a public place, they hold their tongue, remorse is the way of life with these individuals, not faith in action. It is why the Lord called these day the falling away, (2 Thess. 2:3) why He proclaimed that the love of many would wax cold, (Matt. 24:12) why He said that “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)
Some of these people are not saved, they have deceived themselves, others are striving toward the mark, ever so slowly, but they are learning not to fear the fear, (Prov. 3:25) they are learning to face it and not hide from themselves. Still others will find that they will have much in common with Jonah, the Lord will place them in a position where they have two choices, flee or stand, there will be no other options. Some of us need to be pushed and pulled, some of us are cowards, plain and simple, only you know for a fact where you stand, or if you truly ever even stand at all. If you are doing the best you can, then you are not doing enough, to submit fully to the will of God in your life is the best you can do.
