Public Concensus vs. Personal Conviction . . . matthew 16:13, 15
O.S. Hawkins preached at yesterday's morning church service on the two questions that Jesus asked of His disciples . . . When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? and following with He said unto them, But whom say you that I am?
If I must base my thought process and my actions upon the subjective beliefs of other people, then I really am governed by public consensus. We recently had leadership at the highest levels of government who refused to take a stand on many issues until after they received polling results. This public consensus is primarily caused by one or both of two major factors. First is "pluralistic compromise", where many folks want to water down the Biblical standard by believing that there are many ways to reach heaven. Pluralism affects our doctrine. Second is "political correctness", where "inclusiveness" rationalizes that if Jesus died for everybody, then there is no need for missions and evangelism.
The alternative to all of the foregoing is that, instead of public consensus, I am empowered to live my life based upon "personal convictions" There is an exclusivity that Jesus preached I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes unto the Father but by me. Believing the truthfulness of that statement, compels me to reach out to and share with people who haven't made decisions to follow Jesus Christ . . . or, basically, my role of being one hungry beggar showing another hungry beggar where to find a loaf of bread.
© S. Chan, 2004. All rights reserved.
If I must base my thought process and my actions upon the subjective beliefs of other people, then I really am governed by public consensus. We recently had leadership at the highest levels of government who refused to take a stand on many issues until after they received polling results. This public consensus is primarily caused by one or both of two major factors. First is "pluralistic compromise", where many folks want to water down the Biblical standard by believing that there are many ways to reach heaven. Pluralism affects our doctrine. Second is "political correctness", where "inclusiveness" rationalizes that if Jesus died for everybody, then there is no need for missions and evangelism.
The alternative to all of the foregoing is that, instead of public consensus, I am empowered to live my life based upon "personal convictions" There is an exclusivity that Jesus preached I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes unto the Father but by me. Believing the truthfulness of that statement, compels me to reach out to and share with people who haven't made decisions to follow Jesus Christ . . . or, basically, my role of being one hungry beggar showing another hungry beggar where to find a loaf of bread.
© S. Chan, 2004. All rights reserved.