When I am against something or someone, how do I know my convictions are right? - Against - TouchPoints

Psalm 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Daniel 6:10When Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Acts 4:18-20So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Hebrews 4:12The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Our convictions should be based on the authority of God’s Word. A regular prayerful reading of Scripture will clarify for us what God thinks of our perspectives.

Matthew 15:3Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?”

Luke 22:19He [Jesus] took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Acts 26:9-20“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene . . . One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon . . . a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me . . . I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness . . . Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.’”

1 Corinthians 11:1-2, 23-26You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. . . . For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.”

Colossians 2:8Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:15With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

In many ways, traditions can help to guide and strengthen our convictions. Some traditions, such as the Lord’s Supper, are grounded in Scripture itself. For centuries, Christians have reminded one another of Christ and his sacrifice through this God-ordained tradition. Other traditions, such as singing specific songs in worship, may not be commanded in Scripture and essential for spiritual health, yet singing can still be a powerful and beautiful way of remembering the truths of our faith. When spiritual fads and false teachings sweep the church, traditions can remind us of the truth. But traditions alone are not a solid ground for convictions. The Pharisees built elaborate traditions around the Old Testament Scriptures that eventually obscured the very truths they were claiming to protect. Ultimately, all traditions must be held accountable to the truth of God’s Word. Peter, Paul, and the other Jewish believers were able to adjust their convictions about traditions to align with God’s way as they listened to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. We must be willing to do the same.

Isaiah 37:24-25By your messengers you have defied the Lord. You have said, “With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest heights and explored its deepest forests. I have dug wells in many foreign lands and refreshed myself with their water. With the sole of my foot, I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!”

Philippians 2:3-4Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

James 4:6, 10He [God] gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” . . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Pride and arrogance can be a sign that we are against the Lord, not for him.

Proverbs 12:15Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 19:20Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.

Proverbs 20:5Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.

1 Corinthians 11:1You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Godly advisors and mentors can help us recognize blind spots in our lives and our reasoning. They can also be a source of encouragement if we are on the right track. But we must be discerning in our choice of advisors (1 Kings 12:1-19).

Psalm 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 21:2People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

Matthew 7:7-8“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

James 1:5-6If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

We can always turn to God with a humble confidence, asking him to reveal any sin or deception lurking in our minds and hearts.

John 10:4, 14“After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. . . . I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.”

Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

As we allow God to work in our minds and hearts and continue to seek his will, we will grow more accustomed to recognizing his voice.

1 Chronicles 27:24Joab son of Zeruiah began the census but never finished it because the anger of God fell on Israel. The total number was never recorded in King David’s official records.

If we can clearly see that what we are doing is against God’s will, then we should leave it unfinished.