Philosopher Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Of all the parental and church instructions I hurled out my youth window, it might seem strange that a rebellious teenager would cling to the "abstaining from sex before marriage" one. But I did.

I suppose that it was an anomaly to my girlfriends, who were normally sexually active or wanted to be, and to my male friends who enjoyed bragging about their conquests. And after all, if I were committing all the other sin habits, why not this one too? I can't explain the inconsistency; I can only admit that it was a firm conviction.

Defined, "conviction" means "a strong persuasion or belief", and learning to do good requires them. "Our people must learn to do good." (Titus 3:14a NLT) Without convictions, I've discovered that I'll fail in obedience, but with them, I'll obey what the Bible says:

Ephesians 4:14 – Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. (NLT)

Convictions should be established early in life, and parents, teachers, and other significant individuals play a vital role in ingraining these in children. Proper foundations are laid early rather than later in life. Convictions should also be based on the principles of God's Word. While truth is not solely relegated to the Bible, it's the only place where unvarnished and absolute truth is discovered that will benefit the individual, group, and world. Additionally, convictions must be practiced to be advantageous. Saying that we genuinely believe in something without applying it is of little use to us or others. What convictions is God convicting you to make?

Prayer: Almighty God, give us the eternal fortitude to form our convictions based on Your Word and then to depend on Your grace to live by them each day. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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