Un/Belief – “Developing a Conviction” 

In this series we’re looking at faith and how it grows; the kind of faith that allows us to overcome fear and worry, that helps us make good decisions in life, and that gives us a relationship with God himself. As we’ve said, faith is simply living out what you believe, and the process of developing faith goes from understanding to conviction to commitment – i.e., from knowing to believing to doing. This week we consider what it looks like when our understanding develops into a conviction; like Noah, at some point our understanding of what God is saying and doing in the world should become a conviction that it is true – which should ultimately lead to a lifelong commitment to doing what he’s called us to do. As we look at that process, there are two signs that we’ve come to a point of healthy conviction.

1.  Convictions Become Visible (Hebrews 11:7)

• Hebrews 11 tells us that “By his faith, Noah condemned the rest of the world.” But “condemned” doesn’t mean that Noah scolded or gave up on the non-believers who surrounded him; instead, it just means that his “good” (faithful) behavior glaringly contrasted with their “bad” (unfaithful) behavior. He simply proved them wrong (and God right) by living out what had become his conviction.
• When we pack for a trip to a different place and climate, what we believe to be true about the weather there is evident in what we pack. Similarly, if someone were to look at the “luggage” of how you live your life, they can see by what you “pack” where your deepest convictions lie about where you’re going, what you’ll be doing there, and who you’re going with. 
• So the big question is, “Is there any evidence in your luggage (life) for what you believe about your destination?”  Or are your Christian convictions so weak that they aren’t really visible in your life – they’re just words?

2. Healthy Convictions Look Like Jesus  (Hebrews 11:7)
   
   • Noah’s famous story is meant to be a clear illustration of God’s story of salvation – the salvation that only Jesus offers. The picture asks the question: “Who is saved from the terrifying flood/storm of life?” Answer: only those who have come to a conviction of faith that leads them to trust in the ark (cross) that God has provided to save us. And our faith in what Jesus did on the cross – like all convictions – then becomes visible as our lives begin to look like his.
   • There are many false images being thrust at us today – on the internet, TV, social media and podcasts – about what “real Christians” should do, say, and believe. We have to be careful that we don’t try to justify our personal preferences, our political positions, or our pet doctrines under the umbrella of “biblical convictions” – using them like a “Christian hammer” that decides that those don’t share our particular beliefs aren’t really Christians at all.
   • Like Noah, we are called to stand firm in the conviction of our faith. But our only model in “standing” is Jesus, who calls us to trust him in our way of living – a way that is self-sacrificing, loving, generous and forgiving. As we stand firm in the “ark” of his grace, our Christ-likeness is the test of everything that we say we believe – because our healthy Christian convictions should look like Jesus.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

These passages may provide additional insights related to the subject of this week’s message. All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted.

Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:16-17; Philippians 2:3-8; James 2:14-17; 1 Peter 2:21-23; 1 John 5:3-5

Video of the Week: The Way of the Exile by the Bible Project

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

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1. In your own faith journey, has the process of transition from “understanding” to “conviction” always been smooth?  In other words, once you understood what the Bible teaches, has it always been easy to embrace that teaching as truth? Why or why not?

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2. In your experience, is that transition from (biblical) understanding to conviction a matter of choice, or does the conviction eventually come to us whether we make a conscious choice to believe or not?

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3. Read Hebrews 11:7 again. In what ways is Noah’s story of faith and obedience (understanding, conviction and commitment) a picture of our call to faith in Jesus and the gift of life he offers?

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4. With all of the (strong) opinions being thrust at us today about how “real” Christians should think and act and talk and vote, how can we know for sure which of them are “healthy” and which are “unhealthy” convictions?  

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5. The main point of this week’s message is that our faith – our conviction about who Jesus is and what he did for us – should look like something and should make our lives different from the rest of the world. How would you respond to someone who might say that “my faith is a private matter between me and God, and doesn’t need to be out there for everyone to see”?

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6. What, if anything, is keeping you from living out your Christian convictions in a way that fully looks like Jesus?  What can you do to overcome that obstacle? 

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