Conflicted or Convicted

Articles From Our Bulletins

Philip C. Strong
05/05/20 - Bulletin Articles

“Blessed is the man who doesn’t disagree with himself.” No, Jesus didn’t say it- one of His Beatitudes it is not. But…

Conflicting data is a problem. A while back I noticed something peculiar about the two thermometers, just a few feet apart, on our patio. One read 37 degrees while the other registered 13 degrees. They both can be WRONG (and such was actually the case), but they can’t both be RIGHT. After multiple attempts to recalibrate them both, one was corrected and one was eventually discarded!

Throughout recent weeks, we’ve been bombarded with “conflicting data.” So much so that it is difficult, if not impossible, to: 1) know what is true; and, 2) therefore understand the best course to pursue. We can “calibrate” and “recalibrate” all we want, but if we don’t have or can’t discern an accurate standard, what’s the point? It’s all just guesswork. But…

Thanks be to God that His Word isn’t like that! “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, make wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether,” Psalm 19:7-9.

However, we, on the other hand, often need “re-calibrating,” as Psalm 19:12-14, “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Such “recalibration” can only be accomplished with an accurate standard- the Word of God! Therefore, to us it must be “more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward,” Psalm 19:10-11.

In the absence of this “standard,” or without its “recalibration,” we remain conflicted:

In Mind- double-minded instead of single-minded, cp. James 4:9 with Matthew 6:22-23. We might want to believe in “Theistic Evolution” and “Creationism,” but we simply can’t have it both ways because Exodus 20:8 specifies “six days” of Creation. Likewise, we can’t be both “Pro-Choice” and “Anti-Death Penalty” (kill the innocent, but protect the guilty). And we certainly can’t be both “Polytheistic” (like Jethro Exodus 18:11 and Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2:47; 3:29) and “Monotheistic” because of Isaiah 45:21. We’re going to have to accept the “standard” of God’s Word, and make up our minds to be “convicted” rather than “conflicted”!
In Emotions and Practice/Servitude- Jesus said this was an untenable state, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon,” Matthew 6:24. Joshua urged to people of his day to make up their minds and serve one or the other, “And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the Gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” Joshua 24:15.

Aren’t you tired of being “conflicted” with split emotions and divided dedications? Try being “recalibrated” with Truth instead, and become “convicted” (mentally decided), cf. Romans 6:17-18!

Our own “clear” consciences alone do not exonerate us with God (cp. Acts 23:1 and 1Timothy 1:15), but it is a great starting point! Note 1John 3:21-22 in this regard, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”

Indeed, “Blessed is the man who does not disagree with himself.”