If those on one side of the Christian debate were right, then those on the other side must be wrong—right?
Wrong, according to Paul. He was convinced that Christians are free from keeping the Mosaic Law, but he also believed that things aren’t as black and white as we tend to try to make them. No one has a corner on “rightness,” he said in so many words. And besides, God isn’t hung up on details. He’s bigger than that, His love more inclusive. The real issue, the one that matters most to God, is that we each act out of love for Him and others as dictated by our personal convictions, based on our understanding of His Word.
Personal convictions are just that—personal. They aren’t uniform, genetic, or transferable. Neither do they just happen. They are the result of personal triumphs and tragedies, study, reflection, and soul searching, generally over months or years. They also aren’t static; they change and mature with us. They become a little clearer each time we put thought into them, a little stronger each time we act on them or they are put to the test.
“Come,” God says, “let us reason together.”2
1. Isaiah 1:18
2. See Romans chapter 14.
