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A sin for me, but not for you

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Dec 12, 2010.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Often in threads, a person will say they have been convicted by God not to do something ie drinking, smoking, overeating, ect.

    I found this definition of conviction

    My first thinking is that if God tells John something is bad, than shouldn't it also be bad for Mary?

    Or do we use the word conviction in the sense of "a strong persuasion"

    Now if John says he has been convicted of never riding a bike (its in Hezekiah 59:95 :tongue3:) but says he would never imposed that Bible truth on Mary. Well if John is totally convinced its wrong to ride a bike, than doesn't he have a Godly duty to show Mary the pitfalls of riding a bike according to the scripture in Hezekiah?

    This is something I have always wondered about.

    What say you?
     
  2. Old Union Brother

    Old Union Brother New Member

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    I have used that very line in another post and maybe I am using it wrong. I now have a couple of questions to go along with this:

    Does God convict or does god pursade? I contend that He convicts.

    If I feel something is wrong for me to do should I do it? I don't believe I should.

    With this said I will no longer post on a thread relating to alcohol.
     
  3. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Lets take this a step further - could it be the Lord speaking to you personally not to since he knows that it would put you personally into more temptations and sin?
    Now, I am overweight - by about 90 pounds according to US Army standards. Now supposed the Lord was to convict me of eating out at a Chinese all you can eat buffet. Now, is he speaking to me personally that it is not wise for me, or he trying to use me to tell all my church members its wrong to eat at an all-you-can-eat Establishment.
    Now, I could mention that its wrong to take all the food you want, pick at it and leave 75% to be thrown away (I get so sick when I see people throw good food away)

    So Union Brother - is there a line to be drawn or is there actually some "wiggle room" based on the individual situation.

    I have never drank alcoholic ( brought up that way in church, seen what it can do to some + I'm cheap :tongue3:) but I do not believe that the Scriptures prohibit drinking. On the other hand, our preachers should preach on the evils of alcoholic and what it can do if used to excess. Of course, church discipline should come into play with unneeded excess of any vice. (yea, I know that includes my weight)

    So please don't stop your posts on booze

    and now lets have more discussion
     
  4. Old Union Brother

    Old Union Brother New Member

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    Salty I am trying to pm you but your box is full

    thanks
     
  5. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    If a thing goes against your conscience, you should not do it. Our conscience is a gift of God, even to the unbelieving. But especially to a child of God with the indwelling Spirit, the conscience is heightened and made more sensitive to God's will.

    If going to an all you can eat buffet tempts you to over eat and you have sensed that God is saying stay away, then to go would be disobedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit and you would be in sin.

    Eating at a buffet is not sin unless you know God is telling you not to partake.

    I believe this applies to anything not expressly forbidden in Scripture. It falls under the liberty of the believer.
     
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Understand what you are saying, but If were to say that God told me not to go there because of the temptation of overeat, should I tell other they should not go, so they will not be tempted?, as I would not want them to fall into sin.

    This thread is not about any one particular sin, but just the principal of "If God told me it is worng - than is it wrong for everyone" - as opposed to I personally should not do it

    NOTE: I am by no means suggesting going to a buffet is a sin, rather, I am just using that as an example. When I do go to a buffet, I do not need a conceious, as Mrs Salty always goes with me:smilewinkgrin:
     
  7. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    WHAT MATTER WIT YOU?? YOU USE COME HERE ALL TIME--WE NO SEE YOU HERE LONG TIME!! GOOD FOR BUSINESS YOU COME--BAD WHEN DONT COME!

    YOU ORDER NOW---EAT!! BRING FRIEND!! THEY EAT!! ORDER DRINK NOW--ICE TEA ONLY DOLLAR NINTY NINE!! PAY FOR FRIEND--THEY LIKE YOU!!!

    :laugh::laugh:
     
  8. sag38

    sag38 Active Member

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    There are some things that are clearly wrong as found in the scripture: Adultery, Fornication, Lying, Stealing, etc. Those things I can point out to others a clearly being sin. They are wrong for me and they are wrong for the rest of the brethren.

    There are some things which are not so clearly forbidden but caution is in order because of the way they are handled in the scripture. Partaking of alcoholic beverages are a good example. One is hard pressed to come up with a clear "Thou Shalt Not" from the scripture. Sorry, but it just isn't there. One has to do some stretching to make it an absolute. However, the dangers of alcohol out weigh it's limited delights in the scripture. Me personally, I don't drink period. It's not for me. I never want my eleven year old to see me drink. I don't want to be a bad witness. Plus, as a pastor, I've seen the bad side too often. But, I cannot preach against a brother who enjoys a glass of wine with his supper or even a beer with a plate of hot wings.

    Don't get me started on the legalism of the false KJVO doctrine.
     
  9. rbell

    rbell Active Member

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    The crux of the matter is more about wisdom than sin.

    Point: You weigh 500 pounds at one point, and yo-yo several times on your weight. Each time, your fall begins with a bowl of ice cream, and you say, "Oh, this one bowl won't hurt." Now, you've lost half your body weight on a strict diet-and-exercise regimen.

    Is it a sin for people to eat ice cream? Nah.

    Is it wise for this person to eat ice cream? No way.
     
  10. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I would say these two points hits the heart of the situation.
     
  11. Jon-Marc

    Jon-Marc New Member

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    We all have our personal convictions that cannot be found in the Bible, and we have no right to try to force those personal convictions on others as some do.

    I knew a man who believed that ANY game that used cards of any kind was sin. I had a cousin back in the 1960's who believed that TV, coffee, and comic books were sinful.

    I have my own personal convictions that keep me from doing certain things. By "conviction", I mean that I don't feel comfortable doing them--not that I am actually convicted by the Holy Spirit. I do NOT believe that all conviction comes from the Holy Spirit, some of them are personal.
     
  12. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    People have addictions that are different, and are put into different situations where there is no clear cut "if it's wrong for me, it's wrong for you". For instance, it's not a sin for me to have relations with my wife, but it's a sin for everyone else in the world to do so. Some people are addicted to certain foods, and while they should avoid them since addiction is sin, it is not a sin for everyone else not having the same addiction. It's a sin for someone called to be a pastor to not be a pastor, but it's not a sin for others not called.

    Each situation is unique.
     
  13. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    CATS, CATS.....NO NO, WE NO USE CATS. OH AHHH YOU MAKE FUNNY....DINNER RESERVATIONS FOR KATZ, MISTER KATZ....PARTY OF 5. (Note: That really happened) LOL
     
  14. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Of course something can be a sin for one person and not for another.
    It would be silly to think that if it isn't a sin for all, it is a personal preference.

    Example: I had a hymn that I loved. I sang it often, but then one of the lines became a source of pride when I sang it and instead of being a praise to God, it kinda praised myself for being that kind of person who put spiritual things ahead of money.

    Singing that became sinful for ME. It wasn't at first, it was later.

    It would have been utterly stupid of me to tell everyone that singing that line of that hymn was a sin. It wasn't and isn't unless they did it with a wrong heart like I started to.

    And I got over it and now I sing it sometimes.

    So anything CAN be a sin because anything CAN be done with the wrong motivation.

    Set sins (murder, coveting, etc..) will always be sins, but since we can't judge hearts, there are SO many things we can't declare sinful because we don't know the level of knowledge, the intent, etc. that go with it.

    Smoking...is it a sin? It can be. It certainly violates the command to not harm our bodies.
    But are you really ready to stand in judgment of someone who quit shooting up heroine and now is smoking cigarettes instead as they transition out of that worse addiction?
    How about someone who smokes to destress and does it to calm themselves and prevent them from striking out in ways that can harm others?
    How about others that just haven't reached that point in life where they feel convicted about it?

    I have things I do that I KNOW God understands and will help me with in good timing. I have stuff I felt that way about before and then it wasn't sin for me personally, but now it is because I know and understand more because I've walked this Christian path a little bit longer now.

    But wow. I'd sure have a lot less sin if I didn't have to count the stuff I did wrong that isn't wrong for others.

    Can I do that? LOL I'd sure feel better about myself! :laugh:
     
  15. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    The Scriptures are sufficient to answer this question, and they provide us with the example of eating meat offered to idols. Paul is clear that eating meat and even meat offered to idols is no sin.

    The sin is in violating one's conscience. It is always a sin to violate one's conscience, because the act is not of faith. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. It is also a sin for one with better knowledge in his day-to-day conversation to embolden another to violate his conscience.
     
  16. rbell

    rbell Active Member

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    Well said, Aaron.
     
  17. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    The "strong persuasion" is the best definition of the word conviction.

    Jesus said "IF thine eye offend thee pluck it out..."

    The idea is that everybody's eye does not offend them. But if yours does- pluck it out.

    What is sin for some is not for others. It depends on their personal weaknesses and their own various levels of conscience concerning various matters.

    If your conscience tells you it is bad then for you it is. But it may not be for everyone else.
     
  18. Jon-Marc

    Jon-Marc New Member

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    ANYTHING we put before God is a sin. If we refuse to give something up even though it harms our testimony then it is sin. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; is it right for me to pollute it with things that are harmful to it?

    We can sin without even being aware of it, but the great thing is that we serve a very forgiving God.
     
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