Are You A Liar?
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. —but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. All things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. AND HE THAT DOUBTETH IS DAMNED IF HE EAT, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
These quotations (from Rom. 14: 5, 12, 14, 20, 22-23, with my emphasis) say in unmistakable terms that man must be honest with himself before God. Before God says that we shall be judged by the divine standard, or, the word that I have spoken, the sane shall judge him in the last day. (Jn. 12: 48) Let no man think that if he is satisfied with himself that God must be satisfied with him.
But honest conviction is also essential if we are to please God. The man who acts upon anothers conviction — or having some conviction of his own, refuses to carry through —-is a traitor to himself and to God.
Even things pure or good within themselves, become evil to him who accepts them against his own inner conviction; and what must be the sin of him who condones and supports a wrong — having inner doubts about the matter, but going along because of family ties or popular acceptance.
If we give not our heart, our very self to God, what have we to give?
Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart — (Acts 8: 37 Stop, and think what it means to believe with all thine heart!! Can this be said of one whose convictions are one way, and whose actions are another? Living a lie before God is the most futile and damning of deceits.
HAPPY is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. There can be no true happiness here or hereafter, for those who fail to act upon honest self-conviction.