Convictions

I'm reading a book by John Orberg called Faith and Doubt. In one chapter, he is talking about faith. He says that there are three kinds of faith (he credits these to Michael Novak, a philosopher):

1. Public convictions -- these are the beliefs that we want other people to think that we have, even if we don't truly believe them. Sometimes they may not be true, but they sound true.
2. Private convictions -- these are the beliefs that I that I believe. Sometimes they are things that we want to believe.
3. Core Convictions -- these are the beliefs that shape our actions.

We cannot act contrary to our core convictions. Our actions are always congruent with our core convictions. In this way we can explore our core convictions by examining our actions.
The Epistle of James tells us that faith without works is dead. Think about faith when described as core convictions. If we cannot act in a manner contrary to our core convictions, then our actions will be evidence of our faith. If we believe that God is always with us, and yet we act as if he is not, then do we truly believe that God is with us -- is it one of our core convictions?

This idea illuminated the James passage for me in way it hadn't been before.

What matters to your? If you check our chestbook and our calendar, then we will come to understand what we really believe. ki