How do we feel about what we read in the newspapers and
see on the television? How do you react when you read of a rape, a
drive-by shooting, a house break-in, a gay-activist march, a verbal attack
on conservative Christians, the number of abortions each year, attacks on
elderly ladies? By comparison, how did you react to such things ten,
twenty, thirty, forty years ago? How would your grandparents have reacted
to scenes like we have today? Is your conscience being seared?
Today I want to talk to you about guarding your
conscience.
What is conscience? Conscience is that motive of conduct
by which we believe we should be living. The Greek word
A suneidesis,@
pronounced soon-i= -day-sis,
G4893, is defined as moral conscientiousness. Conscience gives feelings of
remorse when we have done what we know we should not have done. Its
actions are involuntary, but we decide how to react to it, and
whether or not we shall override it. A clean conscience reflects one who
practices God's way of life.
Our consciences must be treated well. Conscience, even
more than our actions, seems to be a factor in why God called us. God only
calls those with some level of conscience. Since God considers our
conscience so importantly, we must guard our consciences.
It is well recognized that once a conscience is broken, it
often can not be repaired. Conscience has an element of morality. There
seem to be times in people's lives when they seemingly have little or no
conscience over many years, but sometimes something suddenly happens which
seems to turn on the switch of conscience and thereafter that person has a
higher level of conscience. That event is so important to that individual
that the event is never forgotten. Conscience is very important to every
individual.
Let's see what Paul had to say about his conscience:
In Acts 23 Paul talked about his good conscience:
Acts 23:1 And Paul, looking intently at the Council,
said, "Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience
before God up to this day."
Paul had a good conscience about his current relationship
between himself and God and between himself and men (outside men of the
Council). This was the conscience of Paul both before and after conversion
because Paul believed in what he was doing even before his conversion. :
Acts 24:16 "In view of this, I also do my best to
maintain always a blameless conscience <both> before God and before men.
In Hebrews 13, Paul describes his desire to have a good
conscience over what he was teaching:
Heb 13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a
good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.
But Paul also had a guilty conscience:
Rom 9:1-2 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not
lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, {2} that I
have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
In the ninth chapter of Romans, Paul is describing the
heart-wrenching story of his experience in being a negative example to his
fellow Jews by his persecution of Christians prior to his conversion. At
conversion his conscious was modified by Christ=
s direct intervention and the implanting of the Holy Spirit.
So we can have good consciences and we can have bad
consciences. But there are also dead consciences. Let's look at several
scriptures which describe people with dead consciences:
Prov 30:20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: She
eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wrong."
Her sins do not bother her enough to lose her appetite as
might happen to decent people.
Jeremiah also describes people who not only knew no shame,
but refused to acknowledge it.
Jer 6:15-17 "Were they ashamed because of the
abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did
not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who
fall; At the time that I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the
LORD. {16} Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for
the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you
shall find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk
<in it>.' {17} "And I set watchmen over you, <saying>, 'Listen to the
sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' Do
any of us have that attitude about what is preached?
As I said at the beginning of this sermon, "How do you
react to the events of today?" Do you groan for the standards of
yesteryear? There are many out there with little or no conscience. How
much of a conscience do you have? Has it died too?
Eph 4:17-19 This I say therefore, and affirm together
with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk,
in the futility of their mind, {18} being darkened in their
understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance
that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; {19} and they,
having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the
practice of every kind of impurity [uncleanness] with greediness.
Don't walk as unbelievers walk.
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to
those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their
mind and their conscience are defiled.
Have you noticed that the above examples of people with
no conscience all seem to describe people guilty of sensual sins? And,
as we just read in Jeremiah, after these people and others hear of their
sins, they resort to rebellion to defend their positions.
People in jail commonly have no conscience, and when they
go back into society, they do horrible things. We saw some years ago an
example of this in Petaluma, California where a man had been in jail, I
believe it was 31 times, was released from jail, then kidnapped a twelve
year old girl from her home, and killed her. Where was his conscience? And
in school massacres by fellow students; where were their consciences? Have
there been periods in our lives when we seemingly had little or no
conscience? Or have there been periods in our lives when we were fairly
successful in quenching our conscience?
We have all heard the old adage: Let your conscience be
your guide. Is this true? Can our conscience ever be wrong? How about
prisoners who convert to Islam while in prison? Let's see what Paul has to
say about correcting a sick conscience:
Heb 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God,
cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Isn't this saying that our consciences can be wrong and
must, therefore, be purged and reeducated in the way of Christ? Do we
continue in dead works because we are afraid to change from worldly
traditions to the way Christ commands? How accurate is the information
coming from our conscience? Where did we get a conscience, anyway? How do
we remove a wrong conscience?
Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled <clean> from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
No, brethren, we may shamefully recall past sins but
should not have a guilty conscience after baptism. At baptism we are
washed from our guilty past. We must keep that ever in mind. This is
particularly important to do when others bring up our sinful past.
Some give up because they can't purge their conscience of
past evil works. Many live in fear because they cannot shake their evil
past. This is a conscience of guilt. If any of us have this overwhelming
guilty conscience, we should consider and depend upon what Peter had to
say on the subject:
1 Pet 3:21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves
you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh [we do that every time we
bathe], but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- [obtained] through
the [death and] resurrection of Jesus Christ,
John also commented on deceptive thoughts or conscience.
Except in John 8:9, John uses the word "heart," G2588, meaning thoughts or
feelings of mind, instead of "conscience," G4893, meaning moral
consciousness; i.e. distinguishing between what=
s good and bad morally. Keep these definitions in mind for your own Bible
study and as we read:
1 John 3:18-24 Little children, let us not love with
word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. {19} We shall know by this
that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart [thoughts] before
Him, {20} in whatever our heart [thoughts] condemn us; for God is
greater than our heart [thoughts], and knows all things. {21} Beloved,
if our heart [thoughts] do not condemn us, we have confidence before
God; {22} and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep
His commandments [why can't Sunday-keeping Christians see this?] and
do the things that are pleasing in His sight. {23} And this is His
commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and
love one another, just as He commanded us. {24} And the one who keeps
His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that
He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
We must be examples by deed, not talk. How many talk about
loving others but don= t
demonstrate that love with actions? If we feel condemned, God can handle
it. He is bigger than our guilty feelings. Our responsibility, after
baptism, is to keep His commandments so that His Spirit will reside in us.
Chapter 8 of 1 Corinthians describes the guilt some had in
eating meat sacrificed to idols. Let's read chapter 8 and try to relate
how our conduct or deeds in any element can impact the conscience of those
who are weak - those whose consciences we are violating:
1 Cor 8 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we
know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love
edifies ["I don't have to be concerned with that!" vs "I understand that
you are offended."] {2} If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he
has not yet known as he ought to know; {3} but if anyone loves God, he
is known by Him. {4} Therefore concerning the eating of things
sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in
the world, and that there is no God but one. {5} For even if there are
so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many
gods and many lords, {6} yet for us there is <but> one God, the Father,
from whom are all things, and we <exist> for Him; and one Lord, Jesus
Christ, by whom are all things, and we <exist> through Him. {7}
However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to
the idol until now, eat <food> as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and
their conscience [moral consciousness] being weak is defiled. [In
other words, it does not matter that they know their conscience is
wrong. They are bothered by it even though they may know they shouldn't
be.] {8} But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse
if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. {9} But take care lest
this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. {10}
For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple,
will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things
sacrificed to idols? {11} For through your knowledge he who is weak is
ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. {12} And thus, by
sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience [moral
consciousness] when it is weak, you sin against Christ. {13}
Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat
again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.
What seems to be sin for one is not sin for another, but,
as we read in 1 John 3, we must be examples by deed. We must not only deal
with our own conscience or feelings. We must be aware of the feelings or
conscience of others. As Paul says in verse 12, we sin against Christ when
we cause someone else to violate their conscience.
This same principle is described in a slightly different
way in Romans 14. Again, the example is eating foods which others think we
should not eat. But apply these scriptures to the offending of others who
are weak in something we would take on faith.
Rom 14 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, <but>
not for <the purpose of> passing judgment on his opinions. {2} One man
has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables
<only>. {3} Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not
eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has
accepted him. {4} Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his
own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able
to make him stand. {5} One man regards one day above another, another
regards every day <alike>.Let each man be fully convinced in his own
mind. {6} He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who
eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats
not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. {7} For not
one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; {8} for if we
live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore
whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. {9} For to this end Christ
died and lived <again>, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of
the living. {10} But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again,
why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of God. {11} For it is written, "AS I LIVE,
SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE
PRAISE TO GOD." {12} So then each one of us shall give account of
himself to God. {13} Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but
rather determine this -- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block
in a brother's way. {14} I know and am convinced in the Lord
Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything
to be unclean, to him it is unclean. {15} For if because of food
your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do
not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. {16} Therefore do
not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; {17} for the
kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit. {18} For he who in this <way> serves Christ
is acceptable to God and approved by men. {19} So then let us pursue
the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
{20} Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All
things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and
gives offense [feeling he is doing something wrong]. {21} It is good
not to eat meat or to drink wine, or <to do anything> by which
your brother stumbles. {22} The faith which you have, have as your
own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in
what he approves. {23} But he who doubts is condemned if he eats,
because <his eating is> not from faith; and whatever is not from faith
is sin.
Notice verses 13 and 21 again. We must not offend someone
else's or our own conscience. All of us must live within our faith,
otherwise we sin. Conscience is a great tool for overcoming if it is used
correctly.
This same principle - the principle of not offending the
conscience of others - is written by Paul in 1 Cor 10:
1 Cor 10:27-32 If one of the unbelievers invites you,
and you wish to go, eat anything that is set before you, without asking
questions for conscience' [moral consciousness] sake. {28} But if anyone
should say to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat
<it>,for the sake of the one who informed <you>,and for conscience'
[moral consciousness] sake; {29} I mean not your own conscience, but the
other <man's>; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience
[moral conscience]? {30} If I partake with thankfulness, why am I
slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? {31} Whether, then,
you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. {32}
Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;
Verse 27 is a problem for some. Does it mean we can eat
any kind of meat that's set before us on the grounds that we don't want to
offend our host? This was the rationale Herbert Armstrong reportedly used
when he went to China and ate pork with the Chinese leaders. The context
of verses 28 and 29 makes it clear that verse 27 is talking about meat
offered to idols. We need to keep three things in mind when reading verse
27:
1. We would usually not have to ask if the meat were
pork or other unclean meat. It would usually be obvious if we have
thoroughly studied the instructions of Leviticus 11. However, we would
not know if it had been offered to idols.
2. It would not be harmful to us to eat meat offered to
idols but might be to the conscience of the host if he thinks, thereby,
that idol worship is OK.
3. The point made in verse 27 is that it refers to the
eating of meat offered to idols, not clean versus unclean meat.
1 Tim 3:8-9 Deacons likewise <must be> men of dignity,
not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, {9}
<but> holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience
[moral conscience].
Paul is talking here about qualifications of deacons but
notice verse 9 again. We all need to live within our conscience. We need
to know that what we do is correct with God. If there is a doubt
whether a thought or deed is sinful or borders on sin, as perceived by
ourselves or a brother, we must avoid it. We can wound our
conscience by violating it one time too many. It is even possible to
destroy our conscience.
1 Tim 1:5-7 But the goal of our instruction is
love from a pure heart [thoughts] and a good conscience [moral
consciousness] and a sincere faith. {6} For some men, straying from
these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, {7} wanting to
be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what
they are saying or the matters about which they make confident
assertions.
Verse 5 clearly shows that there is a difference between a
pure heart [thoughts] and a good conscience [moral consciousness.]
Do we ever find ourselves theorizing about the
ramifications of the Law on someone else's conduct? When we do that, we
must be sure that everything we say is oriented toward love of that person
and their feelings Skip down to verses 18-19
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in
accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by
them you may fight the good fight, {19} keeping faith and a good
conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to
their faith.
In these verses again, Paul admonishes Timothy to do
everything with a pure heart [thoughts] and good conscience [moral
consciousness] and sincere faith. In verse 19 Paul again refers to some
who have violated their conscience so many times their faith was
destroyed. It is dangerous to stray off course. A shipwreck is a very
final event.
1 Tim 6:3-6 If anyone advocates a different doctrine,
and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
with the doctrine conforming to godliness, {4} he is conceited <and>
understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial
questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife,
abusive language, evil suspicions, {5} and constant friction between men
of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness
is a means of gain. {6} But godliness <actually> is a means of great
gain, when accompanied by contentment.
These verses point out that we are not to use our
knowledge of God's word, when discussing it with others who have a
different belief, if it leads to strife and contention. This is not
godliness. As verse 6 points out, godliness is a means of great gain only
when accompanied by contentment. In other words, our conscience must be at
peace. Our conscience can not be at peace if we have just offended someone
due to our insensitivity or self-righteousness.
Notice what second Timothy has to say about this:
2 Tim 2:14-16 Remind <them> of these things, and
solemnly charge <them> in the presence of God not to wrangle about
words, which is useless, <and leads> to the ruin of the hearers. {15} Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not
need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. {16} But
avoid worldly <and> empty chatter, for it will lead to further
ungodliness,
Timothy also warns those of us living in the end days that
there will be evil teachers who try to pull us away from the faith that is
acceptable to our conscience by telling us that "it doesn't matter."
1 Tim 4:1-2 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later
times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful
spirits and doctrines of demons, {2} by means of the hypocrisy of liars
seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
Titus 1:13-16 This testimony is true. For this cause
reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith, {14} not
paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away
from the truth. {15} To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who
are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and
their conscience are defiled. {16} They profess to know God, but by
<their> deeds they deny <Him>, being detestable and disobedient, and
worthless for any good deed.
How many people do you know who profess to know God but by
their deeds they deny Him? Perhaps they are hypocritical, perhaps they are
ashamed to admit they don't really know Him, perhaps they are self
righteous, perhaps they have been deceived....whatever the reason, we know
from verse 15 that both their mind and conscience are defiled.
Rebellion can damage consciences too. There are an
increasing number of "free spirited" people - those who don't want anyone
telling them what to do - in the world today - especially in so called
"liberated" areas, and in so-called A
liberated@ churches.
1 Pet 3:14-16 But even if you should suffer for the sake
of righteousness, <you are> blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION,
AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, {15} but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always <being> ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you
to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness
and reverence; {16} and keep a good conscience [moral
conscience] so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who
revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
In 1 John 3:9-24 - again remember that the translator of
John uses the word "heart" for "thoughts or feeling of mind":
No one who is born of God practices sin, because His
seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. {10}
By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious:
anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one
who does not love his brother. {11} For this is the message which
you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; {12}
not as Cain, <who> was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And for
what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his
brother's were righteous. {13} Do not marvel, brethren, if the world
hates you. {14} We know that we have passed out of death into life,
because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. {15}
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no
murderer has eternal life abiding in him. {16} We know love by this,
that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren. {17} But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds
his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love
of God abide in him? {18} Little children, let us not love with word
or with tongue, but in deed and truth. {19} We shall know by this
that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart [thoughts] before
Him, {20} in whatever our heart [thoughts] condemns us; for God is
greater than our heart, and knows all things. {21} Beloved, if our heart
[thoughts] does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; {22} and
whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments
and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. {23} And this is His
commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and
love one another, just as He commanded us. {24} And the one who keeps
His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that
He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
How do we know that God abides in us? If we know
that we have God's Spirit, if we feel God's spirit working in us,
motivating us, inspiring us, we know that God abides in us.
In concluding this sermon about conscience, let's read
about David's conscience following his sins of adultery and the murder of
Uriah:
Psa 38 (A Psalm of David, for a memorial.) O LORD,
rebuke me not in Thy wrath; And chasten me not in Thy burning anger. {2}
For Thine arrows have sunk deep into me, And Thy hand has pressed down
on me. {3} There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine
indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin. {4} For
my iniquities are gone over my head; As a heavy burden they weigh too
much for me. {5} My wounds grow foul <and> fester. Because of my folly,
{6} I am bent over and greatly bowed down; I go mourning all day long.
{7} For my loins are filled with burning; And there is no soundness in
my flesh. {8} I am benumbed and badly crushed; I groan because of the
agitation of my heart. {9} Lord, all my desire is before Thee; And my
sighing is not hidden from Thee. {10} My heart throbs, my strength fails
me; And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me. {11} My loved
ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; And my kinsmen stand
afar off. {12} Those who seek my life lay snares <for me>; And those who
seek to injure me have threatened destruction, And they devise treachery
all day long. {13} But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a
dumb man who does not open his mouth. {14} Yes, I am like a man who does
not hear, And in whose mouth are no arguments. {15} For I hope in Thee,
O LORD; Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God. {16} For I said, "May they not
rejoice over me, <Who>,when my foot slips, would magnify themselves
against me." {17} For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually
before me. {18} For I confess my iniquity; I am full of anxiety because
of my sin. {19} But my enemies are vigorous <and> strong; And many are
those who hate me wrongfully. {20} And those who repay evil for good,
They oppose me, because I follow what is good. {21} Do not forsake me, O
LORD; O my God, do not be far from me! {22} Make haste to help me, O
Lord, my salvation!
Brethren, let's do those things which will guard our
consciences. Do not allow yourself to become callous to the feelings of
others or to sins, whether they are your own or others.