WEBVTT 00:00:01.329 --> 00:00:05.089 Today, my title of the sermon is a biblically 00:00:05.089 --> 00:00:09.550 informed and clear conscience. A biblically informed 00:00:09.550 --> 00:00:14.449 and clear conscience. We'll be looking at many 00:00:14.449 --> 00:00:16.649 scriptures, but the text that I will be reading 00:00:16.649 --> 00:00:20.109 here at the beginning is first from Romans chapter 00:00:20.109 --> 00:00:26.690 2, verses 12 through 16. For as many have sinned, 00:00:26.910 --> 00:00:30.250 as have sinned without law will also perish without 00:00:30.250 --> 00:00:35.250 law. And as many as have sinned in the law will 00:00:35.250 --> 00:00:39.030 be judged by the law, for not the hearers of 00:00:39.030 --> 00:00:42.390 the law are just in the sight of God, but the 00:00:42.390 --> 00:00:46.450 doers of the law will be justified. For when 00:00:46.450 --> 00:00:51.409 Gentiles who do not have the law by nature do 00:00:51.409 --> 00:00:55.630 the things in the law, these, although not having 00:00:55.630 --> 00:00:59.630 the law, are a law to themselves who show the 00:00:59.630 --> 00:01:03.049 work of the law written in their hearts, their 00:01:03.049 --> 00:01:06.750 conscience also bearing witness, and between 00:01:06.750 --> 00:01:11.829 themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing 00:01:11.829 --> 00:01:15.010 them in the day when God will judge the secrets 00:01:15.010 --> 00:01:18.689 of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 00:01:19.709 --> 00:01:21.629 Then we're going to turn over to the book of 00:01:21.629 --> 00:01:25.579 Hebrews chapter 10 for the second reading. Chapter 00:01:25.579 --> 00:01:30.000 10, beginning in verse 19. Therefore, brethren, 00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:34.280 having boldness to enter into the holiest by 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:37.799 the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which 00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:41.140 he consecrated for us through the veil that is 00:01:41.140 --> 00:01:44.219 his flesh, and having a high priest over the 00:01:44.219 --> 00:01:48.519 house of God, let us draw near with a true heart 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.780 in full assurance of faith, having our hearts 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:55.480 sprinkled from an evil conscience. and our bodies 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:58.900 washed with pure water. Let us hold the confession 00:01:58.900 --> 00:02:03.079 of our hope without wavering, for he who promised 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:07.260 it is faithful. Let's come before the Lord and 00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:09.240 ask for his blessing on this time together in 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:13.580 the word. Father, we thank you for this wonderful 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:16.120 thing that you have placed within us, that of 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:19.280 the conscience. And Lord, we thank you for this 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:21.520 word. We pray, Lord, that you would enlighten 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.400 us, Lord, that you would sprinkle our hearts 00:02:23.400 --> 00:02:26.060 from any evil consciences and that you would 00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:28.840 give us and renew us and inform us, Lord, by 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:31.439 your word. We pray your blessing, Lord, in this 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:34.000 time together and ask that you would teach us 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:37.300 and lead us as your people. And we pray in Jesus' 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:48.789 name. Amen. preaching about the subject of the 00:02:48.789 --> 00:02:53.090 conscience that God has placed within every living 00:02:53.090 --> 00:02:57.169 human being. Now, when we speak of the conscience, 00:02:57.330 --> 00:03:01.710 we must first ask the question, what is the conscience? 00:03:02.409 --> 00:03:06.050 The ancient philosopher Plato said that it is 00:03:06.050 --> 00:03:10.729 a divine spark of reason. But Thayer's lexicon 00:03:10.729 --> 00:03:15.509 describes it as the soul as distinguishing between 00:03:15.509 --> 00:03:20.650 what is morally good and bad, prompting to do 00:03:20.650 --> 00:03:23.370 the former, that is to do good, and to shun the 00:03:23.370 --> 00:03:26.550 latter, that is to avoid the evil, commending 00:03:26.550 --> 00:03:30.110 one and condemning the other. Dr. Joel Beek, 00:03:30.110 --> 00:03:33.810 he says, the conscience is that faculty of the 00:03:33.810 --> 00:03:39.330 soul whereby a person is conscious of himself 00:03:39.330 --> 00:03:45.780 as a moral being under the law of God. It approves 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:49.840 or disapproves of his own actions and feels obligation 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:53.219 to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. 00:03:53.539 --> 00:03:56.740 Now, the conscience is not a separate organ like 00:03:56.740 --> 00:04:00.580 your liver or kidney or heart in that way, but 00:04:00.580 --> 00:04:04.400 it is a function of the soul and it is tied to 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:08.379 the heart that is the innermost being and mind. 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:12.719 A good illustration that is helpful is that the. 00:04:13.210 --> 00:04:18.370 The conscience is like a compass, an inner moral 00:04:18.370 --> 00:04:22.350 compass that helps you to distinguish between 00:04:22.350 --> 00:04:26.689 right and wrong. It's an internal voice of judgment, 00:04:26.810 --> 00:04:31.149 of guilt, or approval in response to your thoughts, 00:04:31.189 --> 00:04:36.370 actions, and intentions. It applies a moral code 00:04:36.370 --> 00:04:40.610 to what you intend to do, what you are doing, 00:04:41.389 --> 00:04:46.470 or what you have done. Now, the conscience, though, 00:04:46.610 --> 00:04:49.310 that is within us and God has placed it there 00:04:49.310 --> 00:04:54.269 has been affected and subjected to the fall, 00:04:54.449 --> 00:04:59.589 that is to sin. Therefore, the conscience is 00:04:59.589 --> 00:05:03.610 affected by God's natural law apart from God's 00:05:03.610 --> 00:05:06.790 word. It is the law that appears in creation 00:05:06.790 --> 00:05:10.019 and it's written on the heart. By nature, Barnes 00:05:10.019 --> 00:05:13.439 says, every man thus approves or condemns his 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:17.500 own acts. But the conscience may be enlightened 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:22.420 or unenlightened, and its use may be greatly 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:27.120 perverted by false opinion and by wrong doctrine. 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:31.379 It simply expresses judgment according to the 00:05:31.379 --> 00:05:35.639 internal moral code, which is not fully accurate 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:39.360 or understood without the knowledge of God's 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.800 revealed word. The conscience brings conviction 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:46.360 of sin according to the moral code. Don't do 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:50.290 this. This is wrong. Stop it. This perceived 00:05:50.290 --> 00:05:55.149 sin may or may not be sin according to God's 00:05:55.149 --> 00:05:58.550 law, depending on the teaching and the enlightenment 00:05:58.550 --> 00:06:03.970 that the person has. And I can give you a couple 00:06:03.970 --> 00:06:08.189 of illustrations. So my father grew up on an 00:06:08.189 --> 00:06:11.709 Amish farm in Pennsylvania. The Amish don't drive 00:06:11.709 --> 00:06:14.670 cars. They drive horses and buggies wherever 00:06:14.670 --> 00:06:18.680 they go. So that was the people that I grew up 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:20.959 around were of this persuasion. And so there 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:23.120 was lots of times that horses and buggies would 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:26.000 go by our road. It was a very common thing in 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:28.980 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. And it's also 00:06:28.980 --> 00:06:32.620 in other places. Now to the Amish man whose conscience 00:06:32.620 --> 00:06:35.319 is not enlightened, if he were to just decide 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.000 one day to go and stop at the car dealer and 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:41.079 buy a car and drive it down the road, his conscience 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:44.899 would smite him. He would be under great conviction 00:06:44.899 --> 00:06:47.399 that this is wrong. This is not according to 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:49.339 the church's teachings. And so I need to stop 00:06:49.339 --> 00:06:52.519 this. That's just one illustration of how the 00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:56.459 conscience may not be enlightened depending on 00:06:56.459 --> 00:06:59.899 the teaching. There's some folks here who used 00:06:59.899 --> 00:07:02.899 to be part of the followers of Jesus. The followers 00:07:02.899 --> 00:07:07.399 of Jesus believed that people should not go to 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:09.680 the doctor at all. There's some groups of them 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:11.860 down in Marsing and a small one up in Cambridge 00:07:11.860 --> 00:07:14.379 and others. That's one of their core tenets. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.720 And so to take or to go to the doctor would violate 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.699 many of their consciences. This is not right. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:24.019 It's not according to the teachings of the church 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:27.300 or the way we understand the Bible. The apostle 00:07:27.300 --> 00:07:30.879 Paul, when he was persecuting Christians, he 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:33.939 thought he was doing God's service. His conscience 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:36.439 was not troubling him. He thought, this is great. 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:38.639 I'm going to go after them with all of my being 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:41.120 because this is part of what it means to worship 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:47.480 God. His conscience was wrong. Now, there are 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:50.600 a few illustrations of additional consciences 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:54.199 of unbelievers in the scriptures. The first time 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:56.540 the Greek word for conscience is used in the 00:07:56.540 --> 00:08:00.500 Bible is in John chapter 8 with the story of 00:08:00.500 --> 00:08:02.980 the woman caught in adultery. The story was this. 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:05.800 Jesus was teaching and the group of the scribes 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:08.740 and Pharisees brought a woman whom they said 00:08:08.740 --> 00:08:13.139 was caught in the very act of adultery. Now there's 00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:15.699 some question about this because the man wasn't 00:08:15.699 --> 00:08:18.500 there. And so whether this was actually true 00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:21.610 or not. We don't know, but the fact is they brought 00:08:21.610 --> 00:08:23.790 her and said this woman was caught in adultery. 00:08:24.050 --> 00:08:27.990 And so Jesus, rather than digging into it right 00:08:27.990 --> 00:08:32.149 away, or they say, Jesus, Moses in the law commanded 00:08:32.149 --> 00:08:35.090 that such should be stoned. So what do you say? 00:08:35.250 --> 00:08:37.649 And they're doing this to test him to see if 00:08:37.649 --> 00:08:40.509 they could accuse him. Jesus, however, just remained 00:08:40.509 --> 00:08:42.750 quiet and he stooped down and he wrote on the 00:08:42.750 --> 00:08:48.840 ground. And they continued asking him about this. 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:51.360 And so finally Jesus stands up and he says to 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:54.759 them, he who is without sin among you, let him 00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:57.899 throw a stone at her first. And again, he stoops 00:08:57.899 --> 00:09:00.899 down and he writes on the ground. Then we hear 00:09:00.899 --> 00:09:03.340 these. And remember that these who were professors 00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:06.580 to follow God, Jesus says their heart was not 00:09:06.580 --> 00:09:09.720 right. They did not know God and they only inclined 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:12.799 toward evil and wickedness. They were like dead 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:16.549 men's bones. But here's what the scripture then 00:09:16.549 --> 00:09:23.509 says. Those who heard it being convicted by their 00:09:23.509 --> 00:09:27.250 own conscience went out one by one, beginning 00:09:27.250 --> 00:09:30.350 with the oldest, even to the last. And Jesus 00:09:30.350 --> 00:09:32.409 was left alone and the woman standing in the 00:09:32.409 --> 00:09:35.870 midst. And Jesus then, when he looks at her and 00:09:35.870 --> 00:09:38.809 he says, woman, where are those accusers? And 00:09:38.809 --> 00:09:41.049 she said, there's no one, Lord. In other words, 00:09:41.070 --> 00:09:43.789 they all left. And so Jesus says, again, using 00:09:43.789 --> 00:09:47.529 the law here of two or three witnesses, he says, 00:09:47.629 --> 00:09:49.870 I'm not going to condemn you either, but you 00:09:49.870 --> 00:09:53.710 go and you stoop no more. So, or sin no more. 00:09:53.889 --> 00:09:56.669 So when Jesus stoops and he writes in the ground, 00:09:56.850 --> 00:09:59.769 those who hear him, those who saw, and they might've 00:09:59.769 --> 00:10:01.990 read what he was writing, we don't know, but 00:10:01.990 --> 00:10:05.230 they became convicted in their or by their own 00:10:05.230 --> 00:10:08.090 consciences. Though they did not believe in Christ 00:10:08.090 --> 00:10:11.179 and were far from God, they nevertheless had 00:10:11.179 --> 00:10:14.980 a conscience. Now another is described of Gentile 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:17.620 unbelievers in Romans chapter 2, which I just 00:10:17.620 --> 00:10:20.559 read, verse 14 to 16, that there are Gentiles 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:23.259 who were not exposed to the law of God as it 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:26.000 was revealed in the scriptures, and yet by nature, 00:10:26.059 --> 00:10:29.460 they do some of the things in the law, and it 00:10:29.460 --> 00:10:32.179 shows that there's a law, the law of creation, 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:35.000 the natural law we sometimes call it, that is 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:37.840 written in their hearts with their conscience, 00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:42.399 also bearing witness and between themselves their 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:46.100 thoughts accuse or else excuse them. This again 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:49.220 shows that the conscience is something that God 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:54.019 gives to both believers and to unbelievers. This 00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:57.960 is how, for example, many non -Christians still 00:10:57.960 --> 00:11:01.940 know that abortion is murder. They know that 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:06.139 this is wrong or that it's wrong to steal or 00:11:06.139 --> 00:11:09.799 to lie. This is because of the conscience, even 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:13.100 though ill -informed in many ways, still reveals 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:16.279 to them some of these things and holds them accountable. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.100 So today, we're going to look in the Word of 00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:23.539 God and see what God says about the conscience 00:11:23.539 --> 00:11:27.740 and how it can be awakened and informed by God's 00:11:27.740 --> 00:11:31.059 Word and then how we are to live in light of 00:11:31.059 --> 00:11:39.080 having the conscience. the conscience in both 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:41.759 believers and unbelievers that might hear this. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:46.080 To those who are still blind, I would urge you 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.120 to follow the example of Bartimaeus, the blind 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.000 man who sat at the side of the road and he cried 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:57.580 out for mercy. Jesus, son of David, have mercy 00:11:57.580 --> 00:12:01.480 on me. So as we listen to the word, let us apply 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:05.039 it to ourselves and pray for God's grace and 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:08.950 his mercy. So first, the first point then is 00:12:08.950 --> 00:12:11.769 what is the biblical terminology and the Old 00:12:11.769 --> 00:12:14.870 Testament background for the conscience? The 00:12:14.870 --> 00:12:17.230 word conscience is used frequently in the New 00:12:17.230 --> 00:12:20.110 Testament. But the Old Testament has no single 00:12:20.110 --> 00:12:23.289 word for conscience. But it uses the word heart 00:12:23.289 --> 00:12:27.289 or the Hebrew word lev as the moral center. This 00:12:27.289 --> 00:12:31.450 is why we read 1 Samuel 24 this morning. We read 00:12:31.450 --> 00:12:34.850 here about David's conscience bothering him. 00:12:36.250 --> 00:12:39.970 troubling him. But the Hebrew uses the word heart. 00:12:40.129 --> 00:12:42.570 It came to pass afterward that David's heart 00:12:42.570 --> 00:12:46.470 troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe. 00:12:46.970 --> 00:12:49.389 And he said to his man, the Lord forbid that 00:12:49.389 --> 00:12:51.870 I should do this thing to my master. So this 00:12:51.870 --> 00:12:55.090 is one example in the Old Testament of the conscience. 00:12:55.730 --> 00:12:59.110 Job also speaks it in chapter 27 and verse 6. 00:12:59.250 --> 00:13:02.529 He says, my righteousness I hold fast and will 00:13:02.529 --> 00:13:05.889 not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me 00:13:05.889 --> 00:13:09.269 as long as I live. In other words, he was saying, 00:13:09.429 --> 00:13:13.990 I have a clear conscience. My heart is not reproaching 00:13:13.990 --> 00:13:16.600 me. But then in the New Testament introduces 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:20.000 the word, the Greek word, 30 times, at least 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.639 30 times in the New Testament, which it shows 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:26.740 a heightened moral self -awareness through the 00:13:26.740 --> 00:13:28.960 preaching of the gospel, a greater knowledge 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:33.379 of oneself. The Bible speaks of the conscience 00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:37.259 in various ways. It speaks of a good or a clear 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:40.799 conscience, one that approves right, it condemns 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.679 wrong, and it's at... peace we see this in acts 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:48.139 24 16 and in first timothy 5 and 19 first timothy 00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:52.100 1 verse 5 and 19 it speaks of a guilty conscience 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:56.159 or an accusing one one that condemns sin and 00:13:56.159 --> 00:14:00.279 brings fear and shame we read of that in romans 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:04.659 2 verse 15 also in hebrews 10 verse 22 there 00:14:04.659 --> 00:14:09.289 is a weak or a defiled conscience. This is one 00:14:09.289 --> 00:14:12.210 that is overscrupulous. It is not biblically 00:14:12.210 --> 00:14:16.929 informed, but yet it speaks quite loudly to the 00:14:16.929 --> 00:14:19.269 individual. We're going to be seeing that in 00:14:19.269 --> 00:14:23.450 Romans chapter 12 and 1 Corinthians 8. And then 00:14:23.450 --> 00:14:27.289 there is a seared conscience. Seared with a hot 00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:31.509 iron is how it is described in Timothy. It is 00:14:31.509 --> 00:14:35.500 no longer... a sensitive conscience. This we 00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:39.720 read in 1 Timothy 4 verse 2 and in Titus 1 verse 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:43.759 15. So this is the biblical terminology of the 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:47.700 conscience as it is used. Now the conscience, 00:14:47.899 --> 00:14:51.639 number two, is used in salvation and conversion. 00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:55.559 But in order for the conscience to be of use 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:58.759 in converting a person to Christ, it must be 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:02.379 enlightened through the law of God and through 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:05.779 the preaching of the word of God. The conscience 00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:10.279 in one who is dead in trespasses and sins is 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:13.559 quickened. It is made alive and it is sharpened 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:16.820 through the work of the Holy Spirit who applies 00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:21.399 the knowledge of sin. To the person showing them 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:24.539 their guilt before God and bringing conviction. 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:29.759 Conviction is when I have done wrong. I have 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:36.480 sinned against a holy God and I am guilty. This 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:40.919 is the conviction of sin. In order to understand 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:43.519 the need for salvation through Christ, the sinner 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:46.480 must see their sin and be convicted that this 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:51.919 is wrong. After conversion to Christ, the conscience 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:56.259 is informed. It is reoriented. As it were, the 00:15:56.259 --> 00:16:00.179 moral compass is reset and the moral code of 00:16:00.179 --> 00:16:03.620 the conscience becomes sanctified and in accordance 00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:07.379 with the word of God. Some things are added and 00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:11.649 some things are taken away. Again, I remind you 00:16:11.649 --> 00:16:15.509 of the Apostle Paul. His conscience was no longer 00:16:15.509 --> 00:16:18.570 telling him that he is doing God's service by 00:16:18.570 --> 00:16:22.009 killing and imprisoning Christians. He's no longer 00:16:22.009 --> 00:16:25.330 that way. The conscience is way different. Now, 00:16:25.330 --> 00:16:30.590 however, a conscience is telling him how to do 00:16:30.590 --> 00:16:34.529 good, which includes being free to eat at the 00:16:34.529 --> 00:16:37.870 potluck meal with Gentiles. With those who were 00:16:37.870 --> 00:16:41.529 former idolaters and who were not Jews. He no 00:16:41.529 --> 00:16:45.669 longer also must go to the temple and offer sacrifices 00:16:45.669 --> 00:16:48.830 because he understands that Jesus is the perfect 00:16:48.830 --> 00:16:51.769 sacrifice. So his conscience no longer tells 00:16:51.769 --> 00:16:54.330 him it's wrong if you don't go to the temple. 00:16:54.470 --> 00:16:57.929 It has been changed. It has been clarified. It 00:16:57.929 --> 00:17:02.870 is informed and reoriented. He is no longer persecuting 00:17:02.870 --> 00:17:05.269 Christians. In fact, that would now violate. 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:08.480 fully violate his consciousness, his conscience. 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:11.420 Think of those who conscientiously have lived 00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:14.900 in revelry and drunkenness or in lewdness and 00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:16.779 in lust. In other words, they were just doing 00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:19.579 it because they loved it and it felt good and 00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:21.960 they liked it and their conscience wasn't bothering 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:25.140 them. But now they have put on the Lord Jesus 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:29.279 Christ and they make no provision for the flesh 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:35.440 to fulfill its lust. This is a change in conscience. 00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:38.839 But in order to have a good and clear conscience 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:43.279 before God, our conscience must be informed by 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:48.339 God's standards, by his law and not by man's 00:17:48.339 --> 00:17:51.680 law. The conscience is not the ultimate standard 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:55.079 of right and wrong. God's law is. And then the 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:58.079 conscience is the witness and judge that applies 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:02.750 God's law to the person, to the self. rather 00:18:02.750 --> 00:18:06.710 than being uninformed. Here's how the conscience 00:18:06.710 --> 00:18:09.710 works in salvation. First of all, it brings conviction. 00:18:09.910 --> 00:18:12.769 The Holy Spirit awakens the conscience to sin 00:18:12.769 --> 00:18:15.450 by impressing the law of God in the heart. This 00:18:15.450 --> 00:18:17.869 is often through preaching or through someone 00:18:17.869 --> 00:18:21.569 witnessing or through reading. The law of God 00:18:21.569 --> 00:18:23.910 is impressed in their heart and the Holy Spirit 00:18:23.910 --> 00:18:27.490 awakens the conscience. Paul declares, what shall 00:18:27.490 --> 00:18:31.119 I say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not. On 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:33.960 the contrary, he says, I would not have known 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:39.799 sin except through the law. For I would have 00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:42.799 not known covetousness unless the law had said, 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:46.759 thou you shall not covet. But sin, taking opportunity 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:50.180 by the commandment, produced in me all manner 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:55.119 of evil desire. Romans 7, verse 7 and 8. Jesus 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:58.589 says, Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It 00:18:58.589 --> 00:19:00.950 is to your advantage that I go away. For if I 00:19:00.950 --> 00:19:04.890 do not go away, the helper will not come to you. 00:19:04.970 --> 00:19:08.470 But if I depart, I will send him to you. And 00:19:08.470 --> 00:19:12.930 when he has come, he will convict the world of 00:19:12.930 --> 00:19:18.849 sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Excuse 00:19:18.849 --> 00:19:23.509 me. The Holy Spirit awakens the conscience to. 00:19:24.170 --> 00:19:27.930 Understand what sin is by impressing the law 00:19:27.930 --> 00:19:31.869 of God on the heart. Secondly, then, as one reaches 00:19:31.869 --> 00:19:36.269 out by faith and believes in Jesus Christ for 00:19:36.269 --> 00:19:39.849 salvation, he understands that the justification, 00:19:40.049 --> 00:19:42.930 that the blood of Jesus cleanses the conscience 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:48.549 from sin and from dead works. From sin and from 00:19:48.549 --> 00:19:51.640 dead works. The writer of Hebrews brings this 00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:55.079 out as he says in chapter 9 verse 13. If the 00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:57.759 blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of heifer 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:02.259 sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying 00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:05.839 of the flesh. How much more shall the blood of 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:08.940 Christ who through the eternal spirit offered 00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:14.039 himself without spot to God cleanse your conscience. 00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:18.400 Cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:23.259 the living God. He continues in chapter 10. Therefore, 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:26.359 brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest 00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:29.200 by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:31.539 which he consecrated for us through the veil 00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:34.539 that is his flesh, and having a high priest over 00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:39.460 the house of God, let us draw near with a true 00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:43.160 heart in full assurance of faith, having our 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:48.539 hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. From 00:20:48.539 --> 00:20:51.980 an evil conscience. And our bodies washed with 00:20:51.980 --> 00:20:55.319 pure water. And then the conscience is also used 00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:58.400 in sanctification. The conscience is progressively 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:01.339 renewed by the word of God and the spirit of 00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:05.339 God as we are sanctified. And as we grow in our 00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:09.420 understanding of God's word, it helps us to put 00:21:09.420 --> 00:21:12.539 evil deeds to death through the spirit. So the 00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:14.960 conscience is involved, the enlightened conscience, 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:19.220 in both conviction, in justification, and in 00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:23.200 sanctification. Number three, Christians are 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:28.460 to strive to live with a good and clear conscience. 00:21:29.690 --> 00:21:32.569 We are to strive for this, our conscience being 00:21:32.569 --> 00:21:37.509 enlightened. Now we are attempt to attempt as 00:21:37.509 --> 00:21:40.670 much as it lies within us, as much as we are 00:21:40.670 --> 00:21:43.589 able to, by the power of the Spirit, to walk 00:21:43.589 --> 00:21:46.170 according to the Spirit and not according to 00:21:46.170 --> 00:21:49.569 the flesh. We're to live with a good and a clear 00:21:49.569 --> 00:21:52.869 conscience. Paul calls this a conscience without 00:21:52.869 --> 00:21:59.950 offense. In Acts 24, he says, they call a sect 00:21:59.950 --> 00:22:03.250 so I worship the God of my fathers believing 00:22:03.250 --> 00:22:05.329 all things which are written in the law and in 00:22:05.329 --> 00:22:08.509 the prophets I have hope in God which they themselves 00:22:08.509 --> 00:22:10.890 also accept that there will be a resurrection 00:22:10.890 --> 00:22:14.009 of the dead both of the just and the unjust this 00:22:14.009 --> 00:22:18.569 being so I myself always strive to have a conscience 00:22:18.569 --> 00:22:22.690 without offense toward God and man This is something 00:22:22.690 --> 00:22:25.150 that is fought for. It is pursued. It is followed 00:22:25.150 --> 00:22:28.009 after. This is something every Christian here 00:22:28.009 --> 00:22:31.170 should seek to have a clear and a pure and a 00:22:31.170 --> 00:22:35.650 clean conscience and to keep it that way. He 00:22:35.650 --> 00:22:38.509 continues in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 where Paul 00:22:38.509 --> 00:22:41.650 says, Our boasting is this, the testimony of 00:22:41.650 --> 00:22:44.589 our conscience that we conducted ourselves in 00:22:44.589 --> 00:22:47.069 the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, 00:22:47.450 --> 00:22:50.930 not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of 00:22:50.930 --> 00:22:55.549 God. By the grace of God. We have this testimony 00:22:55.549 --> 00:22:59.930 of a good conscience. To have a good conscience 00:22:59.930 --> 00:23:05.490 is to live honorably. Hebrews 13 verse 18, the 00:23:05.490 --> 00:23:09.069 apostle there says, pray for us for we are confident 00:23:09.069 --> 00:23:13.930 that we have a good conscience in all things 00:23:13.930 --> 00:23:17.609 desiring to live honorably. Now let's unpack 00:23:17.609 --> 00:23:21.390 this a little more. To live honorably, to have 00:23:21.390 --> 00:23:25.269 a good conscience and live honorably is to live 00:23:25.269 --> 00:23:30.089 beautifully, finely, excellently, and rightly, 00:23:30.309 --> 00:23:34.880 commendably. nobly and in a good place that doesn't 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:37.079 that sound like something we all would like to 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:39.940 live in that kind of a place a place that is 00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:42.500 beautiful and fine and excellent and right and 00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:45.839 commendable and noble and in a good place yes 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:50.960 that is what we desire to have a good conscience 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:56.039 in all things desiring to live honorably Let's 00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:58.940 stop and think how this can impact us. Think 00:23:58.940 --> 00:24:01.519 of this first of all, how living like this with 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:04.519 a clear conscience and living honorably could 00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:08.279 affect our home, our children growing up in an 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:11.640 environment like this. Because when mom and dad 00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:15.440 are loaded down with sins and live with guilty 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:19.880 consciences, the effect on the family is destructive 00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:25.170 and oppressive. But when the parents have a clear 00:24:25.170 --> 00:24:27.990 conscience before the Lord and they love one 00:24:27.990 --> 00:24:30.509 another and they learn of God through his word, 00:24:30.630 --> 00:24:33.809 the effect on the family is amazing. Where there 00:24:33.809 --> 00:24:37.250 was once strife or beatings or hatred and jealousy 00:24:37.250 --> 00:24:40.990 and contention and outbursts of wrath and envy 00:24:40.990 --> 00:24:44.190 and bitterness and disobedience and all sorts 00:24:44.190 --> 00:24:48.970 of other sins, now instead there is love and 00:24:48.970 --> 00:24:53.140 joy. and peace, long -suffering, and kindness, 00:24:53.339 --> 00:24:56.819 and goodness, and faithfulness, and gentleness, 00:24:56.940 --> 00:25:01.420 and self -control. What a difference in the home 00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:05.460 and a glorious effect on your family, on your 00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:09.339 children, and your grandchildren in the future. 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:14.339 This also, to have a good conscience and to live 00:25:14.339 --> 00:25:18.079 honorably, is how we as Christian believers should 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:21.539 live with one another. In the Christian congregation, 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:26.740 we should be characterized this way. A place 00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:31.140 where one walks in and is surrounded by a covenantal 00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:36.039 love of God. and of each other with clear consciences 00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:39.759 as we warmly greet one another and visitors who 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:43.660 come in. And we show the love of God in an enlightened 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:47.799 and a good conscience. This shows in our faces 00:25:47.799 --> 00:25:50.940 and our demeanor, in our delight to be called 00:25:50.940 --> 00:25:54.259 to worship our triune God, to kneel before him 00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:57.500 and to confess our sins, and then to hear of 00:25:57.500 --> 00:26:00.740 our forgiveness in Christ. And we receive instruction 00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:03.589 from God's word. and then we get to feast at 00:26:03.589 --> 00:26:07.349 his table and to eat a meal with Christ and then 00:26:07.349 --> 00:26:10.690 to be sent forth with a blessing and a benediction 00:26:10.690 --> 00:26:15.130 to live and to love honorably in this world. 00:26:15.450 --> 00:26:20.049 This is the glory of living with a clear conscience 00:26:20.049 --> 00:26:23.289 and in an honorable way in the congregation. 00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:27.099 And we could go on in the workplace and in our 00:26:27.099 --> 00:26:29.940 relationship with other people and in our larger 00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:33.160 family relationships to live with a clear conscience 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:37.279 and to live honorably is something that is glorious. 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:41.960 A clear conscience comes after it is being enlightened 00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:45.920 by confessing our sins before a holy God and 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:50.039 receiving forgiveness and cleansing. I have talked 00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:53.019 many times or have preached the need to have 00:26:53.019 --> 00:26:56.630 short accounts. That when we sin against one 00:26:56.630 --> 00:27:01.150 another or we sin against God, don't let them 00:27:01.150 --> 00:27:04.490 build up. We're all human. Yes, we do sin one 00:27:04.490 --> 00:27:07.369 against another and against the Lord. But don't 00:27:07.369 --> 00:27:09.829 let it build up and build up and build up and 00:27:09.829 --> 00:27:12.809 cloud your conscience and it gets cloudier and 00:27:12.809 --> 00:27:15.829 cloudier. No, keep short accounts. Deal with 00:27:15.829 --> 00:27:19.009 it right away. When you see a sin, when you're 00:27:19.009 --> 00:27:21.250 convicted of something through the conscience 00:27:21.250 --> 00:27:23.769 and the power of the Holy Spirit, then deal with 00:27:23.769 --> 00:27:27.230 it. Right away. Go to your wife. Go to your husband. 00:27:27.410 --> 00:27:30.490 Go to your children, parents. If you sin against 00:27:30.490 --> 00:27:33.390 them, then yes, it does not put you down. It 00:27:33.390 --> 00:27:36.109 does not demean you to go and confess that you 00:27:36.109 --> 00:27:38.509 have sinned against your children. Do it and 00:27:38.509 --> 00:27:41.349 do it right away. Say, I have sinned against 00:27:41.349 --> 00:27:44.690 you. Will you please forgive me? Let us keep 00:27:44.690 --> 00:27:48.150 short accounts. by confessing our sins before 00:27:48.150 --> 00:27:51.650 a holy God and then one another as needed and 00:27:51.650 --> 00:27:55.490 receive forgiveness and cleansing. David illustrates 00:27:55.490 --> 00:27:59.009 this so well with his cry from the heart after 00:27:59.009 --> 00:28:04.509 his great and grievous sin of adultery with Bathsheba 00:28:04.509 --> 00:28:09.369 and then the murder of her husband. He says in 00:28:09.369 --> 00:28:15.170 Psalm 51, Create in me a clean heart, O God. 00:28:15.630 --> 00:28:20.069 and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not 00:28:20.069 --> 00:28:23.509 cast me away from your presence, and do not take 00:28:23.509 --> 00:28:27.150 your Holy Spirit away from me. Restore to me 00:28:27.150 --> 00:28:31.089 the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by your 00:28:31.089 --> 00:28:35.589 generous spirit. There's a beautiful song that's 00:28:35.589 --> 00:28:37.210 actually in our hymnal. It's one that I want 00:28:37.210 --> 00:28:40.069 to learn and sing sometimes as part of our confession. 00:28:41.190 --> 00:28:44.930 Furthermore, 2 Corinthians chapter 4 brings out, 00:28:45.309 --> 00:28:48.970 In having this clear conscience, we renounce. 00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:53.940 the hidden things of shame. We renounce the hidden 00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:57.539 things of shame. Paul says, we have renounced 00:28:57.539 --> 00:29:01.140 the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness 00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:04.140 nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but 00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:07.099 by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves 00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:12.019 to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:15.259 To renounce is to speak out or to put off. It 00:29:15.259 --> 00:29:18.740 is to refuse or to deny. It is to interdict and... 00:29:19.530 --> 00:29:23.029 Here it means to renounce and to disown and to 00:29:23.029 --> 00:29:26.299 spurn with aversion. The apostles had such a 00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:30.039 view of God's truth and the glory of Christ that 00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:33.539 they discarded and despised all things that were 00:29:33.539 --> 00:29:36.779 crafty and deceitful and fraudulent. They cast 00:29:36.779 --> 00:29:40.240 off disgraceful conduct, underhanded dealings, 00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:42.980 nor did they handle the word of God deceitfully, 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:47.779 he says. And so also should we renounce sin and 00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:50.319 false doctrine that could cater to the flesh 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:53.839 and corrupt the mind. Let us take care to deal 00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:57.579 with... setting sins with zeal and fortitude. 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:02.359 We renounce the hidden things of shame. After 00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:05.500 the conscience is enlightened by God's law, then 00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:08.339 a good conscience now encourages and facilitates 00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:11.960 love for God from a pure heart and with sincere 00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:14.819 faith. First Timothy chapter one, verse five. 00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:18.980 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from 00:30:18.980 --> 00:30:22.690 a good heart, from a pure heart. from a good 00:30:22.690 --> 00:30:25.390 conscience, and from sincere faith. In other 00:30:25.390 --> 00:30:28.509 words, the goal of God's law is that we would 00:30:28.509 --> 00:30:30.789 love with a pure heart, that we would have a 00:30:30.789 --> 00:30:33.109 good conscience, and that we would have sincere 00:30:33.109 --> 00:30:36.730 faith. From which he says, some strayed, have 00:30:36.730 --> 00:30:39.569 turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers 00:30:39.569 --> 00:30:41.730 of the law, understanding neither what they say 00:30:41.730 --> 00:30:45.210 nor the things which they affirm. But we know 00:30:45.210 --> 00:30:48.460 that the law is good. If one uses it lawfully. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:51.819 The telos. That is the purpose. The goal. The 00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:55.099 end of God's law. It's the Greek word telos. 00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:58.440 And it's very wide spreading here. It's the purpose. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:01.579 The goal. And the end of God's law. Is that we 00:31:01.579 --> 00:31:04.680 would love purely. And that we would have an 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:08.359 honorable and a good conscience. One that is 00:31:08.359 --> 00:31:13.230 informed. Paul charges Timothy and he says, this 00:31:13.230 --> 00:31:15.849 charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according 00:31:15.849 --> 00:31:18.329 to the prophecies previously made concerning 00:31:18.329 --> 00:31:23.029 you, that by them you might wage the good warfare, 00:31:23.130 --> 00:31:27.450 having faith and a good conscience. Having faith 00:31:27.450 --> 00:31:31.950 and a good conscience. Now, this brings out to 00:31:31.950 --> 00:31:35.519 us that. In order to live with an open heaven 00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:38.539 and with a clear conscience and with great joy, 00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:42.640 we must understand how to love. We need to understand 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:46.519 how to love purely. To love God, to love his 00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:50.059 word, and to love his people. This is not burdensome, 00:31:50.059 --> 00:31:53.539 it is not tyrannical, and it is not like a straitjacket. 00:31:53.769 --> 00:31:56.529 There is, dear brothers and sisters, a fullness 00:31:56.529 --> 00:32:01.170 of life and of joy and of joviality and life 00:32:01.170 --> 00:32:04.930 that comes from a walk with God, from a love 00:32:04.930 --> 00:32:08.130 of him and of his law with a pure heart and a 00:32:08.130 --> 00:32:11.690 good conscience. Of all people, Christians should 00:32:11.690 --> 00:32:15.970 not be creatures who are morose and sad and long 00:32:15.970 --> 00:32:20.720 -faced and dreary and dull or downcast. We understand, 00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:22.960 of course, there's times of lament and mourning 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:25.799 and of grief and sorrow, but they should not 00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:28.819 last. They should not be that which characterizes 00:32:28.819 --> 00:32:32.720 us. There is righteousness. There is peace. There 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:35.759 is joy in being filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:38.339 And that should reflect on you and your attitude 00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:42.220 and your relationships with God and with other 00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:47.480 people. In summation, Dr. Beeky, says it this 00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:51.619 way, a good conscience is the fruit of a heart 00:32:51.619 --> 00:32:54.920 sprinkled with Christ's blood, informed by God's 00:32:54.920 --> 00:32:58.680 word and governed by God's spirit. It's a well 00:32:58.680 --> 00:33:02.740 said, good summary of that. Number four, the 00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:06.240 conscience in a Christian believer can be weak. 00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:11.059 It can be over scrupulous and it can be defiled. 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:16.019 Sometimes, The conscience does not understand 00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:20.160 Christian liberty. The whole chapter of Romans 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:24.980 14 deals with the Christian brother who is weak 00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:28.720 in the faith and has a weak conscience. Paul 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:31.339 uses two examples of the weak ones in chapter 00:33:31.339 --> 00:33:33.500 14. And I'm not going to read the whole chapter, 00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:35.599 but I'm going to just point this out. It's a 00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:38.980 good study for your edification. Number one, 00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:41.299 the weak one cannot eat other things like other 00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:44.299 Christians, but rather he can only eat vegetables. 00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:48.119 That's in 14 verse 2. So he cannot eat other 00:33:48.119 --> 00:33:51.599 things, other wonderful things, or even meat 00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:55.279 like other Christians, but only vegetables. And 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:58.279 number two, The other example Paul uses is one 00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:03.380 who esteems some days above others versus the 00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:06.359 one who esteems every day alike. Now, this is 00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:08.900 probably written to those who were still following 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:12.159 the Jewish feast days versus those who were not. 00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:15.539 I do not think that this is referring to the 00:34:15.539 --> 00:34:18.519 observance of the Lord's Day, clearly called 00:34:18.519 --> 00:34:21.219 the Lord's Day. And so in every day being alike, 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:25.159 we still understand the Lord's Day. These were 00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:27.780 the two examples that the Romans were dealing 00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:30.940 with. This matter of the one who would not eat 00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:33.280 meat but only vegetables versus those who really 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:36.900 enjoyed their steaks. And then the other example 00:34:36.900 --> 00:34:39.440 of those who observed every day alike versus 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:43.420 those who observed various feast days and such 00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:47.360 like. Now in this, Paul gives two things. He 00:34:47.360 --> 00:34:50.980 says, number one, we are commanded to receive 00:34:50.980 --> 00:34:55.250 the one who is weak in the faith. but not to 00:34:55.250 --> 00:34:58.510 doubtful disputations that is in verse one we're 00:34:58.510 --> 00:35:01.710 to receive them so and we understand that there 00:35:01.710 --> 00:35:05.230 are other believers who have whose consciences 00:35:05.230 --> 00:35:09.329 are different than ours in some matters and as 00:35:09.329 --> 00:35:11.510 long as they are in the faith we are to receive 00:35:11.510 --> 00:35:15.070 them we look at that and we understand there's 00:35:15.070 --> 00:35:17.329 a weakness here but we're still to receive them 00:35:17.329 --> 00:35:20.079 and paul later says Who are you to judge your 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:23.000 brother? He stands before God. He will stand 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:25.159 at the judgment seat before Christ and so will 00:35:25.159 --> 00:35:29.880 you. And so you don't condemn one another. You 00:35:29.880 --> 00:35:33.159 receive them. He also says we are not to judge 00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:35.519 them. We are not to put a stumbling block in 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:38.710 front of them. which is causing them to stumble 00:35:38.710 --> 00:35:42.230 and lose their way in the faith. He's not referring 00:35:42.230 --> 00:35:44.889 there to just a like or a preference or a dislike. 00:35:45.210 --> 00:35:47.730 He's referring to something here that we do not 00:35:47.730 --> 00:35:51.690 cause them to stumble, to lose their way. A stumbling 00:35:51.690 --> 00:35:54.170 block would be that which leads a brother to 00:35:54.170 --> 00:35:57.949 violate his own conscience, thus partaking against 00:35:57.949 --> 00:36:01.829 it, or he might be stirred to anger, disgust, 00:36:01.829 --> 00:36:04.989 and apostasy from the Christian faith. So how 00:36:04.989 --> 00:36:10.719 do we help him? We first of all receive. That's 00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:14.000 the first thing. The second is we seek to enlighten 00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:17.519 the conscience from God's word. because the conscience 00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:20.400 needs enlightened. And so there are some, especially 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:22.699 in their upbringing or various teachings that 00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:25.960 they might have, where they need to be enlightened. 00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:30.480 Apollos was one where he still, he didn't understand 00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:34.219 the way of salvation completely. And so he preached 00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:36.800 the word of God and he was a powerful and eloquent 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:40.300 preacher, but he didn't have everything right 00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:43.159 in his understanding. So Aquila and Priscilla 00:36:43.739 --> 00:36:47.300 hold him aside and they taught him the way more 00:36:47.300 --> 00:36:51.780 perfectly they instructed him on where he was 00:36:51.780 --> 00:36:54.639 wrong and that really helped him and he became 00:36:54.639 --> 00:36:59.840 a mighty man in the faith so we seek to enlighten 00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:02.400 the conscience from god's word it's weak it needs 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:05.780 to be strengthened but not violated and here's 00:37:05.780 --> 00:37:09.380 why violation of the conscience makes it defiled 00:37:09.380 --> 00:37:13.940 and this should not be To him it is sin, and 00:37:13.940 --> 00:37:17.460 since he cannot do it in faith, it is sin to 00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:21.579 him. Romans 14, verse 23. But he who doubts is 00:37:21.579 --> 00:37:24.659 condemned if he eats, because he does not eat 00:37:24.659 --> 00:37:28.500 from faith. For whatever is not from faith is 00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:33.320 sin. So sin is the violation of God's law. We 00:37:33.320 --> 00:37:36.059 understand that. But sin is also doing something 00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:40.409 that might not violate God's law. but it is not 00:37:40.409 --> 00:37:45.309 done from faith and it is a perceived sin in 00:37:45.309 --> 00:37:47.849 the mind of the individual. So because to him 00:37:47.849 --> 00:37:51.349 it is sin, we do not urge him to defile his conscience. 00:37:51.449 --> 00:37:54.190 We rather seek to enlighten the conscience from 00:37:54.190 --> 00:37:58.329 the word of God. In this case, in such cases, 00:37:58.369 --> 00:38:00.769 he is not to defile his conscience in the matter, 00:38:00.849 --> 00:38:03.289 but can be instructed and guided to a better 00:38:03.289 --> 00:38:06.829 understanding. There are so many things that 00:38:06.829 --> 00:38:11.170 this can apply to. Paul gave this here in these 00:38:11.170 --> 00:38:14.309 first two, but then he speaks of more in 1 Corinthians 00:38:14.309 --> 00:38:18.329 8. And there's certainly, as we look at various... 00:38:19.340 --> 00:38:23.380 Shall I say Christian but religious systems where 00:38:23.380 --> 00:38:25.820 they build whole things based on tradition and 00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:28.920 not on God's word. And so then they bind men's 00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:31.900 consciences. They bind people's consciences to 00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:34.480 this. And this happens in many different ways. 00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:37.179 And so I'm going to give just a few illustrations 00:38:37.179 --> 00:38:40.900 of how this can be. And so how we're to understand 00:38:40.900 --> 00:38:44.179 this and help one another. So we have the first 00:38:44.179 --> 00:38:48.190 two. are the ones mentioned in Romans. The first 00:38:48.190 --> 00:38:50.510 one is the one mentioned in Romans 14, being 00:38:50.510 --> 00:38:54.250 a vegetarian versus eating meat. Later in the 00:38:54.250 --> 00:38:57.010 scripture, we're taught that we are supposed 00:38:57.010 --> 00:39:01.210 to teach that God gave every creature and he 00:39:01.210 --> 00:39:03.849 gave it for food and it's to be received with 00:39:03.849 --> 00:39:07.429 thankfulness and prayer and thanksgiving. So 00:39:07.429 --> 00:39:10.949 that's one. There's also that of eating clean 00:39:10.949 --> 00:39:15.369 or versus unclean food. foods according to Leviticus 00:39:15.369 --> 00:39:17.989 and not according to the change that happened 00:39:17.989 --> 00:39:21.070 where that eating of clean and unclean found 00:39:21.070 --> 00:39:24.769 its fulfillment in Christ. And in being able 00:39:24.769 --> 00:39:28.349 to be distinct between Christian and unbeliever 00:39:28.349 --> 00:39:33.550 rather than just within Israel. And that's a 00:39:33.550 --> 00:39:35.989 whole long subject in and of itself. But that 00:39:35.989 --> 00:39:38.849 was another thing. Some think that it was okay 00:39:38.849 --> 00:39:41.769 to eat both clean and unclean foods. Others say, 00:39:41.829 --> 00:39:44.570 no, we still have to observe the dietary system 00:39:44.570 --> 00:39:47.489 here. And so we can only eat clean foods. That's 00:39:47.489 --> 00:39:51.429 a big one in some places. Of foods, Paul says 00:39:51.429 --> 00:39:55.269 in Romans 14, verse 14, I know and am convinced 00:39:55.269 --> 00:39:59.010 by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean 00:39:59.010 --> 00:40:02.090 of itself, but to him who considers anything 00:40:02.090 --> 00:40:07.510 to be unclean, to him it is unclean. You're not 00:40:07.510 --> 00:40:09.690 to command him to eat that which is unclean. 00:40:09.690 --> 00:40:12.090 You're not to force him in this because it would 00:40:12.090 --> 00:40:14.989 defile his conscience. There are other matters, 00:40:15.070 --> 00:40:17.389 drinking alcoholic beverages. The scriptures 00:40:17.389 --> 00:40:20.590 prohibit drunkenness, but wine is also considered 00:40:20.590 --> 00:40:24.230 a blessing from God to be enjoyed. This can apply 00:40:24.230 --> 00:40:27.190 to differences in music, styles of clothing, 00:40:27.309 --> 00:40:30.289 and other matters of how to use God's creation 00:40:30.289 --> 00:40:34.960 and our own creative abilities. And I'll get 00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:38.320 into some of these a bit more later. Then there's 00:40:38.320 --> 00:40:40.599 also the thing of eating food that was offered 00:40:40.599 --> 00:40:42.980 to idols. Now, we don't have much of an issue 00:40:42.980 --> 00:40:45.579 with that today. But in the Bible times, in the 00:40:45.579 --> 00:40:48.179 New Testament times, it was a really big deal. 00:40:48.320 --> 00:40:51.320 What would happen is that there would be food 00:40:51.320 --> 00:40:53.400 that would be offered to idols in the temple 00:40:53.400 --> 00:40:57.750 in all over the Roman Empire. So after they did, 00:40:57.829 --> 00:40:59.849 of course, the idols didn't eat the food. And 00:40:59.849 --> 00:41:03.269 so rather than the food going to waste, they 00:41:03.269 --> 00:41:05.230 would bring the food back out and then they would 00:41:05.230 --> 00:41:08.730 take it into the marketplace and sell it. And 00:41:08.730 --> 00:41:11.429 so some Christians said, it was okay for us. 00:41:11.510 --> 00:41:14.010 This food was offered to idols, but an idol wasn't 00:41:14.010 --> 00:41:16.530 anything. So we're going to eat this food that 00:41:16.530 --> 00:41:18.710 was offered to idols and we're going to use it 00:41:18.710 --> 00:41:20.969 for good and we're going to thank God for it. 00:41:21.150 --> 00:41:23.519 Other Christians were like. Oh, I don't know 00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:27.079 about that. That's violated food. There's something 00:41:27.079 --> 00:41:30.860 unholy about that food, so we can't eat it. So 00:41:30.860 --> 00:41:34.539 1 Corinthians 8 deals with all of this different 00:41:34.539 --> 00:41:38.500 stuff and how to deal with this. Ending up finally, 00:41:38.800 --> 00:41:42.639 and I don't have time to read it, but Paul says 00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:45.099 here, there is not in everyone that knowledge. 00:41:45.179 --> 00:41:48.900 For some, with consciousness of the idol, until 00:41:48.900 --> 00:41:51.980 now eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and 00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:55.699 their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But 00:41:55.699 --> 00:41:58.679 food does not commend us to God, for neither 00:41:58.679 --> 00:42:01.440 if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not 00:42:01.440 --> 00:42:04.719 eat are we the worse. But beware. lest somehow 00:42:04.719 --> 00:42:07.880 this liberty of yours become a stumbling block 00:42:07.880 --> 00:42:10.760 to those who are weak. So what could happen is 00:42:10.760 --> 00:42:12.960 somebody goes and says, oh, I just love this 00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:14.739 food that was offered to idols. This is just 00:42:14.739 --> 00:42:17.460 so great. I thank God for it. And over here was 00:42:17.460 --> 00:42:19.079 somebody who was struggling with it and saying, 00:42:19.139 --> 00:42:21.059 no, that was offered to an idol and I can't. 00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:23.420 And so he's going to stumble. He's going to lose 00:42:23.420 --> 00:42:27.239 faith because of it. Don't do that, Paul is saying 00:42:27.239 --> 00:42:32.079 in that whole chapter. He finally breaks it out 00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:35.619 and says it this way. It's okay to eat food that 00:42:35.619 --> 00:42:38.440 was offered to idols if you buy it at the marketplace. 00:42:38.780 --> 00:42:41.739 But you never go into a temple and partake of 00:42:41.739 --> 00:42:43.780 it there because that would be idolatry. That 00:42:43.780 --> 00:42:47.559 would be partaking in idolatry. And if you are 00:42:47.559 --> 00:42:51.420 together with unbelievers and they give you food 00:42:51.420 --> 00:42:54.760 and say, this was offered to idols, then you 00:42:54.760 --> 00:42:57.539 don't eat it for conscience sake because in their 00:42:57.539 --> 00:43:00.239 mind, the mind of the unbeliever, you're partaking 00:43:00.239 --> 00:43:03.380 in idolatrous worship. That's how he sorts it 00:43:03.380 --> 00:43:06.940 all out there in 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Now 00:43:06.940 --> 00:43:11.039 one can also become zealously over -scrupulous 00:43:11.039 --> 00:43:14.380 in other matters, in things that are not clear 00:43:14.380 --> 00:43:18.519 or plain in the scriptures. There can also be 00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:21.539 a perfectionist bend where everything becomes 00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:26.099 rigid without room for grace. Here's a few examples. 00:43:27.269 --> 00:43:29.530 refusing to eat breakfast until you have had 00:43:29.530 --> 00:43:31.909 a full 30 minutes or an hour of prayer and Bible 00:43:31.909 --> 00:43:36.329 reading beforehand. This is what I'm going to 00:43:36.329 --> 00:43:37.869 do. I can't do this. Even if I'm going to be 00:43:37.869 --> 00:43:40.170 late for work, I can't do this. Or even if I'm 00:43:40.170 --> 00:43:43.110 starving or a mother with a child and she needs 00:43:43.110 --> 00:43:46.090 to nurse the baby and how all of that is. We 00:43:46.090 --> 00:43:48.949 make these rigid things in our mind and then 00:43:48.949 --> 00:43:52.349 we start having a guilty conscience if we do 00:43:52.349 --> 00:43:55.510 it. This is what I'm calling over -scrupulousness. 00:43:55.960 --> 00:44:00.500 Um, or it could also be becoming extremely literal 00:44:00.500 --> 00:44:04.239 in everything you say, not allowing for any figures 00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:07.340 of speech or metaphors or similes or poetic language, 00:44:07.460 --> 00:44:10.619 just being very, very literal because didn't 00:44:10.619 --> 00:44:13.179 Jesus say, let your yes be yes and your no, no. 00:44:13.360 --> 00:44:16.760 And so consequently we become extremely literal 00:44:16.760 --> 00:44:19.400 in everything. Now, yes, we are to be speaking 00:44:19.400 --> 00:44:22.659 the truth, but the Bible uses so many of these 00:44:22.659 --> 00:44:27.340 ways. And so also can we. Or, here's one, pausing 00:44:27.340 --> 00:44:30.739 in mid -conversation to mentally take back any 00:44:30.739 --> 00:44:33.960 word that might be interpreted as gossip or exaggeration 00:44:33.960 --> 00:44:37.619 or uncharitable, being extremely scrutinizing 00:44:37.619 --> 00:44:41.079 of every word that you say in a way that is not 00:44:41.079 --> 00:44:45.420 good. It also might be feeling compelled to evangelize 00:44:45.420 --> 00:44:48.739 co -workers daily or to add Bible verses to every 00:44:48.739 --> 00:44:53.079 email, fearing that silence about faith is denying 00:44:53.079 --> 00:44:57.760 Christ. And it can also be not simply enjoying 00:44:57.760 --> 00:45:00.019 the food that God gives because the enjoyment 00:45:00.019 --> 00:45:03.480 might lead to gluttony. I'm sure that you can 00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:06.820 think of more examples of this, but I've just 00:45:06.820 --> 00:45:12.780 given you a few examples here of over -scrupulousness. 00:45:13.000 --> 00:45:18.340 The answer to all of this is joy and grace. God's 00:45:18.340 --> 00:45:21.940 rich is unmerited favor to us, and it is also 00:45:21.940 --> 00:45:25.780 overcome with experiencing the joy the delight 00:45:25.780 --> 00:45:28.219 of God's gifts that is all through the scriptures 00:45:28.219 --> 00:45:32.800 so yes we don't get drunk that's sin we we don't 00:45:32.800 --> 00:45:35.739 do that but it is also good and fitting for one 00:45:35.739 --> 00:45:38.159 to eat and drink and to enjoy the good of all 00:45:38.159 --> 00:45:40.900 the labor in which he toils under the sun all 00:45:40.900 --> 00:45:43.559 the days of his life which God gives him for 00:45:43.559 --> 00:45:47.019 this is his heritage Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 00:45:47.019 --> 00:45:51.010 18 remember that at the peace offering In the 00:45:51.010 --> 00:45:53.349 Old Testament, God told the children of Israel 00:45:53.349 --> 00:45:56.210 that when they go to the place of worship and 00:45:56.210 --> 00:45:59.170 they give the peace offering, they shall spend 00:45:59.170 --> 00:46:02.289 the money for whatever you desire, oxen or sheep 00:46:02.289 --> 00:46:04.730 or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite 00:46:04.730 --> 00:46:07.489 craves, and you shall eat there before the Lord 00:46:07.489 --> 00:46:11.030 your God and rejoice, you and your household. 00:46:12.110 --> 00:46:16.369 Psalm 104 verse 15, 14 and 15 remind us that 00:46:16.369 --> 00:46:19.889 God is extolled as the one where he causes the 00:46:19.889 --> 00:46:22.949 grass to grow for the livestock and plants for 00:46:22.949 --> 00:46:25.889 man to cultivate so that he may bring forth food 00:46:25.889 --> 00:46:28.070 from the earth and wine to gladden the heart 00:46:28.070 --> 00:46:31.409 of man to make his face shine and bread to strengthen 00:46:31.409 --> 00:46:35.010 man's heart. There's one other thing that can 00:46:35.010 --> 00:46:39.090 be helpful. God speaks to us from his word and 00:46:39.090 --> 00:46:42.739 his word is authoritative. in everything that 00:46:42.739 --> 00:46:47.760 it speaks. But God also gives great liberty, 00:46:47.940 --> 00:46:51.440 things to which he has spoken in principles, 00:46:51.800 --> 00:46:56.079 but we have the liberty to choose how to apply 00:46:56.079 --> 00:47:00.900 them. For example, we are told to work and not 00:47:00.900 --> 00:47:04.340 to steal or take from others, but there are many 00:47:04.340 --> 00:47:09.780 ways to fulfill this. And all are open to believers. 00:47:10.039 --> 00:47:12.780 You might be a farmer, a painter, a lawyer, a 00:47:12.780 --> 00:47:14.940 doctor, an accountant, a merchant, and a host 00:47:14.940 --> 00:47:17.679 of other professions. As long as that work or 00:47:17.679 --> 00:47:21.420 business does not violate God's law. For example, 00:47:21.599 --> 00:47:23.800 you should not own or work in a business that 00:47:23.800 --> 00:47:27.019 is built on theft. Or one that might exist to 00:47:27.019 --> 00:47:29.619 promote adultery or fornication like a brothel 00:47:29.619 --> 00:47:32.139 or a prostitution ring. Those are obviously forbidden. 00:47:32.780 --> 00:47:35.480 But other than work that is unlawful, we are 00:47:35.480 --> 00:47:39.239 free. in God's providence to use our gifts with 00:47:39.239 --> 00:47:43.139 wisdom as we see fit. Some things are lawful, 00:47:43.260 --> 00:47:46.539 not expedient, and it's not wise to do them at 00:47:46.539 --> 00:47:49.340 this time, but we still don't have to be conscientiously 00:47:49.340 --> 00:47:52.659 opposed to them. Let us remember these three 00:47:52.659 --> 00:47:57.139 things. 2 Corinthians 3, 17. Now the Lord is 00:47:57.139 --> 00:48:00.000 that spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord 00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:04.860 is, there is liberty. Free conscience and yet 00:48:04.860 --> 00:48:09.349 liberty. 1 Corinthians 8, 9. Take heed, lest 00:48:09.349 --> 00:48:12.090 by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling 00:48:12.090 --> 00:48:16.170 block to those that are weak. And Galatians 5, 00:48:16.250 --> 00:48:19.289 verse 13. For you, brethren, have been called 00:48:19.289 --> 00:48:24.030 unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion 00:48:24.030 --> 00:48:27.769 to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 00:48:27.929 --> 00:48:32.110 In our liberty, we can get so zealous that we 00:48:32.110 --> 00:48:35.449 actually do feed the flesh. And that, he says, 00:48:35.650 --> 00:48:38.389 we must be careful. Number five, the conscience 00:48:38.389 --> 00:48:41.900 can become seared. I'm not going to say much 00:48:41.900 --> 00:48:45.739 about this other than false teachings and repeated 00:48:45.739 --> 00:48:50.019 violations of one conscience can lead to a hardened 00:48:50.019 --> 00:48:53.159 and a seared conscience. You know what happens 00:48:53.159 --> 00:48:55.900 when you sear with a hot iron or on a grill, 00:48:55.980 --> 00:48:58.699 you sear a steak and what it does is it keeps 00:48:58.699 --> 00:49:00.960 the juices inside, but it creates like a crust 00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:03.679 on the outside. You don't want a crust on your 00:49:03.679 --> 00:49:07.630 conscience. Your conscience is to be free and 00:49:07.630 --> 00:49:11.829 open before the Lord, an open mind, an open conscience 00:49:11.829 --> 00:49:15.289 before him for the Holy Spirit to convict and 00:49:15.289 --> 00:49:19.369 to draw you. That is what we desire. This seared 00:49:19.369 --> 00:49:22.730 conscience is spoken of in 1 Timothy 4, verses 00:49:22.730 --> 00:49:26.809 1 through 5. I urge you not to yield to teaching 00:49:26.809 --> 00:49:29.710 that either takes away your liberty in Christ 00:49:29.710 --> 00:49:33.630 or one that is libertine. That is, it denies 00:49:33.630 --> 00:49:36.369 the law of God and just does whatever it wants 00:49:36.369 --> 00:49:41.949 to. Both of these are deadly, soul -destroying, 00:49:41.949 --> 00:49:45.809 and damnable. By believing lies, people are led 00:49:45.809 --> 00:49:48.969 astray. They deny the Lord. They blaspheme the 00:49:48.969 --> 00:49:52.110 way of truth and bring on themselves destruction. 00:49:52.710 --> 00:49:55.570 But dear brothers and sisters, your conscience 00:49:55.570 --> 00:50:00.389 must be informed. guided and trained by the perfect 00:50:00.389 --> 00:50:04.030 law of liberty, the law of God that sets boundaries 00:50:04.030 --> 00:50:07.849 and guidelines, but also gives great liberty. 00:50:12.610 --> 00:50:18.090 Last of all, we understand that conscience is 00:50:18.090 --> 00:50:23.309 infallibly bound only by the scripture. I could 00:50:23.309 --> 00:50:26.849 get into various... Churches looking at the way 00:50:26.849 --> 00:50:29.510 conscience is understood in Roman Catholics or 00:50:29.510 --> 00:50:32.929 in Anabaptists or in Pietists and some Charismatics 00:50:32.929 --> 00:50:35.110 where conscience instead of guided by the word 00:50:35.110 --> 00:50:38.570 is by inner light apart from scripture. But the 00:50:38.570 --> 00:50:41.489 way to understand conscience is that it is bound 00:50:41.489 --> 00:50:45.309 to the scripture. The church guides, but it does 00:50:45.309 --> 00:50:48.889 not override. God alone is Lord of the conscience 00:50:48.889 --> 00:50:52.639 and has left it free. from the doctrines and 00:50:52.639 --> 00:50:54.840 the commandments of men which are in anything 00:50:54.840 --> 00:50:59.280 contrary to his word. Conscience is before the 00:50:59.280 --> 00:51:02.400 Lord. I will close with these words from Romans 00:51:02.400 --> 00:51:08.480 12 verse 2 and Acts 24 verse 16. Do not be conformed 00:51:08.480 --> 00:51:12.679 to the world, but be transformed by the renewing 00:51:12.679 --> 00:51:16.000 of your mind that you might prove what is that 00:51:16.000 --> 00:51:19.380 good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 00:51:19.840 --> 00:51:23.559 And let us affirm with Paul in Acts 24, 16 to 00:51:23.559 --> 00:51:27.260 always strive to have a conscience without offense 00:51:27.260 --> 00:51:32.059 toward God and men. Let us awake to righteousness 00:51:32.059 --> 00:51:35.219 and to not do sin. Let's pray.