Post by alan4jc on Apr 18, 2007 14:11:07 GMT -5
I would like to start by looking at two sentences in the Bible that are not very
well known. They were written about 1500 years apart.
“If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, even
though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible.”
Leviticus 5:17
“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who
judges me.” 1 Corinthians 4:4
Not knowing about a sin does not keep a person from being guilty, and having a
clean conscience does not make the person innocent.
There is a reason for this. My knowledge and my conscience do not necessarily
reflect the absolute (perfect) value system of God. To bring my conscience and
absolute “right and wrong” together, there are a few basic truths to follow:
1) I must be a Christian.
At the time of my conversion to Christ, my conscience is made clean and
sensitive to God’s moral law.
2) I must know the Scriptures well.
There is no excuse not to know God’s requirements. God has given us the Holy
Bible containing His absolute standards. The Apostle Paul in writing to Timothy
said, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuilding,
correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
3) I must choose to obey all of God’s requirements.
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to
teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not
solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted
with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews
5:12-14
Knowing the teaching does not train us. Knowing and doing is what trains us to
distinguish good from evil.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who
looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the
perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he
has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22-25
4) I must walk in the light.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
As I continually ask Jesus to cleanse me from my sins, my conscience keeps
clean. As a result, my conscience works as God intended and I walk in the light.
As I continue walking in the light with a clean conscience, I am learning the
difference between right and wrong and I become aware of the Holy Spirit’s
approval and guidance.
The Apostle Paul’s understanding of these truths is seen in these statements: “I
speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy
Spirit.” Romans 9:1
“…We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we
distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we
commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians
4:2
God is the source of all truth and of our knowledge of right and wrong. As we
study the Scriptures, obey God’s requirements and continue to walk in the light,
we can say with the Apostle Paul: “…We speak as men approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests
our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4
“You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were
among you who believed.” 1 Thessalonians 2:10
In the Lord Jesus Christ,
Jim Wilson
well known. They were written about 1500 years apart.
“If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, even
though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible.”
Leviticus 5:17
“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who
judges me.” 1 Corinthians 4:4
Not knowing about a sin does not keep a person from being guilty, and having a
clean conscience does not make the person innocent.
There is a reason for this. My knowledge and my conscience do not necessarily
reflect the absolute (perfect) value system of God. To bring my conscience and
absolute “right and wrong” together, there are a few basic truths to follow:
1) I must be a Christian.
At the time of my conversion to Christ, my conscience is made clean and
sensitive to God’s moral law.
2) I must know the Scriptures well.
There is no excuse not to know God’s requirements. God has given us the Holy
Bible containing His absolute standards. The Apostle Paul in writing to Timothy
said, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuilding,
correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
3) I must choose to obey all of God’s requirements.
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to
teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not
solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted
with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews
5:12-14
Knowing the teaching does not train us. Knowing and doing is what trains us to
distinguish good from evil.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who
looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the
perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he
has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22-25
4) I must walk in the light.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
As I continually ask Jesus to cleanse me from my sins, my conscience keeps
clean. As a result, my conscience works as God intended and I walk in the light.
As I continue walking in the light with a clean conscience, I am learning the
difference between right and wrong and I become aware of the Holy Spirit’s
approval and guidance.
The Apostle Paul’s understanding of these truths is seen in these statements: “I
speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy
Spirit.” Romans 9:1
“…We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we
distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we
commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians
4:2
God is the source of all truth and of our knowledge of right and wrong. As we
study the Scriptures, obey God’s requirements and continue to walk in the light,
we can say with the Apostle Paul: “…We speak as men approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests
our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4
“You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were
among you who believed.” 1 Thessalonians 2:10
In the Lord Jesus Christ,
Jim Wilson