Tag: conscience
Don’t resist God’s authority
Scripture reading for July 1: Romans 13
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he dos not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. Romans 13:1-5
We are born in sin. The underlying essence of sin is resistance and disobedience to rightful authority. Scripture makes it plain that all authority has been instituted by God. Authority is delegated by God to those He places in positions of authority. God ordains those in authority to protect the weak, innocent, and obedient members of society. He also empowers authority to restrain evil, rebellion and harm in those resisting authority. They are given power even to take life of certain law-breakers. Paul described this as being a servant of God’s wrath, avenging those involved in evil.
Resisting parents, teachers, law enforcement, government officials, or church leaders is resisting what has been established by God. Scripture directs believers to submit to those in authority. We are to honor and obey authority because we honor God. Those in authority are a protective covering supplied by God to the righteous, protecting them from wrong-doers. Paul clarified that we are subject to those in authority not only to avoid God’s wrath, but for conscience sake. God has placed a knowledge of right and wrong in us through conscience. We are to be at peace with God, our conscience, and authority.
What attitudes and actions display a resistance and disrespect of authority in our culture? Do you find that the view of all authority coming from God for your good is widely held by those around you? What are some ways that you might show honor to those God has placed over you?
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for my rebellion against authority. I find myself justifying breaking laws, speaking evil of those in leadership I disagree with, and even resisting You and Your Word. Thank You for Your patience with me to form new respect for Your authority and those you place over me. Help me! Amen.
No partiality from God!
Scripture reading for June 16: Romans 2
“For God shows no partiality. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my Gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” Romans 2:11-16
In our sin-limited world view, we believe everyone is operating in some form of bias. People have different backgrounds and their upbringing, education, and experiences in life cause them to have certain biases. But when we examine God, Creator of all, we find that He is totally impartial. His knowledge is perfect about each person and situation. He is the One Just Judge, able to call perfect balls and strikes and bring justice for each person. According to Scripture, God has set a ‘Day’ when all men will be judged by God. This ‘Day’ will reveal all secrets of each person as they are judged for their actions and heart attitudes and held responsible for the Truth that had been revealed to them either through God’s Law or conscience.
Paul explained to the Romans how God will impartially judge each person. The Jews had God’s Law and were given instructions, not suggestions, about their conduct towards God and towards men. These would be judged by the Law. Gentiles, all others not Jewish, have God’s Law written on their hearts and the inner voice of God through conscience brings conviction of sin or affirmation of doing right. All people are without an excuse and God can and will judge each person based on the light that they have been given of revealed ‘Truth’. The ‘Good News’ of Jesus Christ is God’s plan to save each person from their own guilt through repentance and faith.
What areas of bias are you aware of in your own life or culture that you feel are unfair? Have you though about the total impartiality of God and one day having to give an account before Him? From Scripture, what is the only plea before God that will spare us from judgment?
Prayer: Father God, I am thankful for Your gift of forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ, Your Son and my Savior. I know that without grace, I would be found guilty of breaking Your Law and of violating my conscience. Use me to share the Truth of Your plan to help all escape judgment. Amen.
Being intentional with unintentional sins
Scripture Reading for February 2rd: Leviticus 4-7
Leviticus 4:27-29 “”If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.””
What is the difference between an “intentional” sin and an “unintentional” sin? Does ignorance excuse us? How does God look at the person who doesn’t know anything about God’s law? Is there really such a person who is totally ignorant of God’s basic laws? If after we “ignorantly” sin, someone informs us that what we “ignorantly” did was a sin in God’s eyes and reads us God’s view from the Bible, are we thereafter guilty of an “intentional” sin? Is there any sacrifice for a willfully defiant sin? These questions come to my mind as I read these chapters of Leviticus. (See Leviticus 4:1, 13, 22, 27.)
God has made his basic laws known to all men through the conscience. Each person has a conscience and it must be trained to know and recognize sin. (Romans 2:12-16) Each person will be judged by God according to the light he has. The conscience can be seared by repeated sin. We are to keep a “clear” conscience by walking in love towards others. (1st Peter 3:16) Deacons must hold the deep truths of the faith with a “clear” or “pure” conscience. (1st Timothy 3:9) The conscience is the elementary voice of God that acts like a stoplight, letting us know when to stop and when to go and when to be cautious! All have sinned and sin must be confessed and turned away from to be covered by Christ’s sacrifice.
“If we confess our sins, , He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1st John 1:9)
Our priest, Jesus Christ, has already made the blood sacrifice for us. He offered his own blood as atonement for our sins and bore them on the Cross! We can “intentionally” be made clean from our “unintentional sins”! Praise the Lord! What amazing love!
The Lord as final Judge!
Scripture reading for August 30th: 1st Corinthians 4
Key Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 4:1-5 “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, Who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”
Each person is given a ‘conscience’ and has God’s inner witness that their deeds are on target or missing the mark. Paul admonished the believers about being judges of another believer. It is impossible for us as humans to fully know another person and their true motives. In fact, Paul said he couldn’t accurately judge himself. Only God can truly and fairly judge each believer. At the judgement seat of Christ all hidden motives and purposes will come to light. Christ alone is the perfect and final Judge Who never misses truth.
1st Corinthians 4:6 “I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, thank You for making me a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God. Help me to stay faithful and true to Your Word and avoid the temptation to make judgments of people and their motives. May I set an example for other believers to follow in the power of the Holy Spirit. My highest desire is to be commended by You as my judge.
1st Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God does not consist of talk but in power.”
Unintentional sins!
Scripture Reading for February 3rd: Leviticus 4-7
God has made his basic laws known to all men through the conscience. Each person has a conscience and it is to be trained to know and recognize sin. (Romans 2:12-16) He will be judged by God according to the light he has. The conscience can be seared by repeated sin so that it does not “bleed” any more. This is like taking a hot iron to a bleeding wound to stop the bleeding. (1st Timothy 4:2) We are to keep a “clear” conscience by walking in love towards others. (1st Peter 3:16) Deacons must hold the deep truths of the faith with a “clear” or “pure” conscience. (1st Timothy 3:9)
So, are there really sins of ignorance? Yes! We can have a conscience but not have it trained properly. This is part of the parents job. They are to instruct their children in right and wrong using God’s Word. They are to discipline and teach their children as they go through life. God was instructing the Israelites by these prescribed offerings about how to recognize sin and how deadly it is. Each time they offered and laid their hands on that innocent animal, they had a visual aid leading them to change their behavior and their consciences were strengthened! (Leviticus 4:29) Their confession of sin brought honesty and truth that set them free! (Leviticus 5:5,6)
God is instructing us today as well. The Holy Spirit convicts us when we sin. He does this to enable us to confess and repent! (John 16:8) “If we confess our sins, , he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1st John 1:9) Our priest, Jesus Christ, has already made the blood sacrifice for us. He offered his own blood as atonement for our sins and bore them on the Cross! We can “intentionally” be made clean from our “unintentional sins”! Praise the Lord! What amazing love! (Intentional sins will be covered in a later post.)
Taking inventory!
Scripture reading for May 29th: Job 29-31
Soul-searching is a good thing for us if we can be honest with ourselves. We must have an understanding of “good” and “evil” before we can identify it in our life. If we have no core convictions of what is right and wrong, it is impossible to make progress. God has given each person a conscience that informs him in general of God’s law. But the conscience can be silenced because of repeated disobedience. We then need to go to God’s Word for the standard and re-activate the seared conscience by believing truth.
After enduring his friends accusations, Job was still suffering! He remembered his past time of blessing with a sense of joy. (Job 29) But the young men taunted him and he was driven to do a self-examination and moral inventory. (Job 30:1) We find Job going over his life actions in a systematic way to be sure that he had not forgotten anything. He was judging himself, so that God would not judge him. (1st Corinthians 11:31)
Job first dealt with his personal life. (Job 31:1-12) He was careful with his eyes, not to look lustfully on a woman. He stayed away from his neighbor’s wife. He knew that this would lead to trouble! He knew that sexual sin was something that God would judge! (Job 31:11) He also checked his honesty. God would weigh him with honest scales in this regard! (Job 31:5-6)
Job next dealt with his public life. (Job 31:13-23) He tested his heart for his treatment of his servants. Was he fair and respectful of them? He then looked to his treatment of the poor and orphan. Was he willing to give to help them with food and clothing? (Job 31:23)
Job also checked his spiritual life. (Job 31:24-40) How did he treat money? Was it a ‘god’ in his life? Did he secretly worship anything other than the God? He also checked his attitude about revenge. Vengeance belongs to the Lord–we must not get even or rejoice over someone’s misfortune. How had he treated strangers? Were his motives pure in all that he did?
What an inventory! Take time today and allow this 4000 year-old inventory to give you insight into your own walk with God. Remember, Jesus Christ has already paid the penalty for our sins and if we confess them to Him, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all sin! (1st John 1:7-9)
God shows no favorites!
Scripture reading for July 14th: Romans 2:1-23
So all men are without excuse. All have been given a basic knowledge of God’s power and nature through the creation we live in. When we look at others and judge them, we must realize that we are no different ourselves. We have not responded to truth as we should either. It is only the kindness and goodness of God that has led us to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. (Romans 2:4)
In this section, Paul is making a case that God shows no partiality. Jew and Gentile alike must come to Him by faith for their righteousness. No one can work their way into God’s grace! God has given the Jew His law, and they will be judged by their failure to keep that law. God wrote the law on the hearts of the Gentiles and their consciences help them to know right and wrong behavior and attitudes. (Romans 2:12-15) Indeed, God will judge all men and their secrets through His Son Jesus Christ on a day He has chosen! (Romans 2:16) (Acts 17:31)
For those who would not repent, their own stubbornness and unrepentant hearts were storing up wrath for them on the day of God’s wrath. (Romans 2:6) God will judge evil deeds and those who reject the truth. Jews will be judged as well as Gentiles. Jews, in fact, were more responsible because of God’s law. They should have know clearly what God required in the way of actions. They knew the commandments. Yet, knowing and obeying are different! It is easy to judge others and still be disobedient yourself. Paul encouraged the Jew to learn first their own need of grace and repentance to avoid the wrath of God! (Romans 2:21-23)
As we look at this passage, we should examine our own hearts. Do we judge others while remaining in sin ourselves? Today is a good day to repent and ask God for mercy! Do we claim to be righteous because we are Christians, yet live in a state of breaking God’s laws? These laws are now written on our hearts and we have the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and godly sorrow enabling repentance! God will not and does not show favorites! There is a day of judgment when all secrets will come to light!
“Unintentional” Sin?
Scripture Reading for February 3rd: Leviticus 4-7
What is the difference between an “intentional” sin and an “unintentional” sin? Does ignorance excuse us? How does God look at the person who doesn’t know anything about God’s law? Is there really such a person who is totally ignorant of God’s basic laws? If after we “ignorantly” sin, someone informs us that what we “ignorantly” did was a sin in God’s eyes and reads us God’s view from the Bible, are we thereafter guilty of an “intentional” sin? Is there any sacrifice for a willfully defiant sin? These questions come to my mind as I read these chapters of Leviticus. (See Leviticus 4:1, 13, 22, 27.)
God has made his basic laws known to all men through the conscience. Each person has a conscience and it is to be trained to know and recognize sin. (Romans 2:12-16) He will be judged by God according to the light he has. The conscience can be seared by repeated sin so that it does not “bleed” any more. This is like taking a hot iron to a bleeding wound to stop the bleeding. (1st Timothy 4:2) We are to keep a “clear” conscience by walking in love towards others. (1st Peter 3:16) Deacons must hold the deep truths of the faith with a “clear” or “pure” conscience. (1st Timothy 3:9) The conscience is the elementary voice of God that like a stop light lets us know when to stop and when to go and when to be cautious!
So, are there really sins of ignorance? Yes! We can have a conscience but not have it trained properly. This is part of the parents job. They are to instruct their children in right and wrong using God’s Word. They are to discipline and teach their children as they go through life and share their days with them. God was instructing the Israelites by these prescribed offerings about how to recognize sin and how deadly it is. Each time they offered and laid their hands on that innocent animal, they had a visual aid leading them to change their behavior and their consciences were strengthened! (Leviticus 4:29) Their confession of sin brought honesty and truth that set them free! (Leviticus 5:5,6)
God is instructing us today as well. The Holy Spirit convicts us when we sin. He does this to enable us to confess and repent and be free from the death penalty! (John 16:8) “If we confess our sins, , he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1st John 1:9) Our priest, Jesus Christ, has already made the blood sacrifice for us. He offered his own blood as atonement for our sins and bore them on the Cross! We can “intentionally” be made clean from our “unintentional sins”! Praise the Lord! What amazing love! (Intentional sins will be covered in a later Leviticus post.)