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With grateful hearts, we share our thoughts on redemption through Jesus Christ and His saving blood and what it looks like in our daily walk.

We gladly welcome your comments and input.
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AND since we hold our conservative values dear, we might have a thing or two to say about politics... and we can almost guarantee it won't be politically correct.



Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A Good Conscience

"A conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." Acts 24:16

God's commands are given to the life of His Son in us, consequently to the human nature in which His Son has been formed, His commands are difficult, but immediately we obey they become divinely easy.

Conscience is that faculty in me which attaches itself to the highest that I know, and tells me what the highest I know demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either towards God or towards what it regards as the highest, and therefore conscience records differently in different people. If I am in the habit of steadily facing myself with God, my conscience will always introduce God's perfect law and indicate what I should do. The point is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I walk without offence. I should be living in such perfect sympathy with God's Son, that in every circumstance the spirit of my mind is renewed, and I "make out" at once "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

God always educates us down to the scruple. Is my ear so keen to hear the tiniest whisper of the Spirit that I know what I should do? "Grieve not the Holy Spirit." He does not come with a voice like thunder; His voice is so gentle that it is easy to ignore it. The one thing that keeps the conscience sensitive to Him is the continual habit of being open to God on the inside. When there is any debate, quit. "Why shouldn't I do this?" You are on the wrong track. There is no debate possible when conscience speaks. At your peril, you allow one thing to obscure your inner communion with God. Drop it, whatever it is, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

2 comments:

marmee said...

this is so beautifully written i am going to have to read it a few times to let it sink in...thanks for sharing.

pilgrim said...

"The point is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I walk without offence."

this is the key to having a 'good' conscience. everyone is born with a bent towards sin. until and unless we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we have developed our conscience by our own code of ethics, our moral teachings, our family views, our experiences, our age, etc. this leaves our conscience in a constant flux, ever evolving and subject to our choices in any given situation. the human effort to be 'good', no matter how high the standard, cannot choose to do the right thing without the constant battle between the 'good' conscience and the human will, which is want to sin. when we are shocked by the news reports of horrific crimes, we can know that person's or persons' conscience is void of sensitivity, dulled and seared to a point of giving over to the lust of the flesh.

it is only with the truth of the Word of God, His Holy Spirit within our reborn spirit, and the pure desire to please Him according to His commands, that we are able to submit our 'will' to His best and highest and therefore 'walk without offence', first towards God, and then toward man. and this includes the unregenerate man, who naturally is going to sin towards us and offend our sensitivity as developed by the Holy Spirit within us. it is both our actions and our reactions that must be without offence, according to God's commands. and here is where the test often becomes most difficult. am i willing to do what i know is right, regardless? if i want to continue in harmony with my inner man (or reborn conscience) and with God and others, I must 'will' to obey. it is my choice at that moment, not God's, not any others. and only when i am immersed in an openness with Him, will i know what i must do to honor and glorify Him.

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land". Isa.1:19