The Blessings Of A Good Conscience 1 Timothy 1:5-6 Acts 23:1 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Galatians 6:3-5 Romans 9:1 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 2 Corinthians 1:12 2 Timothy 2:22 Acts 24:16 1 John 1:8-9 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 03.20.20

THE BLESSINGS OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE

BREAD

⁵ The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.  1 Timothy 1:5-6 (NIV)

¹ Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”  Acts 23:1 (NIV)

¹ The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.  1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV)

³ If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵ for each one should carry his own load.  Galatians 6:3-5 (NIV)

¹ I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- Romans 9:1 (NIV)

¹¹ Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ¹² We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 (NIV)

¹² Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace.  2 Corinthians 1:12 (NIV)

²² Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

¹⁶ So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.   Acts 24:16 (NIV)

⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)

⁴ My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.   1 Corinthians 4:4-5 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Grace remits sin and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. Only Christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. These two terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity. Grace involves the remission of sins, peace and a happy conscience. Sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law…the fact is the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual living, however it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God.”  Martin Luther

“God looked on Christ as if Christ had been sin; not as if He had taken up the sins of His people, or as if they were laid on Him, though that were true, but as if He Himself had positively been that noxious—that God-hating—that soul-damning thing, called sin. When the Judge of all the earth said, ‘Where is Sin?’ Christ presented himself…what a grim picture that is, to conceive of sin gathered up into one mass—murder, lust and stealing, and adultery…and the Father looked on Christ as if He were that mass of sin. He was not sin, but the Father looked on upon Him as made sin for us. Christ stands in our place, assumes our guilt, takes on our iniquity and God treats Him as if He had been sin…How can any punishment fall on that man who ceases to possess sin, because his sin was cast upon Christ and Christ has suffered in his place? Oh, glorious triumph of faith to be able to say, whenever I feel the guilt of sin, whenever conscience pricks me, ‘Yes, it is true but my Lord is answerable for it all, for He has taken it all upon Himself and suffered in my place.”  Charles Spurgeon

“Everything of duty and sin is the object of the conscience.  There is no way to get rid of your conscience.  The wicked try to extinguish it.  They flatter it with carnal reasoning, bribe it with mock devotions, wound it with heinous provocations, and trample it under foot by sinning in spite of it.  They run from it, and will not listen to it.  They seek to blind it by diversions, yet it is still active.  The conscience can stir the heart to see sin, perhaps forty years ago, as if it was yesterday.  Even emperors of the world are troubled.  Why don’t they shake it off?  Is it the fear of men or shame?  No!  It was a secret sin.  They are haunted by the fury of their own consciences.  Even the atheist cannot relieve himself of God’s deputy, the conscience.  They cannot sin in peace, and blow out the candle of conscience.  Your conscience is your best friend.  There is no greater riches, pleasure, or safety, than a good conscience.”  Samuel Annesley

“When the Bible speaks of ‘following Jesus’ it is proclaiming a discipleship which will liberate mankind from all man-made dogma, from every burden and oppression, from every anxiety and torture which afflicts the conscience.  If they follow Jesus, men escape from the hard yoke of their own laws, and submit to the kindly yoke of Jesus Christ.  But does this mean that we can ignore the seriousness of His command?  Far from it!  We can only achieve perfect liberty and enjoy fellowship with Jesus when His command, His call to absolute discipleship, is appreciated in its entirety.  Only the man who follows the command of Jesus without reserve, and submits unresistingly to His yoke, finds his burden easy, and under its gentle pressure receives the power to persevere in the right way.  The command of Jesus is hard—unutterably hard—for those who try to resist it.”    Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“How shall we get a good conscience?  Take heed of every sin, and do not count any small.  Renew repentance every day, being serious and frequent in heart examinations.  Live as under God’s eye.  All things are bare before Him.  Be much in secret prayer.  Consider every action as a part of your life purpose.  Enjoy Christ more and entertain good thoughts of God.  Whatever you do, do it out of love for God.”  Samuel Annesley

“Each day we are to approach God in humble repentance in prayer, asking Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness – washing us with the precious blood of His Son.  We are to search our hearts and ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts as well, pointing out to us things that do not please our Savior.  The heart is deceitful above all things and only God searches and knows each heart fully – we can delude ourselves but never Him.  Confess what He brings to light and seek to turn from it.  Oftentimes, this is done throughout the day because we can get awfully dirty.  Be broken over sin – especially repetitive - and seek to stay out of the pigpen and the muck and mire – for our own good and always for His glory.”  BHY

   

“A man is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.”  Anonymous

HEAR SAVOR

• ·         A clear conscience gives good sleep.
• ·         There is no greater riches, pleasure, or safety than a good conscience.
• ·         Strive to keep your conscience clear before God and man.