What is the value of a clear conscience? Think about that. What is the burden of a guilty conscience? Haven't we done something to which we were so ashamed and didn't want anyone to find out? How were we going to get out of the situation? To tell someone? Will they think little of me? A lot of questions and the conscience screams.
How could the apostle Paul, who had members of Christ's body imprisoned or killed and yet he could stand before God's people, looking them in their eyes without blinking in shame after his conversion, speaking to them about the Christ and Savior? It was due to a clear conscience. Paul had grasped hold of the blood of Christ and that blood had cleansed his conscience so he could serve the living God (Heb. 9:14). The blood of Jesus grasped in a heart of faith will cleanse the conscience.
I remember of many things in my past that were horrible but one thing in particular stands out. When I was a teen, eighteen to be exact, one of the deacons was teaching our bible class. I wasn't about to pay attention and showed no respect. Without the details, let's just say when the man asked me to leave and I refused, he tried to escort me out of the class to which I pushed him away causing an awful ruckus! I've never forgotten that. A few years back I was given the opportunity to go to my home congregation and preach. After the worship, this man came walking up to me and said, "I never thought you would amount to anything. Do you remember when..." Yep! I remembered it well but I looked him in the eyes and said, "Aren't we thankful for the blood of Christ?" With a big smile and a warm handshake, he then gave me the biggest hug and said, "Thanks be to God!"
The conscience is so important to be kept clean. Peter said that we are to "keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame." (I Pet. 3:16) Doing right in your behavior is what a good conscience is all about. Doing wrong in your behavior keeps one running and moving away from things that remind them of their failure. Seeing the reality of the blood of Christ keeps your behavior intact, even though someone might try to slander your name or reputation, your behavior has been above the board and your conscience knows that. Take Jacob when as a young man deceived his twin brother in regard to the family inheritance. He tricked his own father a few years later, cheating his brother our of further blessings. Twenty years went by and he was going to face his brother and was scared witless! If Jacob had lived with upright behavior, there would have been no reason to fear!
Until the conscience is cleansed by the blood of Christ, there will be little service to the Lord. The conscience is powerful and dwells deep within us and that's where the Lord does His work. People that are guilty in conscience spend more time in shame and guilt and little service. When they do serve the Lord, it is out of that guilt trying to makeup for their failure. When a certain issue comes up, they immediately avoid it because it brings back such shame to the memory. There is no freedom until the conscience is cleansed and once that happens, the service to the Lord speaks and you can face people and situations without regrets!
No comments:
Post a Comment