The Christian Conscience

This time Alright and if you would take your Bibles, turn to Acts chapter 24. Acts chapter 24. As we near the end of the book of acts and we will. Be looking again at this. Section in Acts in a few weeks on Sunday evenings.

So, we near the end of the book of Acts, Paul is arrested in Jerusalem. He's arrested in the Temple courtyard. He is attacked by a mob of Jews there in the courtyard. He is rescued in a manner of speaking by the Roman soldiers at the Garrison that was connected to the Temple Courtyard. He is then taken from there to Caesarea which is on the coast and there he is held for trial.

There are some accusers that come from Jerusalem to Caesarea in order to accuse Paul. We read some of their accusations in the first nine verses of chapter 24. But what I want to focus on is the testimony of Paul that begins in verse 10 and focusing particularly on verse 16 but I want to give you some context so that we might better understand what Paul is saying here. So, in verse 10, Paul begins his defense before the governor there named Felix. Then, Paul, after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak answered.

For as much as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. Because that thou mayest understand that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me but this I confess under thee that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I, the God of my fathers. Believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets and have hope toward God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust.

Now, Paul is speaking of the gospel there and of Jesus Christ. Jesus is his hope in the resurrection and that he might stand before God someday, justified but he goes on in verse 16 and he he concludes with this and here in, do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. So, we're going to take a look at that particular verse this morning. Let me read verse 16 again. Herein, do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men.

Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord for this day. Thank you Lord for your word. I pray that you might use it to strengthen our faith, to strengthen us and our service for you. Lord, that we might take your and advice to heart and that in doing so, we might be more effective servants, the Lord Jesus Christ to bring glory to the name of our God who has saved us that others might see your good works in our life and glorify our father which is in heaven.

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. Paul in giving his testimony before the governor Felix gave this reason for his convictions and his actions for which he was on trial before him. That is, Paul says, I do exercise myself. I choose to make decisions.

I order my life in such a manner as to have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. Notice which comes first, which is it? God and then men, okay? Which is the proper order, is it not? God and then men.

This is not only Paul's reason for his convictions and actions that in that he does not offend God but also it is good advice for us today who know the Lord as Paul did. We should be ordering our lives. The decisions we make and the activities that we take likewise to keep a clean slate between ourselves and who? Between ourselves and the Lord. Keeping our conscience good and clean and clear before our God.

This is good advice. This is a verse that I've read many times. It just kind of glance over and go on. But Paul has a good point here. Paul is saying, what I do, I've chosen to do.

That I might have a conscience void, empty, of any violation. Of God's law and of God's will and of God's love for me and also in respect to others. Let's take just a minute and look back and ask this question. Number one, what is your conscience? What is your conscience?

We use that word. A matter of fact, I found out that it's used more times in scripture in the New Testament than I realized it was. Several dozen times. This word conscience is used. What is it?

Well, it's not another organ. You don't have a conscience organ. It's not a muscle and it's not a lobe of the brain. You can't dissect the brain and go, oh look, I found the conscience. Here it is, okay?

That's not what the conscience is. It doesn't seem to be synonymous with heart or mind or soul though it seems to be connected to all three. You can't say, well, your heart is your conscience. No, they're they're not exactly the same thing. Our our hearts so to speak as you often use in scripture metaphorically, our heart is our passions and our drives and desires.

Conscience is a little bit different than that. Our mind is the center of our decision making. Again, connected but not the same thing. Our soul is that which is eternal, is our true self so to speak. All connected but not exactly the same thing.

Well, what is it? Well, it is simply your moral consciousness or awareness. Every time it is used in the King James version, it is translated conscience. It comes from the same Greek word meaning moral consciousness or knowledge. That's what this word means.

Moral consciousness or knowledge. It is your God given warning system which goes off when you're about to violate your moral code, making you feel guilty, pushing you away from the right, wrong, and to the right. Let me say that again. It is God's given what? Warning system which goes off when you're about to violate your moral conscience or your moral code.

Making you feel guilty or pushing you away from the wrong and pushing you to do the what? To do the right. It's makes you aware. This is right. This is wrong.

You better not do the wrong. You're going to what? You're going to regret it. Your conscience and the holy spirit are not the same thing. Matter of fact, they're very much different things.

As we look at, the conscience is not infallible. The Holy Spirit is infallible. Not quite the same thing. It is obviously not unique to Christians as everyone has a conscience. A moral awareness or code that they live by to one degree or another.

The very existence of it gives evidence that man was created in the image of a moral God. Why does man have a conscience? Why does man have a moral conscience or awareness of right and wrong even the unsaved? Because we were created by a moral God and therefore, we have this awareness. John eight nine, and they which heard it.

This is the lady that was the woman that was brought in adultery before Jesus and the Pharisees asked what should we do with do with her and Jesus wrote something in the sand and said, he who is innocent, who has not sinned, cast the first what? Cast the first stone and it says here and they which heard it being convicted by their own what? By their own conscience. Went out one by one beginning at the eldest even until the last And Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst. Their conscience testified what?

Against them. They had violated it and they knew it. I don't know what Christ wrote in the sand and to conjecture what he did right would be to to go beyond scripture. But I do know that God has Jesus has lighted every man. It says in John one that cometh into the world.

And there is a conscious awareness of right and wrong. And even the unsaved have some guilt over violating that conscience. Romans two fourteen and fifteen. Paul writes, for when the Gentiles, in contrast to the Jews, Israel, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts, the meanwhile, accusing or else excusing one another. What is Paul writing about here?

Well, he is in the first part of Romans. He is addressing the religious crowd, the Jewish Hebrew crowd, the Gentile crowd, and he eventually draws it to a conclusion for all have what? For all have sinned and some come short of the glory of God and therefore, all need a savior. In regards to the Gentiles who weren't privileged to get the law of Moses at the Mount Sinai, God's states here declares they're not without law because there is a sense of the law, a moral awareness that exist already in their what? In their hearts.

You can see that in the fact that even though they don't have the law, they still made laws in their own nations that were in often cases very what? Very similar. To God's law. How was that? Well, that's because God gave them a conscience, a conscience.

And made them consciously aware that there is a right and there's a wrong. And they will also be held one day accountable. For that. So, the Hebrews were blessed to receive the law of Moses but all are blessed with the God given conscience which tells them there is a right and a wrong and one to whom they are accountable. God has given evidence.

He said, the heavens declare the what? The glory of God. But also, there's something inside of here that tells us that there is a what? There is a god, a moral God, a god to whom we are accountable that we need to deal with. We need to find and we need to worship and so God holds them accountable as well.

Number two, is this God given sense perfect and trustworthy? The answer to that is no. Why? Why is it not perfect and trustworthy? Because as David says in the Psalms, we are conceived in what?

We are conceived in sin. Sin entered into the what? The and entered in to the heart of humanity and it marred the image of who? The image of God in whom we were created. So, that the conscience of man is not perfect nor entirely trustworthy.

Our sense of right and wrong is affected by our sin nature and many other things such as culture, religion, and upbringing. All of those things affect our moral consciousness or awareness or our moral code. Therefore, all over the world, people have different moral codes and some of them do many atrocities that they seem to be fine with, that we look in horror at and go, because the conscience within man is affected by what you're taught. The conscience within man is affected by what you believe. It is affected by the culture around you.

The phrase, let your conscience be your guide is not the way to guide your life. The best way to guide your life is through something that you can trust in. What's that? That's the word of God. So, don't let your conscience particularly alone be your guide.

Our conscience like the rest of our mind and our beliefs needs to conform to that which is infallible and perfect. To the Lord and to his word and to his spirit that he has put into us. Man's moral awareness is flawed thanks to Satan and sin. And so is not entirely trustworthy. Furthermore, it can be ignored.

Can you ignore your conscience? Have you ever ignored your conscience? Probably have. Your conscience was jabbing you saying, don't do that and you let up. Nope.

Nope. I I just shut up. The conscience can be ignored. The conscience can be defiled, and the conscience can be seared, and in some cases virtually unresponsive. Titus chapter one verse 15.

Unto the pure, all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure. But even their mind and what? Conscience is defiled. Their mind and their conscience is defiled. So it's possible to defile the conscience.

We'll come back to that in a second. It is also possible to sear the conscience. Now, the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter time, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Speaking lies and hypocrisy having their conscience what? Seared with a hot iron.

So it is also possible to have your conscience seared. So first, back to the word defile. Defile describes that which, in which there are foreign elements that have been added, causing it to malfunction, to function improperly or unacceptably. This clearly defines the human race. We are defiled by what?

We're defiled by sin. And that sin reaches every area of our life, our mind, our heart, and even our conscience. Particularly those who have rejected God's son and salvation. Their conscience is and remains defiled by their sin. There are foreign elements that have been added to it that causes the conscience within man to not function acceptably and properly as it should.

Sin and other things. Secondly, being seared with a hot iron. This describes skin or a wound which is cauterized or burnt causing the nerves to be burnt and unfeeling. So you got an area, you cauterize it with a hot iron, and what does it do? Well, it burns the nerve endings in there.

Matter of fact, some people now, if they have back trouble, they go to the hospital and they have a procedure, they cauterize the nerves in that area of the back on the spinal cord where they're causing tremendous pain so that you don't feel the pain. Now, that doesn't mean anything otherwise it's changed. You just no longer feel the pain because the nerves have been what? The nerves have been burnt and therefore, they no longer feel. Being seared with a hot iron, that is the metaphor that is being used here.

So, man's conscience is defiled by sin in general and can be further defiled or made unfeeling or unresponsive through disregard or unbelief. Again, here in the passage, seems Paul is talking particularly of those who are not believing. They are defiled and what? Unbelieving. Okay?

Disregard and an unbelief towards God can sear that conscience that God gave you. Furthermore, repetitive violation. You do the wrong thing what? Over and over and over again. The first time you do it, it makes you feel what?

Bad because you violated your conscience. But you do it the second time and the third time, in the fifth time, in the tenth time, in the hundredth time, and now, you do it and it doesn't, you don't hardly feel that that guilt at all. Why? Because you've done what? You've seared your conscience because you've ignored it and denied it over and over and over again to where you don't feel it anymore.

To the lost world that does not know the Lord who have seared their conscience, there really is very little hope outside of who? Outside of Jesus Christ who is the only one who can do what? Is the only one who can heal it. The only one who can change it. Therefore, it it gets kind of frustrating sometimes.

When we look at the world around us or when we're trying to debate and reason with others around us because what seems so obvious to us is not obvious to them anymore because they've done what? They have seared their conscience by repeated violation of it. It is also affected by negative education. You can teach it. You can teach it particularly when kids are young.

You can teach them that what their conscience is telling them is the one. Is the wrong thing and they need to ignore their conscience. And sad today, many millions of kids are being pushed in our system, even in The United States, to violate their conscience. They're being told that morality is an old fashioned anchor that you need to get out of your life and you need to ignore God and you need to ignore that moral code. You need to be free to be your yourself.

When yourself is in violation of even God's creation. This is happening Satan is smart. He knows if he can get em when they're what? If he can get em when they're young. They are easily manipulated in every respect including that of their conscience.

But praise the Lord, it can also be affected in a positive sense as well. Particularly in the mind and heart of the redeemed who have been given the Holy Spirit. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is the renewing of our what? Is the renewing of our mind. Including that of our moral consciousness.

He strengthens our moral awareness. He teaches it using the word of God so that the Christian should generally have a much better sense of right and wrong than much of the world around us. Who have seared their conscience and whose conscience is defiled. God gives us his spirit. When the spirit comes into our life, he regenerates us and he begins to teach us and bring all things back to our remembrance as Jesus told his disciples that he had taught them.

The Holy Spirit is a wonderful gift that God has given to us. He helps to change what Satan has ruined and make it new and alive again. Romans nine one, Paul says this, Romans nine one, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. Paul says, he's in Romans nine one, he's talking about his love for his Hebrew brethren.

He was accused by particularly his Hebrew brethren of not caring for them, of having betrayed them by turning to Christ and Paul is declaring that he loves them. He loves them so much that he as he said, will wish himself a curse from Christ that they might be saved. Into validate this love to demonstrate that it is true. He he goes to two witnesses here. I say the truth in who?

In Christ. Say the truth in Christ. In other words, Christ is my what? Christ is my witness. As Christ is my witness.

I really love my brother. I really do And I I wish they would come to Christ. I say the truth in Christ. Christ is my witness. Conscience also bearing witness.

Second test second testifier here is his what? His conscience. Paul says, I'm telling you the truth. Christ is my witness. I'm telling you the truth.

Conscience as my witness, bearing me witness. That I'm that I really do love the brethren. I'm not being dishonest my conscience would tell me so. Why? Well, because I have more than just a conscience.

I also have who? I have the Holy Spirit. And my conscience is a valid witness because the Holy Spirit lives inside my heart. And he guides my conscience. He teaches my conscience.

He strengthens my moral awareness of right and wrong. Thus, Paul indicates that his conscience is a valid testifier to his integrity but only because it's under the control of the holy spirit. It is the holy spirit and the word of God which are infallible. Even though our conscience is not entirely trustworthy. It is when it is in line with what?

With the word of God and with the spirit of God. Let the word of God be a lamp unto your feet and a what? A light unto your path. It will guide your mind, your heart, and your what? And your conscience.

Thus, we recognize particularly unsaved world, a loss of conscience in regard to many things which we as Christians are much more clear on. I personally find it frustrating when talking with someone who believes abortion or active euthanasia or assisted suicide are good things. Even more frustrated with those who perform these things or even been victim of them and defended. What has happened to your conscience to allow you to believe that such a thing is justified? When it is clearly playing who?

Playing God. It is appointed on the man wants to die but after this, the what? Who appoints that? God does. Not man.

It isn't our choice. It should be whose choice? His choice. It is God who gives life at the conception of a little baby and yet, millions upon millions of their lives have been taken in The United States Of America over the past few decades. And some people just seem to be completely fine with that.

Completely fine with it. It's murder. It's wrong. How is it that they're fine with that? Because they conscience has been what?

Their conscience has been seared and yours in Jesus Christ has been what? Healed. Among other reasons. It has been defiled. The world's has and in this regard is unfeeling.

How about involving yourself in sexual relationship with someone to whom you're not married? Is that wrong? How do you know? Hebrews thirteen seven, marriage is honorable. The bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers, God will what?

God will judge and yet, the average person you walk out of here and talk to on the street is going to tell you as long as you want. As long as you love each other, that's all that matters. Long as you love each other, that's all that matters. Well, God says what? God says differently and by his spirit and through his word, our conscience knows better.

And the Christians should know better. The world should know better too and they will give an account to God because they have a conscience. They ignored it. They violated it. They defiled it and now they no longer feel.

Amount stealing lying, lying. Christians never lie, right? We kind of giggle and smile and but have we seared our own conscience overlying? Have we told so many lies that no longer? Do we feel guilty when we do it?

How about taking God's name in vain? Obviously, the world has no issue with that if I do it, I will feel about this tall. Why? Well, because I have a conscience that is enlightened by God and his word and his spirit and we need to be on guard as Christians not to defile our conscience or seer it. How would we do that?

Well, by ignoring the holy spirit and God's word. Preach things out of this word. You read things out of this word and God says, don't do this and you do it anyway and you do it again and again and again and guess what? Your conscience which isn't infallible by the way, remember? Your conscience is going to get seared.

And you're not going to feel quite as guilty as you did the first time. By ignoring the holy spirit and his word by violating our conscience again and again by allowing friends and others to overrule our conscience. So, doing as they desire or exemplify rather than trusting God and his word. You need to trust God and his word. And you need to listen to the spirit and your conscience and do not violate it on a whim based on what some friend wants you to do or what some other Christian is doing.

You are not my conscience and you are not the holy spirit and you are not God's word. Paul says, you get in trouble when you start comparing yourselves to other what? Other people. Compare yourselves to who? Compare yourselves to Christ.

Compare yourself to Christ. Then, you'll start to get a clearer picture. Of who we really are. And what needs to change. Too many Christians just go along with what other Christians are doing because it must be okay because they're doing it.

And you just violate your conscience and ignore God's word and the holy spirit. David said in Psalm one zero one three, I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes. I hate the work of them that turn aside. It shall not cleave to me. We today as Christians often lack discernment or conviction when it comes particularly the things we expose our minds and the minds of our children to.

To the point that we become desensitized to the immorality and violence and wickedness around us. Again, as the holy spirit and the conscience the same thing? No. Does the holy spirit ever become desensitized to sin in the world? The answer is no.

The holy spirit never becomes desensitized to that but can your conscience? Yeah. Yes, it can. And often times, I'm afraid as Christians, we are not careful about what we put before our eyes and in our mind that affects our conscience and we become desensitized to things. You know, the illustration here.

I live for twelve years just outside of Macon, Georgia. If you drive through Macon, Georgia on a particular day, it's not as bad as it used to be. But when I first moved there, was pretty bad. Before that, they said it was really bad. Macon has something called a paper mill.

Anybody ever lived near a paper mill? Nobody ever lived near paper but brother David? Okay. Paper mill stinks. It stinks.

I don't know how to describe it but it stinks. The closest thing I can think of that a paper mill stinks to is a chicken farm. When I'm going down the highway and I smell something, I go, is that a chicken farm or is that a paper mill? Because they both kind of smell the same way until you get real close and then you can tell the difference. But I lived in Macon for twelve years and after a couple years, I no longer what?

I no longer smell the paper mill. People would drive in and they go, oh, it stinks. I go, what do mean it stinks? Can't you smell that? Well, you have been smelling it now for two or three years.

I'm kind of desensitized to it and that happens with us in the world. Our conscience becomes desensitized. To the immorality around us. It becomes desensitized to the violence around us. The things that we used to to hear and and and we're aghast at.

Well, you they're doing that? Today, we just shrug off and go, oh, that's just the way it is, and we become desensitized Be careful. You can sear even a Christian conscience to some degree by exposing it to too much wickedness. That's why David said, I will set what? No wicked thing before mine eyes.

I hate the work of them that turn aside. It shall not cleave to me. Be careful, Christian. In closing, a few verses to take to heart concerning the Christian conscience this morning. Romans thirteen five, where I'm for, you must need be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake.

Now, Paul is talking in Romans 13 about obeying submitting to human what? Government. And he's saying, you they don't hold the sword or wield the sword in vain. In other words, you better obey em because if you don't, they're going to punish you. Now, obviously, there's exceptions because if they tell you to do something contrary to who?

To the Lord, then we have to do what God says first, okay? Just a little. But generally speaking, we need to be subject. Why? Because they do not wield the sword in vain.

But Paul also says here, we must need to be subject not only for wrath but also for what? For conscience sake. Why is that? Well, you know, you may break the law and you might not get caught but who knows? Who knows?

You know. And God knows. And when you break the law and you disobey the Lord, and you violate your conscience, it affects your fellowship with who? It affects your fellowship and effectiveness for Christ. You know and it's on your what?

It's on your conscience. Second Peter, first Peter two nineteen and twenty. For this is thankworthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully for what glory is it if when he buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently but if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently. This is acceptable with God. So, Peter writes, if for conscience sake, in in other words, if you suffer persecution because you want to obey who?

God first, then, that's praiseworthy. But if you suffer for doing wrong, don't brag about it. God isn't going, oh yay, you're suffered because you did wrong. But if you suffer for doing right, for conscience sake, well, that's praiseworthy. First Timothy one five.

Now, the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart or love and of a of a good what? Conscience and of faith unfaith. Keeping a good conscience or as Paul put it, a conscience void of offense towards God and man is vital for our growth in Christ and for our effectiveness and service. The same as pure motives, pure heart, and genuine faith. A clear conscience between us and who?

God. Is vital for effective service to Christ. Clear your conscience, Christian. Do not let offense and violation linger it will affect negatively your walk with God. How do we have a clear conscience?

First of all, trust Christ. There is no clear conscience. There is no good conscience. There is no strong conscience without Jesus. Hebrews nine fourteen, how much more shall the blood of Christ who's through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your what?

Conscience from dead works to serve the living God. That weight of guilt can only be relieved by whom? By Jesus Christ. He's the only one that can purge or clean your conscience and give you true forgiveness. And liberty in Christ.

Number two, do right. Listen to the Lord. Listen to his word. Listen to his spirit. Do not ignore or willfully defy your conscience.

Romans 14, Paul says, hast thou faith have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he allow it and he that doubteth is damned or judged if he eat because he eateth not of faith or whatsoever is not his faith is sin. Do right. Just do right. And if you're not sure, if you're not sure, if you doubt, what?

Don't. If you doubt, don't. Okay? Take the high road. Don't take the gray road.

Do right. Else, even if you feel as though you have offended God, it will affect your relationship with him And number three, confess your what? Confess your offense. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not.

If any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. As a Christian, because you've been forgiven of all your sins, when you do wrong, you never feel guilt. Right or wrong? Wrong. A matter of fact, because I'm a Christian, the Holy Spirit lives inside of me and he's enlightened my conscience.

Guess what? I feel guilty about things they don't. So, what do we do with it? What do we do with that guilt? Do you need to get saved again?

No. No, that's not the answer. You only get saved what? Once. You only get saved once.

God washes all those sins off the records of heaven and writes your name in what? The lamb's book of life. And you pass from death on the what? From death on the life. What do I do?

When my conscience is killing me, confess it. He'll cleanse it. He'll clear He'll do that for you. You don't have to walk around Christian with a violated conscience. It can be clear.

Just confess it. Confess it. He'll forgive and he'll cleanse but you need to confess it. You need to quit carrying it. You need to quit doing it.

You need to trust the Lord. You need to do right and you need to confess when you've done wrong and if you're here today and you've never trusted Christ, you probably do have a heavy conscience today. You can have new life in Christ. You can be forgiven if you'll trust Jesus. Let's pray.

Dear God, thank you Lord for your word. Thank you Lord for this tool that you have given us, this moral conscious awareness. That convicts us or makes us feel guilty when we do wrong. Lord, thank you so much more for Jesus Christ, our savior and for the Holy Spirit that you've given us to enlighten and renew our minds and our hearts and our conscience. That we might serve you out of a pure heart and a clean conscience.

Lord, I pray if there's one here today that hasn't trusted Christ, that's carrying around that big load of weight. Today, that they would trust Christ, that they would come so you can relieve them and us that are Christians that have violated our conscience Maybe seared it a bit. Lord, that we would recognize that we would feast on your word, that we'd listen to your spirit, and that we would be willing to confess our sins, that you might cleanse us. From all unrighteousness today. In Jesus name, we do pray.

Amen. We take your