Part 3 of 5, if Jesus were to return in 30 days, what would you do differently?

Gain a Clear Conscience

Our consciences have a built-in power to pass moral judgement on ourselves, approving or disapproving our actions, thoughts, and plans, and telling us, if what we have done is assessed as wrong, and if so then we deserve to suffer for it.

The conscience has two elements: an awareness of things as being right or wrong, and the ability to apply laws to specific situations. Our conscience insists on judging us and insists on judging by the highest standard we know. God created our consciences to drive us to Himself because He has written the knowledge of His laws on every human heart. Roman’s 2: 14-15, “Gentiles…show that the law is written on their hearts while their consciences have conflicting thoughts accusing them or even excusing them.” The problem is that people sear their consciences by repeated sinning and their actions no longer produce guilt, in fact, since they have rejected God’s laws written on their hearts their sin becomes in time so seared that it produces no guilt. Romans 1:32, “Though they know God’s laws and that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only practice them, but give hearty approval to others who practice the same things.”

What about Christians who seem to ignore God’s greatest commandments? There are three, not two great commandments. First, to Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Second, to love your neighbor as yourself, and the Third, to love Christians in the same way Christ loves His people. This last one is found in John 13: 34, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you.” Many Christians today are at war with other Christians, and nothing can corrupt a conscience faster than to disobey this command of Christ, to love other believers by laying down their lives for them. Christians are sometimes a laughingstock to those outside the church because of the lack of love between them. What is the reason that believers have a difficult time in loving other believers? And remember it is these believers that we will spend eternity with! Is it a lack of humility, a lack of submission, lack of leadership teaching this concept and demonstrating Christ’s command? All the above, and it’s all sin, not only that this type of sin keeps us from reaching the lost, for who wants to join an organization that is filled with people that seemly don’t love one another? John 13: 35, “By this love all people will know that you are one of my disciples, if you have one for one another.”

First Timothy 1:5, “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from sincere faith.” This is our Goal to Love God and others with Purity, Sincerity and with a Clear Conscience. Not loving Christians, the way Jesus loves us, is only one way a Christian can have a calloused conscience, but if ignored the callous will become seared.

How does one clear his conscience and maintain it? The Good News is that every believer can be free from guilt, by the power of Christ’s blood. The New Testament ideal is a Christian whose conscience is free from guilt and able to guide them in a holy direction. The answer is found in the Scriptures, in Proverbs 28: 13, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses AND forsakes them will obtain mercy.” If you wish to have and maintain a clear conscience, you must confess and forsake your sins. If another Christian has a problem with you, Jesus says to go and be reconciled to your brother/sister. Matther 5:23, “…If you remember your brother/sister has something against you, go and be reconciled to them, then go back and offer your gift before God.” It’s more important to be at peace with your brother/sister than to give gifts to God.

Don’t allow your conscience to be hardened, for one day you will stand before Christ and give Him an answer as to why you refused to humble yourself and be reconciled with one for whom Christ died. Do this humbling now for Jesus said, “What is whispered in the inner rooms will be broadcasted on the roof tops.” And the Bible says, “Your sin will find you out.” Can you imagine if all the true Christians in all the true churches humbled themselves and began to truly love one another? Then the world would know that we are Christians by our love and a love that stems from a clear conscience. Soli Deo Gloria

John, a slave of Christ Jesus