For Conscience Sake

Text: Rom. 2:14

Introduction:

A. Def. Conscience is our moral compass.

B. J. I. Packer

An educated, sensitive conscience is God's monitor. It alerts us to the moral quality of what we do or plan to do, forbids lawlessness and irresponsibility, and makes us feel guilt, shame, and fear of the future retribution that it tells us we deserve, when we have allowed ourselves to defy its restraints. Satan's strategy is to corrupt, desensitize, and if possible kill our consciences. The relativism, materialism, narcissism, secularism, and hedonism of today's western world help him mightily toward his goal. His task is made yet simpler by the way in which the world's moral weaknesses have been taken into the contemporary church.

C. 1984 Avianca Airlines jet crashed in Spain. the investigation discovered that the "black box" revealed that several minutes before the crash the computer warned the crew repeatedly in English "Pull up! Pull Up!" The pilot, thinking the system was malfunctioning, snapped, "Shut up, Gringo!" and switched the system off. Minutes later the plane plowed into the side of a mountain killing everyone on board.

Transitional Statement: I want to show you 4 types of consciences mentioned in Scripture and then give several applications for keeping or "moral compass" in working order.

  1. Seared (1 Tim. 4:1-3)
    1. gk. wd. from which we get "cauterize" This is a conscience that has no feeling, inoperative
    2. Characteristics
      1. emphasis on bondage, not liberty
      2. ultimately equates the commands of men w/ the commands of God (cp. Mt. 15:3-9)

    This second type is similar in make-up to the fist, but different in application. Once the conscience is seared, it is broken and off course. Then, some move int he direction of asceticism (pt. A) while some move in the direction of licentiousness (pt. B)

  2. Suppressed/Depraved (Rom. 1:18-28)
    1. v. 18 willful, knowledgeable suppression of the truth (cp. v. 19 "They know" what they are doing)
    2. v. 21 heart darkened by sin (proud, wise)
    3. God gave them over
      1. v. 24 sinful desires: controlled by passion, not conscience (problem of dating)
      2. v. 26 shameful lusts
      3. v. 28 depraved mind

    Note: ultimately God gives us what we want. Men who love darkness get eternal darkness.

    Note: judgment in verse 28. It is the natural course of sin as well as the Divine result of sin.

  3. Weak (1 Cor. 8:7)
    1. weak=imperfect, overly sensitive, false guilt
    2. Robs you of liberty
    3. It's the opposite extreme of suppression and denial
    4. Considers acceptable things to be sinful
      1. In the immature this is O.K. and part of the growth process
      2. If it continues it can become legalistic
      3. If it continues you can lose discernment between man-made and God-made standards
  4. Good/Pure
    1. Begins with cleansing at salvation Heb. 10:22
    2. Scriptures: 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3

Practical Principles Derived From the Above

1. Our conscience must be molded by the WORD, not the world, not men.

A. Rom. 12:2 ". . . be not conformed. . . by the renewing of the mind."

B. illus. man-made standards vs. God-made standards

note: doesn't mean that man-made standards are bad or wrong, but we must recognize the difference

2. Sin defiles the conscience. 1 Cor. 8:7-9

-causes it to work improperly. It may still work, but not as well. Just as a car needs a tune up, so too, or conscience need periodical a spiritual tune-ups

3. If it's doubtful, don't do it. 1 Cor. 8:7-10

4. A conflict between conscience and the Word are the result of faulty conscience.

5. There is a relationship between pure/good conscience and a pure/good mind (Tit. 1:15).

6. Remedy for a guilty conscience is REPENTANCE! It is not self-esteem or to over-ride it as Dr. Wayne Dyer suggests in Your Erroneous Zones

7. We must work at keeping our conscience pure (1 Tim. 1:19). Just as we need physical baths often, we need to have spiritual baths periodically. cp. John 13 Jesus telling Peter that he was washed, but needed cleansing

8. We must deal with sin before God and men immediately. Acts 24:16

Conclusion:

Wesley hymn

I want a principle within
Of watchful, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to feel it near.
Help me the first approach to feel
Of pride or wrong desire;
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.
From Thee that I no more may stray,
No more Thy goodness grieve,
grant me the filial awe, I pray,
the tender conscience give.
Quick as the apple of an eye,
O God, my conscience make!
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake.