HOW DEPENDABLE IS OUR CONSCIENCE? Part 2

HOW DEPENDABLE IS OUR CONSCIENCE? Part 2
Jonah 1:1-17 fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. And all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. (Jonah 1:5) WE CANNOT DEPEND ON OUR CONSCIENCE ALONE. While the storm raged, Jonah was sound asleep below deck. Even as he ran from God, Jonah’s actions apparently didn’t bother his conscience. But the absence of guilt isn’t always a barometer of whether we are doing right. Because we can deny reality, we cannot measure obedience by our feelings. Instead, we must compare what we do with God’s standards for living. Proverbs 28:13-18 People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy. (Proverbs 28:13) OUR CONSCIENCE MOVES US TO REPENT OR RESIST. A sinner’s conscience will drive him either into guilt resulting in repentance, or to death itself because of a refusal to repent. It is no act of kindness to try to make him feel better; the more guilt he feels, the more likely he is to turn to God and repent. If we interfere with the natural consequences of his act, we may make it easier for him to continue in sin. Romans 14:1-23 Let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. (Romans 14:19) WE MUST BE SENSITIVE TO THE CONSCIENCES OF OTHERS. What is weak faith? In this passage, Paul is speaking about immature faith that has not yet developed the muscle it needs to stand against external pressures. For example, if a person who once worshiped idols were to become a Christian, he might understand perfectly well that Christ saved him through faith and that idols have no real power. Still, because of his past associations, he might be badly shaken if he knowingly ate meat that had been used in idol worship as part of a pagan ritual. If a person who once worshiped God on the required Jewish holy days were to become a Christian, he might well know that Christ saved him through faith, not through his keeping of the law. Still, when the feast days came, he might feel empty and unfaithful if he didn’t dedicate them to God. Paul responds to both weak brothers in love. Both are acting according to their conscience, but their honest scruples do not need to be made into rules for the church. Certainly some issues are central to the faith and worth fighting for-but many are based on individual differences and should not be legislated. Our principle should be: In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in everything, love. SOMETIMES, OUR CONSCIENCE IS OUR BEST GUIDE. We try to steer clear of actions forbidden by Scripture, of course; but sometimes Scripture is silent. Then we should follow our conscience. “If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning” means that to go against a conviction will leave a person with a guilty or uneasy conscience. When God shows us that something is wrong for us, we should avoid it. But we should not look down on other Christians who exercise their freedom in those areas. HOW CAN OUR CONSCIENCE BE PROTECTED? 1 Timothy 1:12-20 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they give you the confidence to fight well in the Lord’s battles? Cling tightly to your faith in Christ, and always keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. (1 Timothy 1:18-19) DEPEND ON GOD TO TRAIN OUR CONSCIENCE. How can you hold on to a good conscience? Treasure your faith in Christ more than anything else and do what you know is right. Each time you deliberately ignore your conscience, you are hardening your heart. Over time your capacity to tell right from wrong will diminish. As you walk with God, he will speak to you through your conscience, letting you know the difference between right and wrong. Be sure to act on those inner tugs to do what is right-then your conscience will remain clear.

UNITY AMONG BRETHREN

UNITY AMONG BRETHREN
HOW DOES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE THE UNITY THAT SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN CHRISTIANS? Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. However, the bread from heaven gives eternal life to everyone who eats it. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live. John 6:48-51 CHRISTIAN UNITY IS BASED ON EACH PERSON’S CONNECTION WITH CHRIST. How can Jesus give us his flesh as bread to eat? To eat living bread means to accept Christ into our life and become united with him. We are united with Christ in two ways: (1) by believing in his death (the sacrifice of his flesh) and resurrection and (2) by devoting ourself to living as he requires, depending on his teaching for guidance and trusting in the Holy Spirit for power. Now I am departing the world; I am leaving them behind and coming to you. Holy Father, keep them and care for them-all those you have given me-so that they will be united just as we are. John 17:11 JESUS’ GREAT DESIRE FOR HIS DISCIPLES WAS THAT THEY WOULD BECOME ONE. Jesus wanted his followers to be unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love. Are you helping to unify the body of Christ, the church? You can pray for other Christians, avoid gossip, build others up, work together in humility, give your time and money, exalt Christ, and refuse to get sidetracked arguing over divisive matters.
CHRISTIANS ARE NOT INTENDED TO LIVE OUT THEIR FAITH IN ISOLATION. Jesus prayed for unity among the believers based on the believers’ unity with him and the Father. Christians can know unity among themselves if they are living in union with God. For example, each branch living in union with the vine is united with all other branches doing the same John 15:1-15. If the Gentiles were enriched because the Jews turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when the Jews finally accept it. Rom. 11:12
IN CHRIST, UNITY HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE, BUT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN FULLY ACHIEVED. Paul had a vision of a church where all Jews and Gentiles would be united in their love of God and in obedience to Christ. While respecting God’s law, this ideal church would look to Christ alone for salvation. A person’s ethnic background and social status would be irrelevant Galatians 3:28-what mattered would be faith in Christ. But Paul’s vision has not yet been realized. Many Jewish people rejected the gospel. They depended on their heritage for salvation, and they did not have the heart of obedience that was so important to the Old Testament prophets and to Paul. Once Gentiles became dominant in many of the Christian churches, they began rejecting Jews and even persecuting them. Unfortunately, this practice has recurred through the centuries. I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding. Phil. 1:9
THE LOVE COMMANDED BY CHRIST SHOULD CREATE DEEP UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS. Have you ever longed to see a friend with whom you share fond memories? Paul had such a longing to see the Christians at Philippi. His love and affection for them was based not merely on past experiences, but also on the unity that comes when believers draw upon Christ’s love. All Christians are part of God’s family and thus share equally in the transforming power of his love. Do you feel a deep love for fellow Christians, friends and strangers alike? Let Christ’s love motivate you to love other Christians and to express that love in your actions toward them. Isaiah there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Phil. 2:1-2
UNITY OUGHT TO BE A DISTINCTIVE MARK AMONG CHRISTIANS. Many people-even Christians-live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves. But selfishness brings discord. Paul therefore stressed spiritual unity, asking the Philippians to love one another and to be one in spirit and purpose. When we work together, caring for the problems of others as if they were our problems, we demonstrate Christ’s example of putting others first, and we experience unity. Don’t be so concerned about making a good impression or meeting your own needs that you strain relationships in God’s family.

WHAT IS CONSCIENCE? Part 1

Conscience is the in−built power of our minds to pass moral judgments on ourselves, approving or disapproving our attitudes, actions, reactions, thoughts, and plans, and telling us, if it disapproves of what we have done, that we ought to suffer for it. Conscience has in it two elements, (a) an awareness of certain things as being right and wrong, and (b) an ability to apply laws and rules to specific situations. Conscience, as distinct as it is from our other powers of mind, is unique; it feels like a person is detached from us, often speaking when we would like it to be silent and saying things that we would rather not hear. We can decide whether to heed conscience, but we cannot decide whether or not it will speak; our experience is that it decides that for itself. Because of its insistence of judging us by the highest standard we know, we call it God’s voice in the soul, and to that extent so it is. The NIV rightly renders the Hebrew “David’s heart hit him” as “David was conscience-stricken” in 1 Sam. 24:5, and other examples.) But conscience may be misinformed, or conditioned to regard evil as good, or seared and dulled by repeated sin (1 Tim. 4:2), and in such cases conscience will be less active than God’s voice. The particular judgments of conscience are to be received as God’s voice only when they match with God’s own truth and laws in the Scripture. Consciences must therefore be educated to judge scripturally.The consciences of individuals are likely to reflect family and community standards, or lack of them. The book of Judges tells grisly stories of things done at a time when “everyone did as they seemed fit” (17:6; 21:25).Superstition or scruple may lead a person to view sinful actions as if God’s Word declares it not sinful; but for such a “weak” conscience (Rom. 14:1-2; 1 Cor. 8:7, 12) to do what it thinks sinful would be sin (Rom. 14:23), and therefore “weak” persons should never be pressed to do what they cannot conscientiously do.The New Testament ideal of a conscience is that is “good” and “clean” (because righteousness is one’s purpose, and sin is being avoided: Acts 24:16; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; Heb. 13:18; 1 Pet. 3:16). But for this our conscience must first be “cleansed” by the blood of Christ; we must see that because Christ in his sacrificial death endured the suffering due to us, all our wrongdoings, they no longer constitute a barrier to our communion with God (Heb. 9:14). Both the English word “conscience” and the Greek word translated as “conscience” in the New Testament literally mean “to be with knowledge.” In the Old Testament, Adam and Eve hid themselves from God in shame because their consciences told them they had been disobedient (Genesis 3:8-10). All human beings have the power of moral judgment: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts” (Proverbs 20:27, RSV). Conscience, then, is a gift of God to provide light on matters of good and evil. In the New Testament, the word “conscience” is found 32 times in the King James Version of the New Testament, especially in the writings of the apostle Paul. Conscience, in Paul’s writings, passes judgment not only on things done but also on things that will be done in the future. The behavior of people who are without God’s law shows that the law is “written on their hearts” (Romans 2:14-15). Paul’s statement that every person should “be subject to the higher authorities” to avoid God’s judgment and “for the sake of conscience” assumes that the conscience tells us that obedience is a moral requirement (13:5).The conscience’s ability to pronounce someone “not guilty” is just as important: Paul said, “I am not aware [using the same root word from which ‘conscience’ is derived] of anything against myself” (1 Corinthians 4:4, RSV). Yet conscience is not an all-sufficient guide-Paul went on to say, “I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.” In another passage, Paul called on his conscience to verify his truthfulness, linking the conscience with the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 1:12).Paul asked the Corinthians to judge his behavior in the light of their consciences (2 Corinthians 4:1-2), Insisting that God knew the motivation behind his conduct, he hoped that the Corinthians’ consciences would also see it (5:11). When Paul wrote to Timothy, he linked a good conscience with sincere faith (1Timothy 1:5); when people leave the faith, their consciences can become “seared” or insensitive by their continued evil (4:2).

For Prayer and Counselling Contact:
Pastor J. O. Afolayan
C. A. C. Divine Reward Ikeja
Tel: 08034945702, 08026161601
E-Mail: jafolayan4christ@gmail.com

ENDURANCE

WHY IS ENDURANCE AN IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL QUALITY? Matthew 10:16-42 And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. But those who endure to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22) ENDURANCE REQUIRES PREPARATION. Jesus told the disciples that when arrested for preaching the gospel, they should not worry about what to say in their defense-God’s Spirit would speak through them. This promise was fulfilled in Acts 4:8-14 and elsewhere. Some mistakenly think this means we don’t have to prepare to present the gospel because God will take care of everything. Scripture teaches, however, that we are to make carefully prepared, thoughtful statements (Colossians 4:6). Jesus is not telling us to stop preparing, but to stop worrying. ENDURANCE GROWS OUT OF COMMITMENT TO JESUS CHRIST. Jesus predicted that his followers would be severely persecuted by those who hated what he stood for. In the midst of terrible persecutions, however, they could have hope, knowing that salvation was theirs. Times of trial serve to sift true Christians from false or fair-weather Christians. When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don’t do it. Remember the benefits of standing firm, and continue to live for Christ. Standing firm to the end is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus. Persistence is not a means to earn salvation; it is the by-product of a truly devoted life. Hebrews 3:1-6 But Christ, the faithful Son, was in charge of the entire household. And we are God’s household, if we keep up our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. (Hebrews 3:6) ENDURANCE IS THE MEANS TO JOY IN CHRIST. Because Christ lives in us as believers, we can remain courageous and hopeful to the end. We are not saved by being steadfast and firm in our faith, but our courage and hope reveal that our faith is real. Without this enduring faithfulness, we could easily be blown away by the winds of temptation, false teaching, or persecution. (See also 3:14.) 2 Timothy 4:1-8 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you. (2 Timothy 4:5) GOD WILL MAKE OUR ENDURANCE WORTHWHILE. To keep cool when you are jarred and jolted by people or circumstances, don’t react quickly. In any work of ministry that you undertake, keeping your head makes you morally alert to temptation, resistant to pressure, and vigilant when facing heavy responsibility. As he neared the end of his life, Paul could confidently say he had been faithful to his call. Thus he faced death calmly, knowing that he would be rewarded by Christ. Is your life preparing you for death? Do you share Paul’s confident expectation of meeting Christ? The Good News is that the heavenly reward is not just for giants of the faith, like Paul, but for all who are eagerly looking forward to Jesus’ second coming. Paul gave these words to encourage Timothy, and us, to keep fighting-no matter how difficult the fight seems. When we are with Jesus Christ, we will discover that it was all worth it. Revelation 14:1-20 Let this encourage God’s holy people to endure persecution patiently and remain firm to the end, obeying his commands and trusting in Jesus. (Revelation 14:12) OUR ENDURANCE IS RELATED TO THE QUALITY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. This news about God’s ultimate triumph should encourage God’s people to remain firm through every trial and persecution. They can do this, God promises, by trusting in Jesus and obeying the commands in his Word. The secret to enduring, therefore, is trust and obedience. Trust God to give you patience to endure even the small trials you face daily; obey him, even when obedience is unattractive or dangerous.

For Prayer and Counseling Contact:
Pastor J. O. Afolayan
C. A. C. Divine Reward
God’s Glory Special District
Tel: 08034945702, 08026161601
Email: jafolayan4christ@gmail.com

WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM RECEIVING ALL GOD HAS FOR THEM?

"But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until they were entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” (2 Kings 13:19),(2 Kings 13:10-25)

HALF-HEARTED OBEDIENCE YIELDS PARTIAL BENEFITS:

When Jehoash was told to strike the ground with the arrows, he did it only half-heartedly. As a result, Elisha told the king that his victory over Aram would not be complete. Receiving the full benefits of God’s plan for our life requires us to receive and obey God’s commands fully. If we don’t follow God’s complete instructions, we should not be surprised that his full benefits and blessings are not present.


Matthew 19:16-30 - Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get out of it?” (Matthew 19:27).


MOST OF GOD’S BENEFITS ARE NOT EXPERIENCED IN THIS LIFE: In the Bible, God rewards his people according to his justice. In the Old Testament, obedience often brought reward in this life (Deuteronomy 28), but obedience and immediate reward are not always linked. If they were, good people would always be rich, and suffering would always be a sign of sin. Our true reward, as believers, is God’s presence and power through the Holy Spirit. Later, in eternity, we will be rewarded for our faith and service. If material rewards in this life came to us for every faithful deed, we would be tempted to boast about our achievements and act out of wrong motivations.

Jesus assured the disciples that anyone who gives up something valuable for his sake will be repaid many times over in this life, although not necessarily in the same form. For example, a person may be rejected by his or her family for accepting Christ, but he or she will gain the larger family of believers (Acts 3:11-26). Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. (Acts 3:19).


WITHOUT REPENTANCE WE MISS GOD’S BENEFITS: John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance. The apostles’ call to salvation also included repentance-acknowledging personal sin and turning away from it. Many people want the benefits of being identified with Christ without turning from sin and admitting their own disobedience. The key to forgiveness is confessing your sin and turning from it (see Acts 2:38).

When we repent, God promises not only to wipe away our sin, but to bring spiritual refreshment. Repentance may at first seem painful because it is hard to give up certain sins. But God will give you a better way. As Hosea promised, “Oh, that we might know the Lord! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring” (Hosea 6:3). Do you feel a need to be refreshed?

RECEIVING GOD’S BENEFITS: (Colossians 1:9-14). He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. (Colossians 1:13).


GOD’S MANY BENEFITS COME THROUGH CHRIST: Paul lists five benefits God gives all believers through Christ: (1) he made us qualified to share his inheritance (see also 2 Corinthians 5:21); (2) he rescued us from Satan’s dominion of darkness and made us his children (see also Colossians 2:15);(3) he brought us into his eternal kingdom (see also Ephesians 1:5-6); (4) he redeemed us-bought our freedom from sin and judgment (see also Hebrews 9:12); and (5) he forgave all our sins (see also Ephesians 1:7).

Thank God for what you have received in Christ.