An Approving Conscience Devotion 3 of 11

"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14). "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:22)

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMANDMENT

What is the objective of God's commandment? The Word of God is clear on this point. "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (1 Tim. 1:5). The New American Standard Version translates the verse as follows: "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." Here are three matters of primary importance.

"Charity out of a pure heart"

Love that proceeds from an impure heart is no love at all! The purity of the heart sanctifies its expression. This is love "without dissimulation" (Rom. 12:9) or "partiality" (1 Tim. 5:21), that "prefers" the betterment of others to self satisfaction (Rom. 12:10). If the response of the individual to the "commandment" does not result in love like this, there has been no real obedience!

"Faith unfeigned"

A "sincere faith" is one without pretension or mixture. It is anchored in God Himself (Heb. 11:6), and has "no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. 3:3). The individual with "unfeigned faith" is motivated by a "love of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:10), and has been delivered from "vain conversation (manner of life) received by tradition" from religion forbearers (1 Pet. 1:18). Any professed obedience that does not have this kind of faith as a consequence is pretension.

"A good conscience"

A "good conscience" is an undefiled one; one that has been purged by the blood of Christ. The person in possession of such a conscience has availed himself of the benefit of Christ's blood. "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9:14). This is a conscience that does not condemn the person, and can stand confidently in the presence of God. The "good conscience" is not intimidated by an awareness of the living God, but is rather comforted and encouraged by the Lord. The individual that expresses "charity out of a pure heart" and possesses "unfeigned faith" WILL have a "good conscience." This is the person that has been so affected by God's "unspeakable gift" that the "flesh, with its affections and lusts" (Gal. 5:24) are denied expression. For such an one, heaven is more dominate than earth. The "good conscience" is one that does not condemn. As it is written, "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth" (Rom. 14:22). The value of a "good conscience" cannot be overstated. The rarity of a "good conscience" in the average religious community underscores the dominance of unbelief within it. It is a most serious condition. The tragedy of the situation is that there is no need for it to exist. The Lord has made full provision for a good conscience, and therefore it can be possessed.

-- TOMORROW: WHAT IS THE COMMANDMENT?? --