The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"A Clear Conscience"
Part 1
The Apostle Paul sought to maintain a clear conscience.
"I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men" (Acts 24:16).
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Hebrews 10:22).
Two ways exist for this vital sense of peace in the heart: conformity and confession.
First, conformity. Ever and always, obedience to God's will serves as the best way to maintain a clear conscience. As the old hymn declares, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." Or, as Scripture states, "Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight" (Psalm 119:35).
In our present existence, however, born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not always trust and obey. Referencing Christians, the Apostle John writes, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). We remain temptable in this lifetime, making necessary our Heavenly Father's forgiveness and cleansing if we succumb to devilish, worldly, and fleshly temptations. In such times, believers require pardon not in reference to salvation, but rather to the restoration of loving and confident fellowship with God. This involves the cleansing of our conscience through confession of our sins, as prescribed by Scripture:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9)
If we do not confess our sins in repentance and faith, our walk with God can be hindered due to a stained conscience. In times of failure, the Holy Spirit moves within us to lead us to the altar of cleansing visited by faith in the Lord Jesus' perfectly atoning work that avails for our restoration. Our calling first involves agreeing with God about our sins in the light of Christ's atoning work on our behalf. The word "confess" is translated from "homologeo" in the original Greek, which means "to say the same thing." We also take complete responsibility for our failure, blaming no one but ourselves, regardless of the influence of others. As the saying goes, "The blood of Jesus provides forgiveness for sins, not excuses." "I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid" (Psalm 32:5).
"There is forgiveness with Thee" declared the Psalmist (Psalm 130:4) ). There is, but the way is narrow, as narrow as the Lord Jesus being the only one who could effectually die for us, rise again for us, and ascend to the right hand of God for us as our eternal intercessor. This Gospel we share with the unbeliever, affirming the freest gift ever given, purchased by the highest cost ever remitted to make possible the new birth. This Gospel we also share among ourselves as believers, reminding, encouraging, and challenging one another to avail ourselves of God's wondrous gift of a wounded Mediator at His right hand. Our Father sees the prints of nails upon His Son, etched upon His body for us. As we come for pardon and cleansing with those prints in sight by faith, forgiveness and cleansing restore us to close fellowship and faithfulness.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).
May the grace of God lead us in growing conformity to His will, the absolute best way to maintain a clear conscience. If, however, we distrust and disobey our Father, the Apostle John and the writer of Hebrews say it best and perfectly with words the Holy Spirit inspired for the maintaining of peace in the heart through confession…
"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
(I John 2:1-2)
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
(Hebrews 4:16)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight."
(Psalm 119:35).
Tomorrow: Conformity to God's will.
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