SJF - Daily Worship, Spirit and Word - May 7, 2024

Conscience - Part Three

The law given by Moses was not evil. It was good. It just did not produce righteousness that puts us in right-standing with God. Knowing that the “goodness” of the Old Testament Laws (Ten Commandments) are all fulfilled in the New Covenant Commandment of “Love one another”, and knowing that we are not justified by works but by faith in Christ Jesus, let us consider how our conscience works when we do or don’t do what is good motivated by love.

“for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:14–16, NKJV)

Adultery, or stealing, or deceiving doesn’t keep faith with love, and therefore, our conscience is offended and our thoughts accuse us. Whatever offends our conscience and allows our thoughts to accuse us needs to be dealt with as soon as possible lest it sear our conscience. Whenever we run across The Scripture telling us to do or not to do something, we need to understand how love motivates the action and walk in love. When we dismiss Scripture out of hand without allowing Holy Spirit to teach us how the love and wisdom of God works, we defile our conscience. Then we just begin to do whatever we “feel” is right, justifying ourselves instead of allowing God to justify us through faith in Christ Jesus.

Faith is believing in God through Christ Jesus. Believing in God is believing what God says. When we believe that Jesus Christ is LORD, we believe His word. As believers, we do not decide HOW to follow Jesus. We just follow Jesus - saying what He says, doing what He does, and going where He goes.