A Clear Conscience

My Journey Of Fatih

Charlles Spurgeion, The Prince Of The Preachers

How is it that a man who attended church and discipled others for nearly fifty years now finds church to defile his conscience so that he can no longer be part of it? That is not to say that he does not want to plant churches, fulfill the great commission to make disciples or pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest field. These commands are some of my daily prayers to God. What makes me say such things? What caused Charles Spurgeon, a churchman known as the Prince of Preachers, to make the adjacent quote?

A Clear Conscience Produces Love

We are told by Paul in 1 Timothy 1:5-7: "The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience, and sincere faith." What I understand from Paul is that love is the goal. The means is first a pure heart (not defiled by a mixture of good and evil), a good conscience (In 4:2, he says some have consciences seared with a hot iron, they are hypocrites and liars and their consciences are dead; God's love proceeds from a conscience sensitive to sin), and a sincere faith (not insincere, deceitful, dishonest, untrustworthy; the Christian rightly connected to Jesus Christ produces fruit consistent with God's holy life which fruit is firstly a sincere faith).

A Clear Conscience Produces A Crucified Life

Paul when, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned these words of sincere devotion to his people, Israel, of whom many sought his death. "I am telling the truth in Christ; I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites" (Romans 9:1-4)

From Romans, we learn that Paul's conscience was clear regarding his attitude and behavior toward Israel. His love had to have been from God. The same is true regarding the church at Corinth. "For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you" (2 Corinthians 1:12)

A Clear Conscience Can Be Defiled By Association

How does the church present itself to the world today? Is it in the following ways?

1. Does the church love each member by ensuring there is no false disciple like Judas among them?

   1. Does it follow Jesus' command from Matthew 18:15-18 to do so? "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. "But if he does not listen [to you], take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

   2. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35)

   3. Does the church send people out so those judged will humble themselves and return or never return, confirming they were not authentic?

   4. "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19)

   5. "But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?" (1 Corinthians 5:11-12)

2. Does the world see a unified church and, by being one, reflect the God that is one?

   1. "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me." (John 17:22-23) "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." (Philippians 2:2)

   2. Or is the church today following the sins of Corinth? " For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, ...that there are quarrels among you." " that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided?" (1 Corinthians 1:11-13) Are there Baptists, Presbyterians, Charismatics, etc.?

3. Does the church humble itself before the world, or does it try to be equal in every way?

   1. "But the greatest among you shall be your servant. “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." (23:11-12)

   2. "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise..." (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)

I could continue and make a much longer list of how the church appears to care little for the commands of Christ that, when kept, reveal that the Kingdom of God has come near. Instead, hypocrisy revealed through "Christian Entertainment" rules the day and not a humble adherence to Christ's commands.

Therefore, A Clear Conscience Can Be Defiled By Association with a church that behaves in such a manner.

I prefer my conscience to be clear.