Making Biblical Decisions: Finding Fulfillment in Bringing God Glory, Part 2 – August 9, 2024

As we observed in last week’s letter, when we live for God’s glory, our situation does not define us. We often allow our circumstances to dictate our joy and destiny. Yet, when we recognize and live for God’s glory, we understand that our circumstances are inconsequential. We don’t lose heart with our lot in life. Instead, we realize that the things of this world are temporal. Instead, we live for the eternal things of God. When we make decisions purely to advance our present comfort or perceived wants, we end up sadly disappointed. We ask these things to do something they were never intended to do. However, when we live for God’s glory, we can find fulfillment because the things of God never pass away.

So, Paul concludes 2 Corinthians 4 with the reminder that we do not lose heart in our circumstances. Instead, we look to the unseen things of eternity. Yet, looking at the unseen things of eternity instead of the visible things of life proves much more challenging in our day-to-day activities. As Paul begins 2 Corinthians 5, he acknowledges this struggle. He notes that in this tent (referring to our physical body and physical life), we groan because of our hardships and trials. This mortal life brings burdens hard to carry. Yet, when we focus on God and eternity, we can maintain courage (5:6). What is the reason for this courage? We walk by faith, not by sight. We do not live by what we see and experience but by faith in God.
 
How can we maintain this attention and faith in God in the middle of struggle and trial? When the water heater bursts and floods the house, it is hard to view eternity in that moment. When people we thought were our friends stab us in the back, it is hard to see eternity in that moment. When the doctor gives us the news that our loved one has a terminal disease, it is hard to see eternity in that moment. Yet, Paul confidently states that we can be (and indeed are) people of good courage in those moments. We must understand God’s glory to find fulfillment in bringing God glory and be of good courage while groaning in this life.
 
Perhaps no texts reveal the splendor and majesty of seeing God’s glory more than two pivotal texts in the Old Testament. God sent Moses to free Israel from slavery in Egypt. Through the striking signs and wonders of the plagues, God broke Pharaoh’s heart to free Israel. Yet, Pharaoh remained depraved and almost instantaneously regretted his decision. So, he pursued Israel to the edge of the Red Sea. Again, God miraculously freed Israel by parting the Red Sea so the nation could cross safely to the Arabian Peninsula. When the Egyptians attempted to follow, God closed the Red Sea, and the soldiers drowned.
 
Israel proceeded to trek towards the promised land until they arrived at Mt. Sinai. There, God met with Moses and gave him the Law for Israel to follow. In a stunning turn, while Moses met with God, the people of Israel turned from God and began to worship a golden calf. Only through Moses’ intercession did God spare the nation of Israel. Moses descended the mountain and confronted Israel for their rebellion. In retribution, God informed Israel that they could proceed to the promised land, but He would not go with them (Exodus 33:1-6). In response, Moses entered the Tabernacle to intercede for the people again. He implored God to remember His people and maintain his reputation by caring for them. Because of Moses’ obedience, God relented.
 
Yet, the problem of “stiff-necked” and rebellious people remained. Moses was tired of dealing with constant, ignorant criticism and rebellion. So he requested God. “Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory'” (Exodus 33:18). God granted the request and instructed Moses to return to the mountain. He would see God’s glory there and receive the commandments on the tablets again. Moses ascended Mt. Sinai the following day and received the commandments over the next forty days. While there, God revealed his glory to Moses.
 
The description of Moses when he descended Mt. Sinai after seeing God’s glory is astounding. He began to radiate the glory of God. Exodus 34:29-30 reveals that his skin shone to the extent no one wanted to come near him. The experience of seeing God’s glory was so majestic that the emotional and spiritual renewal he experienced was reflected through a supernatural glowing.
 
When we see God’s glory, it impacts every part of us. It changes every thought process, action, and even our physical being. Moses faced intense criticism and rebellion from Israel for the rest of His life. Yet, over the next forty years, he maintained his faith and trust in God because of the foundation on Mt. Sinai. Because Moses saw God’s glory, he lived for God’s glory. The trials he faced paled compared to the reality that he would live for eternity, reveling in God’s glory. Thus, Paul reminds us that the present light affliction is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).
 
You can find fulfillment when you see and live for God’s glory. Next week, we will examine a second seminal passage in the Old Testament that helps us see and understand God’s majestic glory.


Making Biblical Decisions: Finding Fulfillment in Bringing God Glory – August 2, 2024

Sally returns home again to an empty apartment after attending a party with friends. As she turns the light on and sits alone on the couch, she wonders if she could ever be happy. If only a guy would take an interest in her. Then, she could find some fulfillment in life. Hank exits his boss’s office. Once again, his boss passed him over for a promotion. Although Hank works hard, he can’t seem to get ahead. He needed the raise that promotion would bring, but now he is back to pinching pennies. If only his boss could recognize his value. Then, he could find some fulfillment in life. Frank and Ann look on with a tinge of jealousy as their neighbor pulls into the driveway with a new car. Their cars are ten years old. They still work, but certainly don’t look as nice. If only they had more money to buy some new things. Then, they could find some fulfillment in life. Conner is excited to head to college and play basketball. The college he will attend has a chance to win some championships while he is there. If they do that, he will certainly find some fulfillment in life.

To a certain extent, we can all see ourselves in these situations. We look to the things of this world to bring us fulfillment in life. Yet, as we get older and experience life, we discover that these things do not bring fulfillment. Marriage proves to be just as hard (and perhaps harder) than singleness. The new position at work brings new headaches and more expectations. The new vehicles get older, break down, and must be replaced in a few years. And no one cares about the athletic feats of your youth. The things of this world cannot bring satisfaction. This is why it is so essential to consider God’s glory as we make decisions. God’s glory is our hope and fulfillment in life and death.
 
Paul reminds the Corinthian church of this reality in 2 Corinthians 4 and 5. As Paul begins chapter four, he reminds us that the gospel and our lives are about God’s glory. “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).
 
Yet, Paul acknowledges that this message we proclaim is in the middle of a broken world. We have the treasure of Christ in us, but we are mortal. Paul uses the illustration of a clay jar. We are fragile and prone to be broken. Yet, our condition does not matter if we live for God’s glory. In fact, our condition as broken people magnifies God’s glory. God uses us to show his surpassing power. Recognizing this reality means that all that goes on around us cannot impact our fulfillment in life. So Paul rightly notes that “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-12).
 
When we live for God’s glory, our situation does not define us. We often allow our circumstances to dictate our joy and destiny. Yet, when we recognize and live for God’s glory, we understand that our circumstances are inconsequential. We don’t lose heart with our lot in life. Instead, we realize that the things of this world are temporal. Instead, we live for the eternal things of God. When we make decisions purely to advance our present comfort or perceived wants, we end up sadly disappointed. We ask these things to do something they were never intended to do. However, when we live for God’s glory, we can find fulfillment because the things of God never pass away.


Making Biblical Decisions: Glorifying God in All of Life, Part 2 – July 19, 2024

Our entire life should reflect God’s glory. Every aspect, every deed, and every thought should bring God glory. So, what might it look like when we seek to glorify God in every part of life? As each life is different, applying this principle is different for everyone. However, we can examine some distinct biblical principles to illustrate what this might look like.

Speaking to business owners around the country, we are in a work crisis. Finding individuals who will show up when scheduled and do the job the company hired them to do has become challenging. We are not even speaking about individuals who would go above and beyond in their work ethic. With this reality as a backdrop, what does it mean to glorify God in my work? To make God look as good as He is, we can examine and understand a couple of seemingly forgotten principles.
 
First, we should consider the principle in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.” As a Christian worker, we should give our entire energy to our job when we are doing our job. There seems to be no place for the Christian worker who punches the time clock and steals from their boss through inefficient, lazy work. God is not lazy, so we should not be either.
 
Second, we should consider the principle found in Luke 16:1-13. In this parable, Jesus tells of a steward wasting his master’s possessions. When the master learned of this, he called him in to demote him and place another servant over his possessions. When the unfaithful steward knew he would be demoted, he worried about his future. Suddenly, he started to do his job and collect the back payments owed to his master. He would receive a cut of the payment, which assured him that he would be taken care of. The master commended the steward for collecting these debts and commented that this is what should have happened all along. Unfortunately, the steward (motivated only by selfishness) failed to do this until it would personally benefit him. Christ then comments that Christians should be faithful despite having little or much. In other words, Christians should be trusted to do their job. They should be faithful to accomplish what they are called to do.
 
These two principles show that the Christian worker glorifies God by working hard, efficiently, and faithfully. They accomplish what they are asked to do to the best of their ability. These are just two of many principles which you can take from Scripture and apply to your work. You need to ask, how can I make God look good doing this?
 
How do we glorify God in the church? Again, there are numerous principles. We must ask, what would make God look good here? When we do this, we discover the importance of edifying one another through speech and song (Psalm 148:14; Colossians 3:16). We find out the importance of seeking unity and not taking up offenses for others (Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:1-3). We discover the importance of submitting to spiritual authority (Hebrews 13:17). In short, we glorify God in the church when we don’t make it about us but about God.
 
How do we glorify God in the home? We look at the family roles and structures in texts like Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3. These texts show the importance of loving one another as Christ loves us. We see the importance of submitting to one another and sacrificing for one another. We know the call to complete commitment that overlooks hurts. It changes everything when we seek to make God look good in how we interact as a family.
 
Hopefully, you see how glorifying God is to encompass every area of life. Glorifying God is not simply something we do in the Sunday service or our personal quiet time. Glorifying God is to become a lifestyle for the believer. Even in the areas we mentioned, the principles we examined are not exhaustive. Every thought, action, and reaction should point to the goodness of God. Your clothes, music, speech, and even your food should make God look as good as He is. Examining God’s Word, you should ask how those texts inform you to live for God’s glory.


Making Biblical Decisions: Glorifying God in All of Life – July 12, 2024

As the purpose of our existence is to glorify God, every area of our life should bring God glory. Everything we do, say, and think should make God look as good as He really is. Often, Christians relegate glorifying God to the “spiritual” elements of life. We consider our Sunday worship, giving to Christian charitable organizations, and personal devotional time to be those things in our lives that bring God glory. And these things do bring God glory. However, our desire to glorify God should not stop with the “spiritual” things.
 
Once again, it would be wise to visit 1 Corinthians 10. A few weeks ago, we observed that we should consider how something builds up others in Christ when we make decisions. In 1 Corinthians 10:23, we observed that while all things are lawful, not everything is best. Paul then encourages Christians to respond to these questionable situations with wisdom. With this, Paul points to God’s glory.
 
We must remind ourselves of the controversy in that church. Pagans had been saved from idol worship to the worship of the one true God. However, the society around them was still centered around the pagan temple and idol worship. As the citizens brought their sacrifices to the temple, some meat was set aside for the priests and feasts. Any leftover meat was sold in a meat market at discounted prices. Many who had been saved out of idolatry struggled with consuming any meat offered to idols as their conscience informed them they were participating in the worship of those idols. However, some understood that those idols were just pieces of wood and stone (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). With this knowledge, they understood they were free to eat the meat.
 
Paul imagined a situation in which an unbeliever invited a believer to dinner. The unbeliever served up meat that had been offered to idols. Paul instructed the believer to eat the meat without asking where it came from. However, if another believer commented that the meat had been offered to idols, they were then to refrain from eating it for their fellow believer’s conscience.
 
With this argument, Paul makes a decisive statement for our examination of living for God’s glory. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Living for God’s glory involves even the mundane actions of eating and drinking. In this situation, Christians should care more about God’s glory than the wonderful steak dinner. Yet, Paul also includes drinking in this text, pointing to the deeper principle. Our entire life should reflect God’s glory. Every aspect, every deed, and every thought should bring God glory. Next week, we will expand this thought into the various areas of our lives. For this week, live for God’s glory!


Making Biblical Decisions: Defining God’s Glory – June 28, 2024

In Christian circles, we often use Christian language without defining our terms. We frequently assume that everyone understands us. However, I have discovered that we usually don’t understand many of these terms. As we discuss the principle of glorifying God, I think it is essential that we pause for a moment to ensure that we understand what that means. This is vital because God’s glory is the purpose of our existence. If we don’t understand God’s glory (and how to glorify God), we cannot fulfill our created purpose.
 
Scripture speaks often of God’s glory. Sometimes, God’s glory is something that He reveals.

· “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).

· “And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the valley” (Ezekiel 8:4).

· “Then the cherubim lifted their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them” (Ezekiel 11:22).
 
Sometimes, Scripture speaks of God’s glory as who He is in His person.

· “And the Lord said, ‘Behold there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by” (Exodus 33:21-22).

· “They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass” (Psalm 106:20).

· “They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:23).

Using these passages and many others, theologians have sought to define God’s glory properly. Charles Ryrie informs us that the glory of God is “the awesomeness, splendor, and importance of God seen in some way.”[1] Jim Berg focuses on God’s greatness when he states that the glory of God is “that unique excellence that makes Him supreme – towering over everything else.”[2] Norman Geisler views God’s glory as “the outward radiance of His nature, and in this light is displayed the outward expression of the inward character of God.”[3] John Piper states, “God’s glory is the beauty of his manifold perfections.”[4] While Wayne Grudem takes a broader tact and attempts to draw in all that Scripture says about God’s glory. In one sense, “God’s glory is the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself.” This visible brightness is the “manifestation of the excellence of God’s character.” In another sense, the word glory means “honor” or “excellent reputation.”[5]

We can understand the magnitude of God’s glory in the many definitions. I think we can also create a working definition for ourselves. God’s glory is the picture and perfection of the absolute magnitude, greatness, and goodness of our unique God. When we understand God’s glory, we can begin to understand what it means to glorify God.

To glorify God means that we live in such a way that we acknowledge that our existence depends on God.[6] I often say that we glorify God by making Him look as good as He really is. When we live a life that glorifies God, our life paints an accurate picture of all God is as we seek to point to and replicate God’s character. This helps us understand God’s purpose in creation. God created all things to demonstrate who He is. To fulfill that purpose, we must live in such a way that we make God look as good as He really is.

Next week, we will examine what that looks like in everyday life. And we will seek to move forward to demonstrate that this is the only type of life that brings true satisfaction and joy.
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[1] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Transformed by His Glory (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1990), 18.

[2] Jim Berg, Created for His Glory: God’s Purpose for Redeeming Your Life (Greenville, S.C.: BJU Press, 2002), 29.

[3] Norman Geisler, Systematic Theology: God, Creation, vol. 2, Systematic Theology (4 Vols.) / Norman Geisler (Minneapolis, Minn: Bethany House Pub, 2003), 226.

[4] John Piper, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Books, 1996), 43.

[5] Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 220.

[6] Geisler, Volume Two, 2:456–57.

 


Making Biblical Decisions: God’s Glory, Our Purpose – June 21, 2024

What is the purpose of your existence? This question has plagued man from the beginning of time. Philosophers and musicians alike wrestle with this question. At some point in life, most find themselves faced with this question. For some, this conflict arises in the middle school years as they transform from a child into a young adult. For others, this question rears its head as a midlife crisis. Unfortunately, many dodge the question and distract themselves from its implications through the variety of vanities this world offers.
 
Ultimately, man can only answer this question one of two ways: we exist for God’s glory or by accident. Using Darwin’s philosophy, modern culture loudly proclaims the second answer. Yet, because we could never truly accept that we exist by accident and, therefore, have no purpose, people instead live as though the purpose of their existence is their pleasure. The hedonism of our society drives marketing, entertainment, and even politics. Because most people choose not to think about the purpose of their existence, they live as though the ultimate purpose for their existence is themselves. As these individuals make decisions, what would lead to fulfilling their sinful passions drives their choices.
 
How did we get this way? Genesis 3 reveals the answer. As Satan approached the first people, he tempted them into sin by lying to them about the purpose of their existence. He informed them that they could be a god. Satan told them that the One True God was lying to them out of selfishness. He convinced them that they existed for themselves. And when they sinned through rebellion against God’s good purpose for their lives, they plunged all of us into that same trap (Rom. 5:12). From that moment on, humanity came to the wrong answer to the question about our purpose for existing.
 
Studying God’s Word teaches us that we exist for an entirely different reason. The Westminster Shorter Catechism perhaps gives the best explanation for human existence. The catechism’s first question asks, “What is the chief end (purpose) of man?” To which it answers, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” You see, God’s purpose in all things is to declare His ultimate glory. As a result, all creation exists for God’s glory.
 
Revelation contains John’s vision in which God declares His ultimate purpose for all things. In chapter 4, John glimpses heaven. He sees the wonder and glory of God’s throne room. Redeemed humanity, angels, and fantastic beasts surround the throne, engaging in worship of the Creator. As John observes this fantastic scene, he sees some amazing creatures, which he identifies as the four living creatures. They fly around God’s throne without ceasing, loudly declaring God’s glory. As this happens, John observes that the 24 elders (many think they are the 12 sons of Israel and the 12 Apostles) cast their crowns of reward at God’s feet. As they do so, they cry out, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Rev. 4:11). We exist because God wants us to exist. And God wants us to exist for His glory.
 
Ephesians 1 reveals that God redeems man to declare His glory. Verses 5-6 reveal that God predestined believers for adoption through Christ for the praise of His glorious grace. Verses 11-12 reveal that God has given the believer an inheritance so they might be to the praise of His glory. Verses 13-14 informs us that God gives the Holy Spirit to the believer as a seal of redemption to the praise of His glory. God saves man for His own sake so that He would receive all the glory. The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
 
As God’s glory is man’s purpose for existence, God’s glory should impact every decision we make. Elite, successful professional athletes live with one goal: winning the championship. Everything they do funnels through this goal. This is why fans often learn of their favorite athlete’s strange habits. Tom Brady never eats strawberries and loves avocado ice cream. Nikola Jokic lifts weights for almost an hour after every game. Lionel Messi built a full-size soccer field in his backyard so he could have lifelike practices at home. Phillip Rivers built a conversion van in which the entire rear passenger area was an office where he could study film on the way to and from practice. If these athletes take such pains for rewards with little eternal value, how much more should we take pains to fulfill our created purpose of glorifying God?
 
Over the next few weeks, we will look in greater detail at what it means to glorify God, how we glorify God, and what a wonderful result we will have when we do. I would encourage you to be honest with yourself as we study together. Sometimes, you may come to conclusions that are hard and may hurt. At other times, you may be very encouraged. But in the end, living for God’s glory will result in satisfaction, purpose, and joy.


Making Biblical Decisions: The Conscience Principle, Conclusion – June 14, 2024

God gifted every person a conscience as part of what it means to be a human. The conscience is a distinct aspect of the image of God in man. God designed the conscience to warn us of impending sin and moral failure. However, the conscience is not infallible. Culture, upbringing, the influence of friends, our religious beliefs, and our personality all impact how our conscience defines sin and moral failure.
 
However, just because the conscience is not infallible is not an excuse to ignore our conscience. God informs us in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 that we sin when we willfully violate our conscience. If we cannot make a decision or participate in an action with a clear conscience, our action is not out of faith in God and is, therefore, in defiance of God. Continued willful violation of our conscience leads to a scarred, seared, and broken conscience.
 
Since violating and ignoring our conscience is a sin, we must train our conscience to warn us of sin rightly. A conscience that fails to warn us of sin is like a smoke detector without batteries. It is hanging on the ceiling, but it is of no use. When the fire starts, we will have no warning. On the other hand, a conscience that warns us of things that are not sinful binds us to a legalistic and bitter lifestyle apart from the freedom the Gospel provides. Therefore, training our conscience becomes necessary for a vibrant Christian life.
 
As we make decisions in life, we must pay attention to our conscience. Ignoring our conscience violates the purpose for which God gave it to us. As you contemplate an action or a decision, you would be wise to ask, “Does this action or decision violate my conscience?” In other words, “Am I feeling the pangs of guilt and uneasiness because my conscience is telling me this action or decision is a sin or moral failure?” If your answer is “Yes,” don’t do it. If your conscience is clear on the matter, then move to the next principle we will begin next week.


Making Biblical Decisions: Training Your Conscience, Part 4 – June 7, 2024

As we study God’s Word and allow it to train our conscience, we find two opposite actions take place simultaneously. We discover that we add restrictions to our conscience. We find that certain beliefs or actions we did not take seriously are, in fact, to be taken seriously. At the same time, we discover that we remove restrictions from our conscience. We learn that some specific actions are not sinful but were engrained into us through tradition or held due to a misunderstanding of God and His Word. Last week we examined what it looks like when we allow God’s Word to train our conscience that some things we previously thought were sin are not sin.

On the other hand, training our conscience also involves adding to our conscience. Sometimes, our conscience should bother us regarding sin, but it fails to do so as we have seared it. It is necessary in these cases to allow Scripture to inform us that our views need to change. We must conform our conscience to God’s Word by refraining from these actions.

Corinth was known in the ancient world for its sinful atmosphere. As a result, the Corinthian church often had to adjust their conscience so that their conscience would convict them of sin. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul takes the church to task for such an incident. Apparently, a church member became engaged in gross, incestuous immorality. Instead of addressing the issues, the church celebrated the fact that this was taking place. The individual did not view his action as a sin. The church members took pride in including this individual. Rather than mourn over sin, they rejoiced over sin. Their conscience was so misinformed and seared it allowed this evil. Paul instructed the church to purge the evil from their midst and to seek righteousness.

Unfortunately, these kinds of instances happen often in the church today. Rather than confine sex to marriage, churches celebrate when couples move in with one another. We allow our feelings and excitement to inform our conscience rather than God’s Word. Instead, we should instruct our conscience with texts like Hebrews 13:4 and seek purity. Only when we fill ourselves with God’s Word can we stand with a clear conscience against the world’s corruption.

As our world becomes more politically divided, we find ourselves falling back into the pattern seen in the Roman Empire. While we indeed should obey God over man, and there are times to resist our government leaders when they violate clear Scripture, we must always seek to honor our government leaders. Yet, honoring bad civil leadership goes against our natural tendencies. We must train our conscience with texts like 1 Peter 2:17 so that our conscience will sound the alarm when we are tempted to engage in conversations and actions that denigrate our civil leaders. As we come to understand God’s Word better, we will arrive at more opportunities to add rules to our conscience and weed out bad rules from our conscience because we will come to a greater understanding of what pleases God.

However, we must understand the difference between training our conscience and violating our conscience. Naselli and Crowley give two excellent indications of the difference between the two. We violate our conscience when we refuse to listen to our conscience when we believe it is correct and still ignore it. We train our conscience when we become convinced by God’s Word that our conscience is incorrect in its warning and, therefore, engage in the action.[1] Your church elders or a wise spiritual mentor can also assist you in differentiating between the two in any given situation.
 
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[1] Naselli and Crowley, Conscience, 64–65.



Making Biblical Decisions: Training Your Conscience, Part 3 – May 31, 2024

When we allow God’s Word to train our conscience, we find two opposite actions take place simultaneously. We discover that we add restrictions to our conscience. We find that certain beliefs or actions we did not take seriously are, in fact, to be taken seriously. At the same time, we discover that we remove restrictions from our conscience. We learn that some specific actions are not sinful but were engrained into us through tradition or held due to a misunderstanding of God and His Word.
 
Sometimes, as we study Scripture, we discover that our conscience bothered us unnecessarily regarding actions we believed were wrong. Past experiences, family or religious traditions and teachings, or our own misconceptions made our conscience sound the alarm when no sin was imminent. Our conscience pronounced guilt in matters of opinion. In these cases, we have unnecessarily bound ourselves and failed to experience the joy of freedom in Christ.
 
When Christ inaugurated the New Covenant through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, the Old Covenant passed away, having been fulfilled in Christ. As a result, we can enjoy a wonderful pork dinner or bacon with our breakfast. Very few (if any) of us look at our breakfast plate and feel pangs of guilt because we are eating Wilbur. In fact, I feel quite the opposite. The smell and taste of the sizzling bacon make me quite happy.
 
Yet, those who grew up under the Mosaic Covenant often struggled with the freedom provided through the New Covenant. Acts 10 contains a fascinating account to help us understand the need to train our conscience. Peter came to Joppa to share the Gospel of Christ. One morning, he went to the flat rooftop to pray in quiet solitude. Luke informs us that he was hungry and was waiting for breakfast. While he prayed, God spoke to him through a dreamlike trance. In this dream, a sheet came down from heaven containing all kinds of animals the Mosaic Law deemed unclean. To eat these animals violated the law and was a sin against God.
 
As Peter observed the animals in the sheet, God spoke to him from heaven and commanded Him to kill and eat the animals. It is hard to imagine anything shocking Peter more than this command. It was so surprising to him that he argued with God. He told God he could not eat this meat because it was unclean. In response, God rebuked Peter for arguing and said to him that these animals were now clean because he was under the New Covenant. Peter had to train his conscience to allow him to eat this meat. However, he did not train his conscience to eat this meat based on his feelings. His feelings told him that he couldn’t eat it. Instead, he had to train his conscience through God’s Word.
 
Arriving at conclusions to train the conscience is rarely an immediate action but is usually a process. Peter understood in Acts 10 that he was now free to eat animals that the Mosaic Law considered unclean. However, we discover in Galatians 2 that Peter still struggled with this adjustment. He was happy to sit and eat with the Gentile Galatian believers. However, when Jewish Judaizers who still held to the Mosaic Law arrived in town, he quickly reverted to his upbringing. We learn that training the conscience to let go of unnecessary rules involves consistent training.
 
Many times, our backgrounds and religious upbringing play a significant role in our weak conscience. For years, many Christians recognized the inherent corruption in the entertainment coming out of Hollywood. To protect their children from this corruption, they created a rule that their families would not go to the movie theater. Soon, this rule was seen as God’s law. Breaking this law was a sin. For those raised in this environment, it often took years before they could sit in a movie theater to watch a wholesome movie without guilt. But as they studied Scripture, they became convinced that going to the theater was not a sin.
 
We must consistently examine God’s Word so that we can align our thinking and our conscience with its freedoms and restrictions. We must maintain a humble spirit which allows God’s Word to change our thinking. At times this means we let go of rules we previously held. But sometimes we need to tighten things up. Next week we will view the other side of the coin.


Making Biblical Decisions: Training Your Conscience, Part 2 – May 24, 2024

To use the God-given alarm system of the conscience, we should teach our conscience what those good, right, and true things are. The word discern in Ephesians 5:10 refers to the idea of putting to the test. We should constantly evaluate the situations, thoughts, beliefs, and convictions we come in contact with to understand what pleases God. This testing must have a standard against which we examine all we come into contact. Unfortunately, we often measure our experiences and beliefs according to our feelings. As a result, our conscience responds either by excusing our actions or making dark accusations against us. “Error, human wisdom, and wrong moral influences filling the mind will corrupt or cripple the conscience.”[1]

How, then, should the Christians train their consciences? The writer of Hebrews informs us through one of the most glorious passages of Scripture. In Hebrews 10, the writer demonstrates that Christ has perfectly fulfilled the Law for us. He is the great and better High Priest who has procured our atonement by sacrificing His perfect blood. For millennia, God required sacrifice to atone for man’s guilt. However, these sacrifices did not atone for man’s sin. Instead, they pointed to the perfect atonement that would come through the sacrifice of the Sinless Christ.

Because we no longer stand in condemnation before God (Romans 8:1), we can now confidently enter God’s holy throne room through prayer. As we enter with confidence, the writer of Hebrews challenges us to come with consciences sprinkled clean and washed with pure water. Christians seek to find what pleases God to approach God with a clean conscience. Verses 26-31 reveal that we strive to refrain from sin. While verses 32-39 reveal that we do this by understanding our faith and the sacrifice of Christ.

The author of Hebrews is building off the concept that Paul presented to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 5. As Paul presents a picture of a biblical marriage relationship for the church, he reminds them that marriage is to be a picture of the Gospel. In verse 26, Paul reveals that God has redeemed His church (us) and will present us blameless before God by washing us with the water of the Word. So, we can see that the primary way we train our conscience is through God’s Word. We understand what pleases God by understanding God through His Word. This means that we must constantly study God’s Word. And, as we study, we must do so, not just to re-enforce what we already think, but to challenge, refine, and change what we believe.

Pastors often teach their congregations to allow God’s Word to adjust their framework. We all have a framework by which we think and act. Our default position is to force our framework onto Scripture and use Scripture to bolster our ideas. If we come across a text that challenges our framework, we ignore it. Yet, when we do this, it has tragic results on our conscience. Our consciences remain uncalibrated and give us wrong results. So, we must read Scripture with humility so that it can change our thinking.

 

[1] MacArthur, The Vanishing Conscience, 39.