October 1, 2000, SM: Conscience and Conviction II

October 1st, 2000, Sunday Morning

"Cleaning up Conscience & Correcting Convictions of a Christian"
Conscience and Convictions of a Christian - Part II

OPENING: Romans 14:22 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV

What are you willing to die for? To kill for? Create a list of concepts or beliefs and you have what's called a conviction.
Some things are worth dying for. When a declaration of war is signed, the president is sending you to kill in order to defend or attack.
Some things are not worth dying for. Bungee cord jumping--is it worth that few second thrill in risking your life against an eternal death?
When you kill, it better be for a good reason. You're not just killing but plunging a soul into eternity--possibly hell when they still could've been saved.
2 Corinthians 12:20: Just as the bible predicted, today we have terrorism, bombed, hated, beatings, thefts, separation, threats, debating, etc. EXAMPLES:
- Ku Klux Klan
- Ireland bombings in the name of Jesus Christ (religious wars)
- Racism (Louis Farrakhan)
1 Thessalonians 5:21: Today, many churches have left their biblical convictions and don't want the truth. Church members don't want to be told what they should and shouldn't be doing. They want to feel good about themselves and thus don't want preached God's word but some other word because they enjoy what the bible says not to do. These church members don't want their conscience to convict them because of God's word.

Some day, we may elect a governing body that influences the church to preach what it wants the members to hear.
- And if the church doesn't go along with it, political correctness may remove the church's tax-exempt status ... but our pastor will keep preaching God.
- And if the church doesn't go along with it, political correctness may condemn the church to shut down operations ... but our pastor will keep preaching God.
- And if the church doesn't go along with it, political correctness may have the pastor thrown in jail for preaching on the street corner ... but our pastor will keep preaching God.
- And if the church doesn't go along with it, political correctness may have the pastor put to death ... and if the pastor learns of this ... he'll keep preaching God.
WHO has a conscience and convictions? We all do. However, some elect to leave theirs empty for their own selfish wants and desires.
The conscience
- Forms the convictions.
- Determines what we deem morally good and bad from our experiences in life and from that we deduce what each of us--individually--perceive as "right" and "wrong."
- Going against your conscience (i.e. working a job you don't want or like) will result in a miserable life. EXAMPLE:
  - Selling alcohol resulting in others' drunkenness and moral inhibitions
  - Taking off all your clothes in public (stripping)
  - Living a life of hypocrisy
- It is inevitable that one day, your conscience will "catch up with you" and expose you to everyone. Some deal with this by committing suicide. But the solution is to repent to God.
- We should manifest and push the truth of the word of God so we may have a good conscience and others will be shamed for lying about us. We need the word of God to clean our conscience, our heart, and our mind so we may sleep well at night. Isn't it a good feeling to go to bed at night with no issues on your mind? Pressing problems to solve?
  - 2 Corinthians 4:2
  - Hebrews 10:22
  - 1 Peter 3:16
Types of conscience
- A good/pure conscience
  - Acts 23:1
  - 2 Corinthians 1:12
  - 1 Timothy 1:5
  - 1 Timothy 3:9
  - 2 Timothy 1:3
  - 1 Peter 3:16
  - 1 Peter 3:21
- A defiled conscience
  - Titus 1:5: Simply exposing your eyes and ears to information which is not good will defile your conscience.
    - EXAMPLE STORY: Genesis 13:12: Lot was a wicked man who knew the difference between right and wrong and his defiling began when he "pitched his tent toward Sodom." And the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah drew Lot in... In Genesis 19:1, Lot was at the gates of Sodom and then in Genesis 19:3 Lot had a house within Sodom.
      
      Lot's conscience became seared (1 Timothy 4:2) with the evils of Sodom (and yet because he had the faith of Abraham that God existed, God saved Lot in Genesis 19:15-16).
  - If you're a saved soul, then your private life IS the pastor's business. What you do in your private life when no one else is looking (but God), that determines your Christian character and that is public to all.
  - Reversing what is right and wrong (i.e. it is OK to steal but a sin to have to work) and just dismissing our convictions results in a defiled conscience. This is ever-growing, today ... and Christians are following right along
    - Hollywood is one of the biggest instigators of positively promoting:
      - Acceptance of gays. Leviticus 18:22: love the person but do not condone the lifestyle
      - Children growing up without parents, without a father-figure, or with gay couples (who probably aren't married)
    - Killing someone in order to buy drugs or to abort an unborn child but sparing the killer's life
WHY have conscience/convictions?
- We learn how to differentiate what is "right" and "wrong" from life's experiences; We use our conscience and convictions to decide what's right and wrong.
- John 8:3-9: TRUE STORY: When religious leaders and others accused a woman of adultery, Jesus convicted their conscience by asking who has never sinned? Because under the law, all would have to die. Therefore, instead of all of them killing themselves, they walked away and left the woman alone
- Romans 2:15 and Ephesians 4:19: It is good to have a conscience; Without one, a person is like a ticking time bomb--ready to do everything and anything call it right (i.e. abortions, homosexuality, etc.) and not feel remorse for it
  - A person without convictions will do anything and have the "I'm OK, you're OK" belief. There's no such thing as "I'm OK you're OK." If people followed God's word, they'd heed to "I'm NOT OK, you're NOT OK" and change for the better
HOW TO GET biblical convictions
- #1: Prove all things through God's word
  - 1 Thessalonians 5:21: Don't hold to anything not biblically written.
- #2: Hold fast (stand and support) the truths of the bible
  - The bible comes before your heritage and your culture. Be a Christian first, and an American second. They say our country is under God but to many today, our country is god.
- #3: Study the bible to show yourself approval unto God.
  - Believe what the bible says not what others beliefs/convictions are with today's new fads, new clothes, new "alternative lifestyles"--the term people use to feel good about morally wrong relationships.
- #4: Come to church
  - James 4:7: Serve God. For the devil hates this and will flee from you instead of fight.
- Matthew 26:42: Ask God what He wants for you and not pray for what you want for you. Jesus knew his fate to be determined by God and He did ask it not occur but immediate said, in effect, "I want what you want--not what I want;" This is self-conviction
What if you don't develop bible convictions? You'll embrace all views, fall for anything (fads, doctrines), and generally be in a miserable life.
What if you develop the wrong biblical convictions? John 16:2 is an extreme possibility--and it has come to pass.
- Ku Klux Klan
- Spanish Inquisition
- The Crusades
- Religious war in Ireland (bombings)
CLOSER
When it comes time to take a life, be sure you have God's approval.
When it comes time to give your life, make sure it's for a good cause.
With a biblical-founded conscience and convictions, they can take your money away, they can take your church away, they can take your freedom away, and can threaten and take your life away, but a steadfast, convicted conscience will answer with "and I'll keep preaching the Good News."