How To Clear The Conscience

How To Clear the Conscience

Hebrews 9:11-14

But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That’s why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.

Review:

All are born with perfect program installed at the factory = God

Files become corrupted by experience, counsel and worldly virus

How to keep conscience from corruption = bible, Spirit, Godly counsel

Today = HOW TO CLEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE

Let me start out with the question most people ask…

What is in it for me?

or

What is the value of a clear conscience?

1. You can achieve the purposes of God

2. We can draw near to God … Heb. 10:22

3. We can have hope Heb. 10:23

4. Maximize the benefits of scripture

5. Private peace

6. Understand the deeper things of God - Spirit

7. More apt to obey God

8. Keep you witnessing

Now… HOW CAN WE HAVE A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

Romans 7:15-25 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

What does this scripture passage say?

It says I have a better chance of grabbing Hulk Hogan by the nose, putting him in a head lock, picking him up in the air, dropping him in a souflex (wrestling hold), putting him in the figure four and having him cry like a sissy than you do of keeping yourself from sin this week.

It says I have a better chance on spotting Tiger Woods 43 shots on each side and me playing every hole with a left handed putter… and then beating Tiger by 3 strokes…. Thank you do of keeping yourself from sin.

1 John 1:8 & 10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his message isn’t in our hearts.”

What do theses verses say?

They say that if you doubt what I just said about Hulk Hogan…

you are deceiving yourself, lying to others and calling God a liar.

YOU CAN”T BE GOOD…YOU CAN’T STAY CLEAN.

You are like Ethan (my 6 years old son) wearing white pants and shirt while watching other little boys playing with toy cars in the dirt. He really wants to stay clean… but it just is not in him. HE WILL get dirty.

Amy Grant has a song that says it so well

“I have decided, being good is just a fable, I just can’t cause I’m not able…”

Well, now that I have totally debunked any thought of goodness… am I saying we should not even try?

God forbid, NO!

But I am a realist… like John.

In 1 John 2 John writes “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely.”

John is saying… God wants you to stay clean from sin, and I am writing this letter to help you do that… but even God knew there had better be a backup plan… so he has Jesus on call to go before the Father and plead for your forgiveness WHEN you do sin.

So… WHAT IS THE BACKUP PLAN…HOW CAN OUR CONSCIENCE BE CLEANSED FROM SIN?