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?
It is so simple, God put it so simply in 1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us (our conscience) from all unrighteousness.”
What is the answer… how can we be cleansed? CONFESS!!!!
Don’t act like it never happened, don’t let guilt keep your from asking for forgiveness, don’t let anything keep you from just falling on your knees and spilling your guts to God.
“LORD, I HAVE SINNED”
And I can make you a promise… those words will never hurt or disappoint God.
He already knows so he is not surprised or disappointed.
Those words (I have sinned) now are music in God’s ears because He knows they open the door to forgiveness, healing, blessing and renewal.
It is also the door to a clear conscience.
No amount of good deeds you do can take away the stain of your sin. The memory, the guilt, the pain is there and will stay there until you confess it.
The scripture verse today makes it clear that the only road to cleansing is THROUGH THE BLOOD.
In Hebrews 9 Paul gives a lengthy lesson on the importance of blood.
The first promise that was made included rules for worship and a tent for worship here on earth.
3 Behind the curtain was the most holy place.
7 However, only the high priest could go into the second part of the tent, and he went in only once a year. Each time he carried blood to offer for his sins and for any sins that the people had committed without meaning to.
8 All of this is the Holy Spirit’s way of saying that no one could enter the most holy place while the tent was still the place of worship.
Paul is saying that even under the old covenant… or from the beginning it was always God’s plan that blood would be the thing to wash away sins and cleanse the conscience.
18 Blood was also used to put the first agreement into effect. 19 Moses told the people all that the Law said they must do. Then he used red wool and a hyssop plant to sprinkle the people and the book of the Law with the blood of bulls and goats and with water. 20 He told the people, “With this blood God makes his agreement with you.” 21 Moses also sprinkled blood on the tent and on everything else that was used in worship. 22 The Law says that almost everything must be sprinkled with blood, and no sins can be forgiven unless blood is offered.
The people were divided from God by the veil…. which symbolized sin.
Only the High Priest was allowed to enter into the presence of God and ONLY BY CONFESSION AND THE BLOOD
As long as the tent was still the place of worship meant as long as people are still under the law…. Works , trying to be good by their own effort.
As long as we are striving to be good by our own effort, we are still separated from God by our sins and the conscience or consciousness of those sins, like the veil, is ever before us to remind us.
9 This also has a meaning for today. It shows that we cannot make our consciences clear by offering gifts and sacrifices. 10 These rules are merely about such things as eating and drinking and ceremonies for washing ourselves. And rules about physical things will last only until the time comes to change them for something better.
Verse 9 makes it crystal clear WE CAN NOT MAKE OUR CONSCIENCE CLEAR BY OUR OWN GOODNESS AND GOOD WORKS.
Verse 10 says that THE LAW IS POWERLESS TO AFFECT CLEANSING.
“Until the time comes to change them for something better.” Refers until God would send Jesus to die on the cross and HIS BLOOD WOULD PAY ALL OF THE PRICE---ONCE AND FOR ALL.
12 Then Christ went once for all into the most holy place and freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls.
Verse 12 says the conscience would be cleansed (we would be freed from the memory and guilt) because the price would be paid in full and the blood of Jesus could wash the conscience.
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.
So you see, the scripture is consistent and plain… from beginning to end… the only way to forgiveness and cleansing from sin is through the blood.
For Adam and Eve… a sacrifice shed it’s blood to provide their covering.
For Abraham… God provided a lamb, a sacrifice to be the sin offering
For the Hebrews in Egypt (slavery) death paved the way for their release and the blood was the thing that saved them from death.
All the way up til 70ad… it was the blood of a sacrificed animal that brought forgiveness, healing, fellowship and cleansing.
What happened after 70ad? How were people forgiven and cleansed?
THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
So what about the Jews? How are they to be forgiven and have their conscience cleansed? THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!!!
How about the Muslims? How are they to be forgiven and have their conscience cleansed? THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!!!
Rev. Rick Pendleton
Palm Harbor, Florida
randdp@peoplepc.com
Feel free to use any or all of this sermon without reference.
