11th June 2024

11th June 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (1 John 3v19-24)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Every human being has been created by God with something called a conscience. What is a conscience? Let us be clear that the conscience is not the voice of God. Instead it is that inner voice which sometimes calms and sometimes condemns. The law of God is written on the hearts of everyone who has ever lived and so the human conscience from Belfast to Bangalore tells us that it wrong to lie, murder or steal. The human conscience also bears the impact of sin and so we cannot say it is a perfect guide - it is a bad idea to follow your heart (Jeremiah 17v9)! Indeed, sin has corrupted some people to such an extent that their conscience never troubles them, but for many the conscience speaks and it often keeps us awake at night.


It might surprise you that even Christians are sometimes troubled by their conscience. I know many saved men and women who struggle to believe that they are in right standing before the Lord. Some  of them sinned long ago and have never been able to shake off the guilt, while others see every failure as just another reason why God cannot possible love them. John's wisdom in this regard still rings. He understood that the hearts of some Christians needed to be reassured before the Lord (v19) for it was not unusual for a Christian's heart to condemn (v20).


Today we thank God for He is greater than our hearts and He is Lord over our imperfect conscience (v20). Indeed, if our conscience burns within us then we should remember that God knows everything (v20b). He is not ignorant of our sin and yet His forgiveness still remains. What is the best medicine for a sick conscience? The Gospel and a daily reminder of the power of the blood of Jesus.


We should remember that nothing can pluck us from the hand of God and that there is no sin (except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit) that cannot be forgiven. Such news calms our condemning conscience replacing it with confidence before God (v21). We can be confident that the Lord will give us what is best in response to our confident prayers (v22a). We can be confident that the Lord works within us as we seek to honour Him by our obedience (v22b). We can be confident that the Lord loves us as we love one another in response to the Gospel (v23).


The Christian will never be immune from the impact of the conscience. Be clear that your conscience isn't the enemy and more often than not we would do well to listen to what it says. Even so, there are times the conscience cripples us and leads us to a deep well of doubt, anxiety and uncertainty. In such moments we should look more to Jesus than ourselves. Abide in Christ brothers and sisters (v24) and be assured that He is for you.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q62 What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment? The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the Sabbath day.
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