First Timothy: Fighting the Good Fight "With a Good Conscience"
Scripture References: Romans 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Titus 1:15; Acts 24:16; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Peter 3:16; 1 John 1:5-2:2
Intro: Welcome. Our culture tries hard to eliminate guilt by getting rid of the idea of sin, telling us "You decide what's right for you." Yet, despite mantras like "You do you," we can't shake the guilt. We're driven by it, anxious, depressed, angry. We try not to let anyone put us on a guilt trip, but we're tripping anyway. Where does this persistent guilt come from, and how do we escape it? This sermon explores the God-given gift of conscience.
Key Points:
- Conscience: A God-Given Gift: Guilt isn't bad; it's a flare from our conscience. Romans 2 says God's law is written on everyone's heart, their consciences bearing witness. While shaped by culture, family, and religion, the conscience itself originates from God. It's what makes us human, distinguishing us from animals without moral awareness.
- What is Conscience?: It's the faculty assessing good and bad within us. It acts like a prosecuting attorney (producing guilt, sleepless nights) and a defense attorney (getting us off the hook when wrongly accused). It's not the final judge, but it bears witness. The key question: Is your God-given conscience God-directed, captive to His Word?
- Types of Conscience:
- Weak: Accuses wrongly, feeling guilt over things not inherently sinful (e.g., marital intimacy after past sin). Needs shaping by God's Word and truth (like His forgiveness). (1 Cor 8)
- Guilty: Accuses rightly, but the sin hasn't been dealt with through confession and repentance. Needs cleansing. (Heb 10:22)
- Seared: Numb to conviction after repeatedly ignoring guilt, like tuning out a seatbelt chime. Dangerously comfortable in sin; spiritual "frostbite" is setting in. (1 Tim 4:1-2)
- Defiled: Right/wrong is scrambled; mocks good, enjoys sin. Extremely dangerous state, hard to reason with. (Titus 1:15)
- Getting a Clear Conscience: Good news! Through Christ, we can have a clear conscience (Acts 24:16, 1 Tim 1:5, 1 Peter 3:16). This requires "taking pains" to deal with issues promptly. The process involves:
- Conviction: The Holy Spirit points out specific sin (not vague condemnation like "you suck").
- Confession: Acknowledge the sin before God and often to those wronged. Confessing to others helps solidify God's forgiveness.
- Receive Forgiveness: Accept Christ's cleansing, even as a repeat offender. Trust His promise (1 John 1:9).
- Restoration: Re-establish connection with God and others.
- The Danger of Ignoring: Ignoring your conscience (the "Titanic myth" of compartmentalizing sin) leads to deception, disconnection from God and others, and potential shipwreck of faith.
Conclusion: God disciplines those He loves, not to punish, but to draw us near. Don't ignore the dinging alarm of a guilty conscience. An off-ramp is available through Jesus. He is our Advocate, the payment for our sins. Confessing allows us to walk in the light, experience fellowship, and be cleansed by His blood (1 John 1:7-2:2).
Call to Action:
- Listen: Pay attention to your conscience. Is there a specific conviction (not vague condemnation) the Holy Spirit is bringing to mind?
- Confess: If convicted, confess specifically to God. Is there someone else you need to confess to and seek reconciliation with?
- Receive: Actively receive the forgiveness Jesus offers. If needed, have a trusted believer declare God's fo
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