In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, we must subject ourselves to four checkpoints:
In this post we'll look at Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it?
In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, you'll want to check the decision with your conscience. In Romans 14:2 Paul writes “...one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.” NLT He goes on to say in Romans 14:14, “I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.” NLT From these verses we learn that even if the Bible doesn't expressly condemn a certain action, if someone feels convicted in their conscience about participating, then for that person, the action is sinful. The person who feel convicted over a certain issue can't justify participation by saying "The Bible doesn't say it's wrong" because Paul is clear - If you feel in your conscience that it's wrong, then for you, it is wrong.
During my freshman year of Bible college I personally felt that having the internet in my dorm room was wrong, because it only served as a temptation to internet pornography. So I got rid of the internet in my dorm room and instead used the internet in the library where I had the built in accountability of other people present. Should everyone have gotten rid of the internet in their dorm room? No! This was a personal conviction - something wrong for me- not something that was universally wrong for everyone. I could've tried to justify keeping the internet in my dorm room saying "The Bible doesn't say it's wrong" but that wouldn't have made it any less wrong. I was convicted by it, so for me it was wrong.
We all have what Paul refers to as “a sensitive conscience” in certain areas - and they are different for each person because we’re not all the same and we don’t all struggle with the same things. God knows exactly where we are weak and where we are prone to give in to sin, so he gave each of us a conscience that will lead us to stay clear of areas where we're prone to give in to sin.
Where has your God-given conscience been leading you lately - and are you following its leading? Are you heeding its warnings? Are you staying away from the areas its telling you to stay clear of?
Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it?
In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, you'll want to check the decision with your conscience. In Romans 14:2 Paul writes “...one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.” NLT He goes on to say in Romans 14:14, “I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.” NLT From these verses we learn that even if the Bible doesn't expressly condemn a certain action, if someone feels convicted in their conscience about participating, then for that person, the action is sinful. The person who feel convicted over a certain issue can't justify participation by saying "The Bible doesn't say it's wrong" because Paul is clear - If you feel in your conscience that it's wrong, then for you, it is wrong.
We all have what Paul refers to as “a sensitive conscience” in certain areas - and they are different for each person because we’re not all the same and we don’t all struggle with the same things. God knows exactly where we are weak and where we are prone to give in to sin, so he gave each of us a conscience that will lead us to stay clear of areas where we're prone to give in to sin.
Where has your God-given conscience been leading you lately - and are you following its leading? Are you heeding its warnings? Are you staying away from the areas its telling you to stay clear of?
Our third consideration when making a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter is: My Conscience. Will it allow to do it? For the final consideration click here.
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