Means of Our Spiritual Health: A Good Conscience

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the sermon by drawing an analogy between the discipline required in Grecian games and Super Bowl preparations, and the necessity of mastering the 'basics' for…

Paul's use of Grecian games (1 Cor 9:24-25, 2 Tim 2:5) illustrates the discipline and lawful striving required in the Christian life to obtain an incorruptible crown.

In both of these passages, references are made to the Grecian games. The Grecian games were celebrated in several places throughout the Roman Empire during the days in which the Apostle Paul lived and labored as a servant of Christ. Now some of the elements of those games were patently immoral, and they would have in no way the approbation of the Apostle Paul or of any godly leader. Man or woman.

2:01 - 2:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Remember to master the basics of the Christian life, as spiritual advancement or retreat is directly proportional to efficiency in these basics.

The Super Bowl, despite its immorality, is used to illustrate the importance of 'mastering the basics' in any endeavor, drawing a parallel to the basics of the Christian life.

Now you have to be living on another planet not to know that this is a week that is culminated in a day in which there is a game which will occupy the minds and the attention of probably more than one half of the populace of our country and millions more throughout the world. It has the terrible name this day does, Super Bowl Sunday. And while there are many things concerning that event which are likewise patently immoral and in constant conflict with the Christian faith, in conjunction with which I trust none of us will have any sympathy, much less participation, for example, watching the thi...

3:30 - 4:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Remember to master the basics of the Christian life, as spiritual advancement or retreat is directly proportional to efficiency in these basics.

Blocking, tackling, precise passing routes, and not fumbling are given as examples of football basics that determine victory, paralleling the basics of Christian living.

They've been hammering out their game plan. And within that game plan there are, among other things, the attempt to work into certain defensive alignments, things that the other coaches and teams have never seen. Certain offensive plays that will not show up in the most careful scrutiny of all the previous game films in order to gain an advantage upon one's opponent at a strategic point in the contest. However, in the midst of the game plan and the setting forth of unusual defensive and offensive alignments and perspectives, there is one thing that both coaches, above all else, have been thump...

5:09 - 6:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin uses a medical analogy (temperature, blood pressure, pulse) to illustrate that a good conscience, along with Bible assimilation and prayer, are obvious indexes of spiritual…

A doctor taking temperature, blood pressure, and pulse is used to illustrate that Bible assimilation, prayer, and a good conscience are the most obvious indexes of spiritual health.

I'm trying to think of an earthly illustration. I thought in the medical realm, you're not feeling too well, you don't know quite what's wrong when you go to the doctor. What's the first thing he does? Before he even sits down and says, all right, let's trace out how'd you get here, what are the symptoms?

37:20 - 37:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He uses a vivid, imaginative illustration of a 'little shrunken man or woman' with a long finger, strong hand, and booming voice to explain conscience's functions: pointing to…

Conscience is personified as a 'little shrunken man or woman' hidden in the soul with a long finger, strong hand, and booming voice, to explain its functions to children (and adults).

The biblical teaching concerning the identity and function of the conscience. What is this thing, this faculty that we call conscience? Well, if I was speaking to the kids in the Christian school or in some other context where I just had a bunch of kids and was trying to teach this, what I would do is I'd tell them that conscience is that little shrunken man or woman hidden away somewhere in our souls who has some unusually prominent features. And all you little girls, it's that little girl stuck somewhere in your soul and you can never find her and take a stick and drive her out. Every time y...

39:06 - 40:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He uses a vivid, imaginative illustration of a 'little shrunken man or woman' with a long finger, strong hand, and booming voice to explain conscience's functions: pointing to…

The experience of being tempted to cheat in school is used to illustrate how conscience points to right/wrong, nudges toward good, and declares 'guilty!' or 'good!'

You say, I'm not so sure. All right. What happened the first time you were tempted to cheat? In school, whether home school, Christian school, public school?

43:46 - 43:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He uses a vivid, imaginative illustration of a 'little shrunken man or woman' with a long finger, strong hand, and booming voice to explain conscience's functions: pointing to…

The inability to teach conscience a 'bigger vocabulary' (like 'that's just weakness' or 'everyone does it') illustrates that conscience only speaks in terms of 'right' and 'wrong,' not rationalizations.

Because conscience said, wrong, sin, guilt. And he wouldn't shut up. You tried to teach him to enlarge his vocabulary. That's just weakness.

45:09 - 45:22 Read in full sermon

The point: For those with an evil, defiled, or seared conscience, go to Christ, whose blood is the fountain for sin and uncleanness, and ask Him to wash your conscience to know the blessedness of being at home with your conscience.

The progression from losing sleep after a first lie to being able to lie frequently and sleep soundly illustrates the searing of the conscience and its dangerous implications.

They've all been the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of conscience, pointing to the right way, His hand nudging me in the right way, and His voice confirming or condemning in the choices that I made. Oh God, I'm going to stop by Your grace and in the strength of Christ, my light treatment of a good conscience. And then for you who sit here, and you have what the Bible calls an evil conscience, a defiled conscience, that's biblical language, a seared conscience. Some of you young people and children, you've lied so often now, you don't even lose a minute and a ...

62:41 - 63:41 Read in full sermon