Keeping a Good Conscience Before God & Men

In this part of the sermon: A practical question is posed regarding how a Christian maintains a clear testimony and good conscience when they sin in the presence of unconverted people, even if not directly…

An example of sinning in the presence of unconverted people by letting out an expletive or showing anger when hitting one's finger, illustrating the need for public acknowledgment even if the sin wasn't directly against another person.

And though you've not directly sinned against that person, suppose you're at a workbench and lo and behold, uh, you tightened up the screw on your own finger. And when you did, perhaps in a moment of weakness, you let out an expletive. And if you didn't actually curse, perhaps you expressed in your bearing that there was real anger. Or maybe you're on the job and you pound the wrong nail.

5:24 - 5:49 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: A practical question is posed regarding how a Christian maintains a clear testimony and good conscience when they sin in the presence of unconverted people, even if not directly…

A scenario where a husband expresses irritation with his wife in front of relatives, illustrating a public sin that requires public acknowledgment to maintain a blameless testimony.

Instead of the nail that's going to fasten the, uh, sheathing to the stud, uh, you hit the nail that's here on your right thumb. And though you didn't speak ill to someone else, your manner reflected that you sinned with their knowledge and in their presence. Or the specific situation that Wayne has envisioned. You're visiting with relatives.

5:49 - 6:10 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have to err, err on the side of being awkward but having a good conscience, rather than being tactful and having a bloody conscience.

Martin's personal story as a young Christian, having to run to another dorm to make things right after getting heated during basketball, illustrating the early lesson God taught him about the necessity of a good conscience for spiritual peace.

Far better. If we have to err, let's err on the side of being awkward. I can remember when God was first burning this lesson into me as a young Christian. I'd bow over my books in my dormitory and ask the Lord to bless my studies.

13:42 - 13:57 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have to err, err on the side of being awkward but having a good conscience, rather than being tactful and having a bloody conscience.

Martin's personal example of confessing sins committed in the pulpit, illustrating that public sins, even by a pastor, require public confession in the place they were committed.

Maybe spend a half an hour cracking down the character who instead of studying is out, you know, buying pizza or something. But take whatever pains were necessary to make that issue right. So that I could get back to my studies with a good conscience. It means sometimes, as some of you know, confessing sins from the pulpit.

14:10 - 14:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies pride as the primary, 'hellish' hindrance to confessing sins, expounding James 4:6 to show that God resists the proud, and challenges fathers to confess family…

Martin's personal story of being the first converted among his siblings and having to confess his 'itsy-bitsy' sins to them, even when they had sinned against him more, illustrating the battle against pride and the pursuit of a good conscience.

Whether it's with unsaved relatives, we rationalize and say, well, I don't want them to get wrong thoughts about the Christian life, and this, that, and the other. But when you really get honest, the reason you're unwilling to confess your sins is pride. It may be that they've sinned against you in a thousand ways and never once said, I'm sorry. Say I again, because we're in the more intimacy of a class, say how God taught me that lesson early in my Christian life with my own brothers and sisters.

17:59 - 18:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies pride as the primary, 'hellish' hindrance to confessing sins, expounding James 4:6 to show that God resists the proud, and challenges fathers to confess family…

Martin's kid brother's testimony that the biggest proof of Martin's conversion was his subdued response to being needled for a fight, illustrating how mortification of sin and humility are powerful witnesses.

You know the biggest proof to my kid brother? This is his testimony. He's not even a Christian. The biggest proof to him that I got saved, you know what the biggest proof was?

19:58 - 20:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Periodically sit down with your family and ask them if anything you or your spouse are doing causes them hurt or makes them question Christianity, to overcome insensitivity.

An example of a father periodically sitting down with his family to ask if anything he or his wife is doing causes them hurt or makes them question Christianity, illustrating a practical way to overcome insensitivity.

What the other person is saying. All right. Would it be out of order for a father to sit down it seems to me someone from the Pope had urged us to do this quite recently to sit down with his family periodically and say, now, kids, daddy and mommy are seeking to walk in the light of the Bible before you in every area of our lives. And as far as we know, we've got no unconfessed matters. We're not perfect. We had to confess our sins to you this morning or yesterday, whatever it is. But now we want to know, is there anything we are anything we are doing that causes you kids to have problems when ...

24:14 - 25:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for the sanctified ability to get under other people's skin and feel as they feel, cultivating self-giving love.

A humorous illustration of Martin's personal comfort vs. the comfort of the congregation, explaining why he dresses formally for preaching, to demonstrate that love considers how others will feel, not just personal preference.

For instance, recently in giving some instruction on the whole matter of what principles ought to guide us in the way we dress I had occasion to say to someone we ought to seek to dress in every situation in such a way as to make the people who are going to be in that situation feel comfortable with me. Not how I feel comfortable but what will make them feel comfortable. And then I gave a very silly illustration. You know how I would feel most comfortable preaching this morning?

26:39 - 27:12 Read in full sermon

The point: In all relationships, ask yourself: 'If I were in their skin, what would I see in what I'm doing? How would I feel in the face of what I'm doing? How I appear?'

An example of Martin dressing appropriately when going to the bank, even for chores, because he bears an identity with the church and ministry, illustrating the need to avoid bringing reproach upon the people of God through sloppy appearance.

I mean he is really a stuck in the mud traditionalist. No I'm not. But I know that there are many people in terms of the cross section of what we are seeking to do in ministry who if they came into a quote Protestant church to listen to a Protestant minister a proper reverend speak. Would feel very uncomfortable if he did not appear in such a manner as to reflect a little bit of the dignity that they expect of a minister in this culture and in this particular strata of society.

28:08 - 28:41 Read in full sermon

The point: When rationalization ('Mr. Ration L. Iser') offers excuses for not confessing, ask one simple question: 'Is that the way to have a good conscience before God and man?'

A personification of rationalization as a 'super salesman' house guest who offers excuses for not confessing sin, illustrating how to defeat rationalization by asking if its product leads to a good conscience.

We've got that little guy in us all of us Mr. Ration L. Iser. He's a he's a he's a house guest who intrudes himself into every single breast of every single Christian.

31:35 - 31:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Take seriously that public confession of faults is part of confessing Christ and concrete discipleship; do not compromise your identity to Jesus Christ in intimate contacts with the unconverted.

An anecdote about a preacher who was glad his sermons and picture were known worldwide because it meant he couldn't sin in secret, illustrating how public accountability can be a guard against sin.

Yes, Ken? In fact, he went further and said he was glad that his sermons had gone out all over the world and his picture. He said, there's no place I could go upon the face of the earth and sin in secret. And he was grateful for that.

37:40 - 38:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Manifest shame over sin before God and man, letting the world know that what they laugh at as 'not sin' is indeed sin according to God's Word.

Martin's personal story of seeing a neighbor girl openly going off for a weekend with a man who was not her husband, illustrating the pervasive lack of shame over sin in the current generation and the need for Christians to manifest shame.

If any man be in Christ he is a new creation not a perfect new creation but a new creation and if there's any area particularly in our day where the unconverted and the converted stand in marked contrast to one another it's the matter of sensitivity to sin. We live in a day that sins in the grossest forms and we have no shame. I mentioned to the folk how my heart was just shattered with one of my the things that happened in my own neighborhood. A single girl yesterday as I was coming back from running pulled out on the back of the motorcycle with a guy that's not her husband they had their sle...

49:07 - 50:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Manifest shame over sin before God and man, letting the world know that what they laugh at as 'not sin' is indeed sin according to God's Word.

Martin's extended personal example of maintaining good relationships with hedonistic neighbors while refusing to compromise his Christian identity (e.g., declining cocktail parties, swimming in their pool only when alcohol is absent), illustrating the 'razor's edge' of being a 'friend of sinners' without identifying with their sin.

Can we talk about the power of the gospel and make it stick because of the way we live? And that's the bottom line with regard to our relationship to our kids our neighbors everyone. Yes Dottie? Well the very reason you see in one sense the fact that she felt free to wave at me was a compliment in the other sense it was a terrible revelation of her heart because though their lifestyle is totally hedonistic I mean they are pure 20th century middle America hedonists.

51:01 - 51:44 Read in full sermon