Silence Accusations of Conscience

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by asking 'What are you doing here this morning?' and uses a target analogy (outer, middle, inner circles) to explain the layered purpose of their gathering…

The three ways to answer 'What are you doing here?' (keeping the Lord's Day, obeying Scripture, listening to the sermon) are compared to the outer, middle, and inner circles of a target, illustrating how different levels of purpose relate to each other, from broad to specific.

I'm listening to the rather odd introduction to a sermon by one of the elders of Trinity Baptist Church. Now, you see, for many, even most of you, all three of those answers would be correct. And the only way to see them in their proper relationship to one another is to view them like the circles on a target. The outer circle, the middle circle, and then the inner circle.

1:39 - 2:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Determine that under no circumstances will you violate conscience's present dictates.

A quote from Richard Sibbes explains that the least sin against conscience hardens the heart, darkens understanding, deadens affections, and removes spiritual strength, making one vulnerable to greater sin.

Sibbes, in volume 6 of his works, says this concerning this matter of a good conscience in relationship to listening to its dictates. If you would preserve tenderness of heart, by all means take heed of the least sin against conscience. For the least sin against conscience is the least sin against conscience. For the least sin in this kind makes way for hardness of heart.

7:46 - 8:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Determine that under no circumstances will you violate conscience's present dictates.

The hardening of a heart by sin against conscience is compared to water freezing: initially tender and troubled by the slightest touch, but eventually becoming so hard it can bear the weight of a cart, illustrating how repeated sin against conscience leads to greater obduracy.

For the heart at first being tender will endure nothing, but the least sin will trouble it. As water, when it begins to freeze, will not endure anything, no, not so much as the weight of a pin upon it, but after a while will bear the weight of a cart. Even so at the beginning, the heart being tender trembles at the last moment, the least sin, and will not bear with any one sin. But when it once gives way to sins against conscience, it becomes so frozen that it can endure any sin, and so becomes more and more hard.

8:45 - 9:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second ingredient is to immediately silence every accusation of conscience. Martin describes common scenarios where a believer's conscience accuses them of sin, explaining…

A believer starts the day with a good conscience, but when cut off in traffic, he mumbles angry words, and his conscience immediately accuses him of sin, illustrating a sudden surprise of sin.

Let me describe the situation. hear a believer who awakes on monday morning with a good conscience goes to his place and his season of being alone with God before he goes out to face the day and in the midst of his prayers and reading of the word of God he pleads that during that day in the Spirit of the Lord's Prayer he would not be led into temptation but would be kept from evil he asks God that he might have a sensitive conscience to the approach of any sin and grace to withstand that temptation, that he might not be overtaken with surprisals and with sudden eruptions of his remaining corru...

11:44 - 12:45 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second ingredient is to immediately silence every accusation of conscience. Martin describes common scenarios where a believer's conscience accuses them of sin, explaining…

A believer plans devotions but gets engrossed in the newspaper, neglecting his time with God, and his conscience smites him, illustrating a subtle intrusion of sin.

And the moment he does so, conscience says, sin, wrong. And the world is in trouble. And the world is in trouble. And the world is in trouble. And the world is in trouble. And the words of jesus come to mind that whosoever shall say thou fool is of the very essence of the spirit of murder the words of god come to his mind the works of the flesh are manifest which are anger and conscience says you sinned by entertaining that spirit and by the words that you've mumbled in the privacy of your own car now his conscience is accusing what's he going to do or it may be that he arose that morning and ...

13:31 - 14:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second ingredient is to immediately silence every accusation of conscience. Martin describes common scenarios where a believer's conscience accuses them of sin, explaining…

A young housewife, tired and spiritually fragile, bursts out in anger at her children, and her conscience immediately accuses her, illustrating a deliberate sinful action.

weather is before i have my devotions and he picked up the paper and lo and behold he ended up getting engrossed in the paper didn't have his time with god and you know sooner gets in his car and starts down his street when his conscience smites him men ought always to pray and not to think and he knows that he is sinned by failing to have a season of prayer conscience accuses and smites him or it may be it's the young housewife who's risen in the morning to the cry of her child whose alarm clock went off a half hour earlier than usual and so the time that she would normally be up to have her ...

14:22 - 15:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second ingredient is to immediately silence every accusation of conscience. Martin describes common scenarios where a believer's conscience accuses them of sin, explaining…

A Christian student grumbles about a classroom assignment, and his conscience smites him with a biblical verse, illustrating how conscience applies Scripture to daily actions.

it may be the student who's gone off into his classroom and he's sitting there and the teacher gives an assignment and the student begins to grumble why in the world do we and then the verses come do all things without murmuring and disputing and that christian student's conscience smites him now do you see have i given you enough examples so nobody is out in no man's land what in the world is pastor he always uses big words act and say i don't know what my friend you know exactly what i'm talking about and if you don't it's because you don't want to so when we say that the second ingredient o...

15:47 - 17:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies and critiques four ungodly ways people try to silence an accusing conscience: ignoring/despising it, debating it, drowning it out with distractions, and…

Trying to ignore conscience's accusations is compared to an anxious kid in the back row of school trying to get the teacher's attention; the hope is that conscience will get discouraged and 'shut up' if ignored.

Sort of like the anxious kid who sits in the back row of school trying to get the teacher's attention. And he's flopping his hand away. And he's flopping and the teacher goes on. And he's flopping and flopping.

19:55 - 20:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies and critiques four ungodly ways people try to silence an accusing conscience: ignoring/despising it, debating it, drowning it out with distractions, and…

Some Christians constantly have the radio on, talk, joke, or listen to music to avoid mental silence, because the voice of conscience makes them miserable, illustrating an ungodly attempt to drown out accusations.

And that's why some Christians. Christians have always got to have the radio on.

22:46 - 22:49 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies and critiques four ungodly ways people try to silence an accusing conscience: ignoring/despising it, debating it, drowning it out with distractions, and…

A person accused of dishonesty on tax forms tries to appease conscience by giving more in the offering, illustrating an ungodly attempt to bribe conscience with religious acts.

We try to give him some payola under the table. So he accuses me of the sin of dishonesty in making out my tax forms. So what do I do? I give more in the offering next Sunday.

24:12 - 24:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies and critiques four ungodly ways people try to silence an accusing conscience: ignoring/despising it, debating it, drowning it out with distractions, and…

The Pharisees' practice of 'Corban' (dedicating money to God instead of supporting destitute parents) is used as an example of appeasing conscience through false piety, where God rejects such 'stinking' money.

God doesn't need money at the expense of the sanctity and sanctions of his law. But oh, the foul way that our hearts attempt to do this. That was the Pharisees' problem. Remember in Matthew 15?

24:59 - 25:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Eagerly listen to the initial voice of accusation when conscience speaks.

Conscience is compared to Nathan, David's friend who confronted him with 'Thou art the man,' emphasizing that an accusing conscience is a 'best friend' when one has sinned.

When conscience becomes your Nathan, listen to him immediately. The best friend in the world to David, when he had been entrapped and ensnared in his sin, was Nathan, the messenger of God who broke through to his conscience, saying, Thou art the man. Your best friend when you have sinned is an accusing conscience who speaks clearly and unmistakably. And if you would keep a good conscience, my dear Christian friend, eagerly listen to the voice of his accusation. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. And what a blessed friend is a healthy conscience that accuses when accusation is in order. Now a...

27:08 - 28:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Eagerly listen to the initial voice of accusation when conscience speaks.

A quote from Thomas Brooks emphasizes that a tender conscience is a mercy 'worth more than a world,' serving as God's spy, and warns against stifling it lest it become a 'gnawing and tormenting conscience'.

In Brooks, in his fifth volume, he speaks of this whole matter, of the response that we render to conscience. And this is what he says. The fifth word of comfort and counsel is this. Be true to the light of your consciences and maintain and keep up a constant tenderness in your consciences.

28:13 - 28:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Eagerly listen to the initial voice of accusation when conscience speaks.

A quote from David Clarkson describes conscience as a witness furnished to discover sin, urging believers to make use of it, ensure it's not corrupted, and 'hear it out' without baffling its testimony like a clever lawyer.

The heathen orator could say, a man may not depart a hair's breath all his life from the dictates of a good conscience. Will not this heathen one day rise in judgment against those who daily crucify the light of their own consciences? Then another Puritan adds a dimension to this that is so vital. Clarkson, associate and then successor of John, Owen said this.

30:04 - 30:34 Read in full sermon

Driving home: A tender conscience is a mercy worth more than a world. Conscience is God's spy in our bosoms. Keep this clear and tender and all is well.

Clarkson's warning not to 'baffle' conscience's testimony is explained by comparing it to a clever lawyer twisting the words of a simple witness in court, emphasizing the need to respect conscience's initial, genuine testimony.

Or overawed nor cut short hear it out! Give it liberty and encouragement to speak the whole truth. Let it not be baffled as modest witnesses are sometimes by wrangling advocates put in twentieth century Americanese. Don't let conscience testimony be baffled like a simple ordinary off the street person who gives testimony in the court and then some clever lawyer twists his words and gets him all fumboozled.

31:28 - 31:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first godly response is to eagerly listen to the initial voice of accusation, treating conscience as a 'Nathan' or a 'blessed friend.' He quotes Brooks and Clarkson on the…

Conscience is likened to John the Baptist, calling believers to face their sin so they might behold the Lamb of God, connecting accusation to the need for Christ.

You see what he's saying? You take the first testimony of conscience as probably its most accurate testimony. If you would keep a good conscience, dear Christian, settle it, settle it here and now that you must silence immediately its every accusation and you'll never do that unless it becomes a spiritual habit eagerly, eagerly to listen to its voice of accusation. Conscience is your John the Baptist to call you to face your sin.

32:29 - 33:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Parents, confess your known sins to your wife and children to maintain a good conscience and lead with authority.

Returning to the driver's road rage example, Martin explains that confessing to God is not enough if a friend in the car witnessed the sin; a good conscience toward man requires confessing to the friend and asking for forgiveness.

The man has driven out of his driveway at the end of the street he picked up someone whom he takes to work with him. Is it enough that when he's cut off on Route 80 if he's cut off on Route 3 going into the Lincoln Tunnel is it enough that when he mumbles those words that reflect sinful passions of anger is it enough that driving on his way to work he should heed the voice of conscience freely confess the sin to God in his own heart believingly embrace the divine forgiveness? Is that enough to have a good conscience? No.

40:01 - 40:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Parents, confess your known sins to your wife and children to maintain a good conscience and lead with authority.

Returning to the mother's outburst example, Martin states that if children are old enough to perceive, the mother must confess her sin to them and ask for their forgiveness, emphasizing the importance of making amends within the family.

she puts her little ones upon her knee and says kitties mommy sorry mommy sinned by talking harshly to you that way and she's asked the lord jesus to forgive her will you forgive mommy you said that's ridiculous you might have to do that 10 times a day i don't care if you got to do it a hundred times a day you want a good conscience you'll get it and keep it god's way at any cost one of the biggest biggest shocks that has come to me as a pastor is to find how few men live this way before their families they don't confess their known sins to their wife to their children and they wonder why they...

42:11 - 43:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Parents, confess your known sins to your wife and children to maintain a good conscience and lead with authority.

Martin shares personal stories from his youth and college years of having to confess irritability to his sister and tracking down fellow students to confess sins, illustrating the practical outworking of making amends at any cost.

you've known communion with god is is such that you can affirm in your heart of hearts it doesn't matter how quote big or little the issue may be any point of tension in your conscience between you and god and your fellow men is a clog to any progress in grace until you deal with it i well remember i will remember i will remember i will remember i will remember i will remember i will remember when god was burning this truth in my heart very early in my christian experience saved as a senior in high school a family of 10 children living in a relatively small home and in that situation there wer...

43:37 - 44:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Whenever conscience smarts and accuses, deal with it immediately.

A quote from Alexander White, commenting on Bunyan, and then Halliburton, emphasizes that the 'greatest secret of practical godliness' is to know how to come daily and hourly to the 'fountain open for sin and for uncleanness,' never being away from it.

There's a classic work that's been reprinted in recent days, and it's ministered powerfully to my own soul by Alexander White, and it's an analysis of John Bunyan's spiritual experience as reflected in Bunyan's autobiography, Grace Abounding, and in this matter of conscience, he has a most perceptive word, and I read it for you from Alexander White. Bunyan said that he began to learn how to get a good conscience, and now White commenting says, I hope I've seen somewhat clearly, hoping I have seen somewhat clearly the right way to take off guilt. Let us also see the right way to keep it off. An...

48:53 - 50:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Whenever conscience smarts and accuses, deal with it immediately.

White's vivid metaphor urges immediate confession of sin 'even before the recording angel has had time to get his pen into his inkhorn,' emphasizing the urgency of returning to the cross.

And now hear him. This is burning Christian eloquence. Even before it is well on you, get it taken off on the spot. If it's a sinful word that you have spoken, before that sinful word has lighted on your neighbor's ear, before it's had time to enter your neighbor's heart, and even before the recording angel has had time to get his pen into his inkhorn, go before him.

50:42 - 51:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Whenever conscience smarts and accuses, deal with it immediately.

A quote from Ohalesby states that 'distress of conscience is therefore not only the mother of faith, it also renews our faith and keeps it continually alive,' highlighting its vital role in spiritual growth and dependence on Christ.

And in that way, you will keep a good conscience for the rest of your lives. And finally, just a quote from Ohalesby, who has written one of the few treatises on the subject of conscience. Speaking to this very issue, Ohalesby says, with simple and yet with pointed eloquence, distress of conscience is therefore not only the mother of faith, it also renews our faith and keeps it continually alive. It is that which preserves our faith as a living faith.

52:01 - 52:43 Read in full sermon