Functions of Good Conscience, Part 1

Driving home: The teaching of the perseverance of the saints, can be best and perhaps most succinctly described as that teaching of the Bible, which asserts that all true believers most certainly shall and most assuredly must continue…

Martin uses the metaphors of an 'innate monitor' and an 'inner judge' to describe the function of conscience, which passes judgment on thoughts and deeds, condemning or excusing actions.

and have been now for some weeks examining some fundamental individual or more, private means of perseverance. And we come this morning to our last study, in that which I trust we are now convinced is indeed a vital means of our perseverance, namely the getting and the keeping of a good conscience before God. Thus far we've demonstrated from the scriptures the inseparable relationship between a good conscience and perseverance. 1 Timothy 3, verse 1, says, 2 Timothy 1, verses 3 to 5, and verses 18 to 20, I've sought to describe to you from the scriptures and in terms of metaphorical language th...

3:41 - 5:03 Read in full sermon

The point: If you would make true progress in real holiness, that progress must be made in the companionship of a good conscience.

Martin compares attempting to advance in holiness with a defiled conscience to trying to breathe normally with one's head immersed in a bucket of water, emphasizing its impossibility.

When you're dealing with God's commandments, not men's rules and regulations, conscience immediately comes into play because conscience answers or speaks according to what it knows to be the law of God. It ought to speak, and when it's functioning wholesomely and properly, it looks to the law of God and speaks accordingly. Whereas in this type of a situation, when people get taken up with the speculative dimensions of religion and with external rules and regulations and in the midst of that have a defiled conscience, they feel perfectly comfortable being very religious while being very ungodly...

30:13 - 31:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God can give us no better defense against temptation than a sensitive conscience.

Martin quotes O'Hallisby to illustrate how a sensitive conscience is a precious defense for believers, helping them avoid pitfalls and endure inner unrest, leading to careful living.

Because this dear servant of Christ has opened up a dimension of this relationship of a good, healthy, sensitive conscience to holiness in such a masterful and pastoral way. It's O'Hallisby, whose little book on conscience has been a great help in the preparation of this aspect of our series of sermons. He says, A sensitive conscience is a precious defense for the believer. It helps him to avoid many pitfalls and many errors of which a blunter conscience would not warn him.

34:15 - 34:50 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God can give us no better defense against temptation than a sensitive conscience.

Martin uses the analogy of chloroform on a handkerchief to describe how temptation, if allowed to come too close, can deprive one of the power to resist, paralyzing the will.

Temptation frequently does all the work that we do in order to overcome it. We can do this simply by being permitted to come too close to us. It's like chloroform. If it gets too close it will deprive us of the very possibility of offering resistance.

37:11 - 37:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Prayer then is indeed the native breath of the child of God on the pathway of perseverance he who ceases to pray ceases to breathe

Martin describes how a condemning conscience's 'volume' can be low during busy activity but gets 'cranked up' when one attempts to have direct dealings with God in prayer, making prayer uncomfortable.

fresh repentance fresh actings of faith in the blood of the redeemer or you'll draw back from having any real dealings with god inevitably that's the result of a condemned conscience and then the subtlety of the human heart goes to work and begins to find a hundred rational excuses for ceasing to pray when at the base of prayerlessness is the awareness of discomfort that will be heightened in the presence of god and they're true if you're honest before god isn't it true you see as long as you're a busy beaver doing a hundred things even in the name of christ and your hands and your mind are ta...

44:46 - 46:04 Read in full sermon