We have learned that our conscience can be seared, weak and defiled. Also, our conscience cannot be cleared by the blood of animals, hence the need for the blood of the Messiah. But today I want to focus on the defiled or evil conscience. What it means and what is its effect.
Hebrews 9
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
You see a defiled or evil conscience causes us to do dead works. A good example of this was the Pharisees who were some of the most religious people in Israel being very pious and doing a lot of seemingly good works like giving a tenth and feeding people etc. The only problem was they were doing this only in answer of an evil and defiled conscience and not in obedience to God through faith. See their conscience was accusing them all the time and their doing works was nothing else than them trying to quiet their conscience. Their conscience was paining them all the time which is usually what happens in religion with all its dos and don’ts. All their works were disqualified because the motive was wrong and it was considered dead works.
Hebrews 6
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God…
In fact early Hebrew believers had to repent from dead works. Jesus had this to say about some of them and their dead works.
Luke 11
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Friend nothing has changed. Today we still have Christians practicing religion and doing a whole lot of seemingly good works in the name of that religion. These people have an evil and defiled conscience and all their works will be disqualified because the motive is not right and they are not doing their good works in obedience to the Spirit of God but to quiet their own painful conscience. This is what Paul has to say on this topic.
Titus 1
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Can you imagine what it will be like to get to the judgment seat of Christ and expecting a great reward for many works only to find that they are all disqualified? This is a very important doctrine to get right. And to get this doctrine right takes a whole lot of reflection and honesty with self. You have to go examine yourself and make sure that your conscience is pure and undefiled. Also to get to the truth of this doctrine will take knowledge of the word of God, so there is going to have to be some study and meditation on God’s word. Remember these words of Jesus:
Matthew 7
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
These many people are believers and they were doing many works but the Lord said I never knew you!! Make sure you are not one of them. Read the word, pray and judge yourself so that you can become pure in conscience.
1 Corinthians 11
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
One final passage of scripture I want to leave with you concerning the conscience and I consider this to be the key to a pure conscience. We must have true faith and act in obedience to that faith. Anything else is just fleshly works trying to cover for and evil conscience. That’s my take on it but you decide for yourself.
Hebrews 10
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Till next time
God bless
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