. . . strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men —Acts 24:16
God’s commands to us are actually given to the life of His Son in us. Consequently, to our human nature in which God’s Son has been formed (see Galatians 4:19), His commands are difficult. But they become divinely easy once we obey.
Conscience is that ability within me that attaches itself to the highest standard I know, and then continually reminds me of what that standard demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either toward God or toward what we regard as the highest standard. This explains why conscience is different in different people. If I am in the habit of continually holding God’s standard in front of me, my conscience will always direct me to God’s perfect law and indicate what I should do. The question is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I can live without any offense toward anyone. I should be living in such perfect harmony with God’s Son that the spirit of my mind is being renewed through every circumstance of life, and that I may be able to quickly “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 ; also see Ephesians 4:23).
God always instructs us down to the last detail. Is my ear sensitive enough to hear even the softest whisper of the Spirit, so that I know what I should do? “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God . . .” (Ephesians 4:30). He does not speak with a voice like thunder— His voice is so gentle that it is easy for us to ignore. And the only thing that keeps our conscience sensitive to Him is the habit of being open to God on the inside. When you begin to debate, stop immediately. Don’t ask, “Why can’t I do this?” You are on the wrong track. There is no debating possible once your conscience speaks. Whatever it is— drop it, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.
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Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
If we, as Mr Chambers suggests, “attach to the highest standard I know, and then continually strive toward what that standard demands that I do”…. It seems there is plenty of room to run amuck. Witness Christians fighting other Christians, Crusades, Manifest Destiny and a host of other things that the people thought were your standards, and the highest standards….. but they were mistaken. What are we to do?
It’s time to “keep it simple” Remember my two primary commandments. Require that all your other options grow out of and support those two … Love God, Love Neighbor. Obviously the examples you mentioned didn’t fit in either one or both of those two.
That makes it clear (er) Now just to implement it. Help me this day to run all the options and all my thinking thru that filter of Love God, Love Neighbor
Would it be fair to say that those people did the best they could with what they had? Or that they did what they thought was right and Godly? Even as they were sometimes missing your two Great Commandments?
Yes, in most cases people felt they were doing the right and highest thing. Either that or they didn’t think about it at all in those terms. So a regular review of your position relative to those two is a good idea. So is a willingness to be wrong and change direction. Cultivate your hearing and also your quick obedience … and your hearing will get better and better.
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