HOLDING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE

 HOLDING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE 

By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi

1 Timothy 1:19 " Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:'

  "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth" .1 Timothy 4:1-3

   The word 'conscience' as used in this scripture is the Greek word  'suneidēsis' it means : co-perception that is moral consciousness , the human conscience is the voice of the human spirit . It is that part of man that communicates with the Spirit of God.

    The scriptures speaks of a good conscience and a seared conscience. The word 'seared ' in the Greek is 'kautēriazō' it means to brand  (cauterize) that is (by implication) to render unsensitive. This describes the heart of those persons  indulged there brands of man-made religion.  They seek to appear as good before God and man but unfortunately their hypocrisy and inconsistencies are visible for all to see.

  The seared conscience is not sensitive to the Holy Spirit and thus addicted to pain. They enjoy hurting others . Religion is injurious to the human soul this is the reason why religious folks are full of bitterness . A hurting person delights in inflicting pains on others , that's why a religious extremist screams , God is great !! in ecstasy while taking the lives of his innocent victims 

   Man-made religion is an express ticket to a life of unending misery . This misery is the result of the absence of the joy of salvation that comes when a soul and the conscience recognises that he or she is truly saved. The religious fellow carries the burden of sins and cannot experience the joy and love of the father . He has a master-slave mentality with regards to his relationship with God while the born again Christian has a father-son relationship founded on family love. 

    Religion cannot give a person a good conscience. It is overwhelmed with the consciousness of sin. Religious folks do not love themselves and cannot preach on God's love. To them everything is sinful , the  bible describes them in Titus 1:15 "Titus 1:15 " Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled."  It is difficult to see the good in others under this circumstance. 

   The religious seeks to clean the conscience through animal sacrifice and other rituals . This is not possible Hebrews 10:2-4 "For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have access to God's heart and with him as our high priest and mediator we can boldly ".. 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." Hebrews 10:22

Prayer; Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation i receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Spirit and overflowing joy .Amen

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