Friday, November 9, 2007

Conscience Care

CONSCIENCE CARE 102
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
V. 10: “So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.”

My friend yells at me when I drink liquid from a bowl—like when bringing the bowl to my mouth to drink the milk left over from cereal. I don’t get what upsets him about this. I’ve done this all my life. Using a spoon to ladle the milk up to your mouth is sloppy—why not slurp it directly from the bowl? Besides, it’s way faster! Case closed.

But God doesn’t see it like that. When I slurp liquid directly from a bowl, I make someone else uneasy. Why should I care if I offend someone? Does God care?
Paul gives us a hint. "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak." He was referring to eating food that was sacrificed to idols. Some Christians thought that the meat was tainted. Those days, only priests would eat the meat sacrificed to God. Regular folks had no business eating consecrated meat.
The world is full of pagans who believe in and worship many gods. Then, Christians were often offered food that had been sacrificed to a pagan deity. Some people felt guilty, some gladly accepted the food, others refused altogether.

Those who ate the food were criticized by the ones who refused. Paul makes it clear: IF the one who ate the sacrificed food caused another to eat the same food, against his conscience, the first person caused another to sin. This is why God protests: Christ died for us all.
The person who objected was weak because his conscience told him to refuse, and yet by accepting the food, he did wrong in his own eyes. To entice someone to do what they feel is wrong is a sin for us.
We ARE our brother’s keepers. It’s Jesus command that we love one another.
Previously we learned that consciences can be programmed. Every person’s conscience is programmed differently. Some folks are offended by loud music, others blast their IPODS. Some think that is rude, others think it’s generous sharing. It depends on taste, and conscience programming.
Clearly, our consciences require daily cleansing and tweaking to remain steeped in God’s truth. The blood of Christ is the only thing that purifies it, keeping it clean and in good working order.
Take Home Nugget
Try singing this in the shower getting ready for a new day. "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take the Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12

In light of this, I do not slurp liquid from my bowl in that person’s presence...
"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience" George Washington
"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln
J. D. Griffith
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