A Good Conscience is Priceless

“A Good Conscience is Priceless”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim. 1:18-20

THEME: Faithfully fulfill the ministry committed to your charge.

RELEVANCE: discouraging and difficult tasks should not be permitted to force us to abandon the ministry committed to us.  We must be steadfast and faithful to our charge to keep the faith by teaching sound doctrine, proclaiming the Gospel, and defending the Faith.

INTRODUCTION:

Paul gave a third responsibility for the local church to fulfill besides teaching sound doctrine and proclaiming the Gospel.

MESSAGE:

Defend the Faith (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

A.  ON THE BASIS OF DIVINE APPOINTMENT. (1Tim. 1:18)

B.  ON THE BASIS OF FAITH AND GOOD CONSCIENCE. (1Tim. 1:19-20)

Paul changed the illustration from army to navy (1 Tim 1:19). He warned Timothy that the only way to succeed was to hold fast to "faith and a good conscience."

1. Hold Firmly to the Christian Faith. (1Tim. 1:19)

A. The First “faith” Is Subjective And Means Continuing To Believe The Truth.

 

B. The Second Is “faith” Objective, Referring To The Content Of The Christian Gospel.

 

C. But, It Is Not Enough Just To Be Doctrinally Accurate As To The Christian Faith. One might be ever so orthodox, and yet not have a good conscience.

2. Hold on Tight to a Good Conscience. (1 Tim 1:19)

A. It Is Not Enough to Proclaim the Faith With Our Lips; We Must Practice the Faith In Our Daily Lives.

·       One man said of his hypocritical pastor, "He is such a good preacher, he should never get out of the pulpit; but he is such a poor Christian, he should never get into the pulpit!"

·       Hamilton Smith writes:

“Those who are gifted, and much before the public eye, have to beware, lest amid constant engagements, constant preaching, and public work before men, they neglect the secret life of godliness before God. Does not Scripture warn us that it is possible to preach with all the eloquence of men and angels, and yet be nothing? That which bears fruit for God, and will have its bright reward in the day to come, is the life of godliness from which all true service must flow.”  

B. A Good Conscience Is Important to a Good Warfare and a Good Ministry.

·       The magazine editor H. L. Mencken defined conscience as "the inner voice which warns us that somebody may be looking."

·       But a man with a good conscience will do the will of God in spite of who is watching or what people may say.

·       Like Martin Luther, he will say, "Here I stand; I can do no other, so help me God! "

C. One's Faith and One's Morals Cannot Be Separated.

·       To hold tightly to the Christian faith, and live by it, results in a good (peaceful) conscience.

·       Faith and good conscience are like armor for the Christian. They keep us from giving in to temptation and to debilitating spiritual and moral sidetracks.

·       How can you hold on to a good conscience?

1.    Treasure your faith in Christ more than anything else and do what you know is right. Each time you deliberately ignore your conscience, you are hardening your heart. Over a period of time your capacity to tell right from wrong will diminish.

2.    As you walk with God, he will speak to you through your conscience, letting you know the difference between right and wrong.

3.    Be sure to act on those inner tugs so that you do what is right -- then your conscience will remain clear.

4.    “Moral collapse follows upon spiritual collapse.” -- C. S. Lewis

3. Avoid Spiritual Shipwreck.  (1 Tim 1:20)

·       Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Rejecting the faith and refusing to listen to one's conscience will end in destroyed faith. This deliberate action reflects heresy, not just backsliding. 

·       Professed Christians who make “shipwreck" of their faith do so by sinning against their consciences. Bad doctrine usually starts with bad conduct, and usually with secret sin.

A. A Good Conscience Serves as the Rudder That Steers the Believer Through the Rocks And Reefs of Sin and Error.

·       The false teachers ignored their consciences and the truth, and as a result, suffered shipwreck of the Christian faith (the true doctrine of the gospel), which implies severe spiritual catastrophe.

·       This does not imply loss of salvation of a true believer (see Rom. 8:31–39), but likely indicates the tragic loss that comes to the apostate. They had been in the church, heard the gospel and rejected it in favor of the false doctrine defined in vv. 3–7. Apostasy is a turning away from the gospel, having once known it. See notes on Heb. 2:3,4; 3:12–15; 6:1–8; 10:26–31.

B.  Two Examples of Spiritual Shipwreck.

·       Hymenaeus and Alexander. Apparently these two men had been members of the church (because Paul had put them out of the church). We don't know who Alexander was -- he may have been an associate of Hymenaeus, or the coppersmith mentioned in 2 Tim 4:14 who hurt Paul. But he was not the Alexander mentioned in the riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:33). Hymenaeus's error is explained in 2 Tim 2:17-18. He weakened people's faith by teaching that the resurrection had already occurred.

·       Hymenaeus is mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17 in connection with Philetus, another false teacher. Alexander may be the opponent of the faith referred to in 2 Tim. 4:14,15. Nothing else is known about these two men (see note on v. 3).

·       “Hymenaeus and Alexander deliberately rejected their good consciences in order to defend their ungodly lives. Paul did not tell us exactly what they did, except that their sin involved "blaspheming" in some way. Hymenaeus said that the resurrection was already past (2 Tim 2:16-18). Alexander was a popular name in that day, so we cannot be sure that the man named in Paul's next letter to Timothy (2 Tim 4:14) is the same man; but if he is, no doubt he withstood Paul by teaching false doctrine.”---W. W. Wiersbe

C.  What Does It Mean to Be Delivered Unto Satan?  (1Tim. 1:20)

·       "Delivered unto Satan" (1 Tim 1:20) implies an apostolic discipline (see 1 Cor 5:5) and disassociation from the local church.

·       To be delivered to Satan means that Paul removed these men from the fellowship of the church and back into the world -- Satan's domain.

·       Paul did this so that the rebuked would see their error and repent. The ultimate purpose of this punishment was correction. (See also 1 Cor 5:1-5; 2 Cor 2:5-8; 4:4; 2 Thess 3:14-15.)

·       The verb "learn" (1 Tim 1:20) means "to learn by discipline." When a Christian refuses to repent, the local fellowship should exercise discipline, excluding him from the protective fellowship of the saints, making him vulnerable to the attacks of Satan.

·       The fellowship of the local church, in obedience to the will of God, gives a believer spiritual protection. Satan must ask God for permission to attack a believer (see Job 1-2; Luke 22:31-34).

·       Paul put both men out of the church, thus ending their influence and removing them from the protection and insulation of God’s people. They were no longer in the environment of God’s blessing but under Satan’s control. In some instances, God has turned believers over to Satan for positive purposes, such as revealing the genuineness of saving faith, keeping them humble and dependent on Him, enabling them to strengthen others, or offering God praise (cf. Job. 1:1–22; Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 22:31–33; 2 Cor. 12:1–10; Rev. 7:9–15). God hands some people over to Satan for judgment, such as King Saul (1 Sam. 16:12–16; 28:4–20), Judas (John 13:27), and the sinning member in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 5:1–5).

·       The churches today are often lax in disciplining Christians who deliberately sin. Deliberate disobedience should be responded to quickly and sternly to prevent the entire congregation from being affected. But discipline must be done in a way that tries to bring the offender back to Christ and into the loving embrace of the church. The definition of discipline includes these words: strengthening, purifying, training, correcting, and perfecting. Condemnation, suspicion, withholding of forgiveness, or permanent exile should not be a part of church discipline.

·       “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”  -- C. T. Studd

·       “may learn not to blaspheme.” See v. 13. Paul learned not to blaspheme when confronted by the true understanding of the law and the gospel. That was what those men needed. God, the inspired text seems to indicate, would teach them and show them grace as he had Paul. But that evangelistic work could not go on at the expense of the purity of the church.

D. Each Local Church Is in a Constant Battle Against The Forces of Evil.

·       There are false prophets and false teachers, as well as false ‘Christs’. Satan is the originator of false doctrines, for he is a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). It is not enough for a local church to teach sound doctrine and to proclaim the Gospel. The church must also defend the faith by exposing lies and opposing the doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1).

·       It is important that our ministry be balanced. Some churches only preach the Gospel and seldom teach their converts the truths of the Christian life. Other churches are only opposing false doctrine; they have no positive ministry. We must be teachers of healthy doctrine ("sound doctrine," 1 Tim 1:10) or the believers will not grow. We must preach the Gospel and keep winning the lost to Christ. And we must defend the faith against those who would corrupt the church with false doctrine and godless living. It is a constant battle, but it must be carried on.

CONCLUSION:

Timothy must have been greatly helped and encouraged when he read this first section of Paul's letter.  God had called Timothy, equipped him, and put him into his place of ministry. Timothy's job was not to run all over Ephesus, being involved in a multitude of tasks. His job was to care for the church by winning the lost, ministering to the saved, and defending the faith. Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned. One reason some local churches are having problems is that the pastors and spiritual leaders are involved in too many extracurricular activities and are not doing the tasks God has called them to do. It might be a good idea for our churches to take a spiritual inventory!

 

The Motivation of Hell

“The Motivation of Hell”

Rev. 20:11-15 

SUBJECT: HELL/EVANGELISM

THEME: Effective evangelism is hard work and many grow weary in this area of ministry. Even though we have a command to reach the lost with the gospel, we sometimes require additional insight to motivate us to the work. Perhaps a better understanding of Hell will stir us to become more consistent evangelists for our Lord.

RELEVANCE: Our compassion for the perishing multitudes must be stirred by the reality of Hell, to encourage us to become involved or remain with the task of Evangelism. Sometimes we become cold towards this area of ministry, sometimes we treasure our relationship with a lost person more than we cherish their soul’s salvation. Multitudes are dying and going to Hell, who will give themselves to consistently get in their way and point them to Christ.

INTRODUCTION:

This scene in Revelation 20 portrays the grand event of the Great White Throne judgment! This event occurs just prior to the establishment of the new heaven and new earth (Re. 20:11-15). Only the unsaved are resurrected to this judgment. The saved will already have been resurrected and would have reigned and served with Christ for a thousand years on the earth (Re. 20:1-5).

This judgment is for the evil works of the unsaved (Re. 20:12-13). Since everyone’s works are sinful before God, and since these unregenerated individuals did not receive Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin during their earthly lives, they will be judged and suffer eternal punishment for their evil deeds and rejection of God.

Notice the final destiny of the unsaved person is unmistakenly spelled out for everyone to see! Rev. 20:14-15, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is why we need to be motivated to share the Gospel and send out missionaries! The world and our neighbors are destined for a Devil’s Hell forever! We must be stirred to reach them with the gospel of Christ. Does not God deserve the worship, obedience, honor, and service of these people also? Are not the gravity and weight of sin more incredibly significant than we could ever imagine or quantify? Does not a love for our fellow man compel us to engage them with the hope of the gospel? Isn’t it right for the Supreme Judge of the entire world to hold everyone accountable for their deeds?

MESSAGE:

I.  What Is Meant by “Hell”?

Hell is the place of imprisonment and punishment for those who revolt against God.

A. HELL WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR SATAN AND THE REBELLIOUS ANGELS. Matthew 25:41, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

1.    This fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, not originally for people. God’s initial intention was not for people to suffer this fate, but rather that those fallen creatures who choose a lifestyle of rebellion and indifference effectively align themselves with the devil and evil share this ultimate destination.

2.    We must emphasize that people are not passively ‘sent’ to Hell; rather, by continually rejecting God, people ultimately choose to distance themselves from God’s presence, which results in eternal separation. God respects and accepts their choices!

B. UNSAVED PEOPLE WILL BE COMMITTED TO HELL ALSO (Mt. 25:41-46). Luke 16:22-24, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; [23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. [24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

1.    The Lord Jesus authoritatively describes the stark reversal of consequences after death for a poor beggar named Lazarus and an unnamed rich man. We witness the concepts of the afterlife, conscious torment, and the finality of earthly choices.

2.    Abraham’s bosom is a symbolic expression to denote the place of bliss. To any Jew, the thought of enjoying fellowship with Abraham would suggest inexpressible bliss. We take it that Abraham’s bosom is the same as heaven.  

It must have come as a shock to the disciples when Jesus said that this rich Jew went to Hades. They had always been taught from the OT that riches were a sign of God’s blessing and favor. An Israelite who obeyed the Lord was promised material prosperity. How then could a wealthy Jew go to Hades? …They are a test of a man’s faithfulness in stewardship. To whom much is given, of him will much be required.^[1]

3.    The idea that non-believers go to Hell is one of the most heavily debated concepts and beliefs varying widely; perspectives on this topic differ significantly. We emphasize that salvation requires definite faith in Jesus Christ. So, we reject any notion that God still accepts people even if they did not hear the gospel. We believe even these individuals will face eternal separation from God because of our inherent sin, the sheer gravity and seriousness of offenses, and the just nature of God. One additional note is significant, there is NO Bible evidence to contradict or even modify these conclusions.

C. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT AND WARNED PEOPLE MUCH OF AN ENDLESS HELL.

Yes, Jesus taught a place of final judgment and punishment for the unrepentant, using imagery like Gehenna, eternal fire, and outer darkness. The Lord Jesus was not passive or inactive about this important matter! See Matt. 5:22; 12:23; 13:42, 50; 18:8-9; 23:33; 25:41, 46; Mk. 9:43-48; Lk. 16:19-31. 

1.    “Outer Darkness”: A place of final judgment, crying, and a definitive split with God. Jesus describes Hell as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” away from God’s company…a total departure from God’s light and joy. Cast out into dark night is another revealing portrayal of Hell outside where a rejected guest is thrown accompanied by deep sorrow in the heart and sharp pains or regret. See Matt. 8:12; 22:13, and 25:30.

2.    “Everlasting Punishment” (Matt. 25:46): Jesus during the Olivet Discourse, describes a judgment separating the nations into two groups. Also in Matthew 25:41, Jesus speaks of “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”. See Mark 3:29.

Jesus most often referred to the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem when speaking of Hell. Historically, this valley was a trash dump where fires burned constantly, serving 1st-century Jews as a stark symbol for God's judgment and destruction.

3.    So, the Lord Jesus was completely bold enough to Teach on Hell and Judgment!

·        Yes, Jesus did speak about hell using vivid imagery to warn listeners about spiritual danger and final judgment as direct warnings.

·        When emphasizing these same warnings today we must note that Jesus spoke of judgment directly to urge immediate repentance and to recover people from spiritual ruin, rather than out of an obsession with punishment.

4.    Bible students estimate that Jesus spoke about heaven or the Kingdom of God about 3 to 4 times more often than Hell. He mentioned heaven, eternal life, or the Kingdom over 160 times in the Gospels, while His direct references to hell (or Gehenna) range from roughly 12 to 30 times.

Jesus described a real place of endless, conscious torment for those who reject God. He like John the Baptist warned about an “unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12; Mark 9:43) and a “fiery furnace” (Matt. 13:42) where people would experience unimaginable anguish—God’s severe punishment of the unrepentant!

D. IN THE O.T. THE WORD HELL (SHEOL) HAS TWO MEANINGS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND. Hell in common usage designates the place of future punishment for the unsaved unbelieving. The word has other meanings we must differentiate to prevent mistakes and confusion.

    1. The Grave Itself—Sometimes it Refers the Place Where the Bodies of the Dead Are Laid—the Grave. Psalm 6:5, For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? (Ec. 9:10; Is. 38:18,19). 

In some cases, it refers to the grave, in others to the place of disembodied spirits without any necessary implication as to their happiness or unhappiness. 

     2. The Realm of Departed Spirits—Usually, Though, it Means the Place Where Departed Spirits go to Reside. This is commonly called the afterlife, the underworld, or Sheol/Hades. This neutral, shadowy resting place or the grave where all the dead go…the subterranean realm of the dead. (See Ge. 37:35; De. 32:22; Ps. 9:17; 16:10; 55:15; 30:3; Pr. 9:18; 15:24; 23:14; Is. 5:14; 14:15; Eze. 31:16; 32:21,27).

 

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^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1433.

 

Overwhelmed?

Listening With Your Heart 2

Jer. 17:9; Luk. 8:14-15 and Rom. 10:17

SUBJECT: Evangelism and Personal Work

THEME: It is vital we maintain a correct attitude toward God and His work. We must keep our hearts respectful, clean, compliant, and obedient towards the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of evangelism.

INTRODUCTION:

God frequently refers to “heart surgery” as influential imagery pointing to spiritual rejuvenation, where He cleans our sin and replaces our stubborn, unenthusiastic, and sinful ‘hearts’ with spiritually compliant ‘hearts.’ As a result, we become far more spiritually minded than carnal minded.

When it comes to sacrificial service to the Lord…giving of ourselves, strength, gifts, skills, opportunities, and resources to God’s ministry…there is again excessive reluctance among God’s children. Maybe it is fear or a lack of self-confidence, but there is an incredible necessity for hardworking and steady Christian servants.

MESSAGE:

As God’s Servant, Use His Word to Examine Your Heart

We are susceptible to contracting various unhealthy heart conditions, but God’s word can be trusted to help us sort out our real condition.

A.  THE WEIGHTED DOWN HEART (Worried)

Luke 21:34, And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

B.  THE CHOCKING HEART (Overwhelmed)

Luke 8:14, And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

This part of the Parable of the Sower, portrays people who hear God's word but allow worldly distractions, worries, and riches choke their spiritual growth so they fail to mature. They permit themselves to become overwhelmed with concerns….

1.     “Cares and riches and pleasures of this life” are daily worries typically stemming from our survival, the pursuit of money, professional goals, and the love of temporary fun or the pursuit of more comfort.

2.    “Are choked” denoting our spiritual vitality is squeezed out, much like an unimportant plant starved of light and water by giant weeds. Our spiritual growth and faith are effectively suffocated and seriously hindered or even stopped by reservations, limited resources, and requirements related to this earthly experience.

3.    “Bring no fruit to perfection” is failing to produce a mature, faithful, and productive spiritual life for God glory. Just like weeds starve real plants of necessities, everyday stress and greed crowd out our focus on God, stopping us from baring fruit to adulthood.

These may be those who are interested in Jesus’ message but who cannot accept it because of their devotion to material things^[1]…. Those who fill themselves with the recreational fun, getting richer, and pursuing the problems of our focus will never mature as a Christian becoming more unfruitful. Others, such as the rich ruler (Luke 18:18–30), were interested in Jesus but would not accept Him because of the strong pull of materialism.^[2]

4.    Choking, in one respect, can also refer to biting off more than you can chew!  Or trying to take on more than you can legitimately handle. It is basically a condition when nothing else can get in and nothing else is coming out. Beloved, when we feed ourselves with the wrong spiritual food it could lead to a chocking heart—overwhelmed—an unproductive and stagnant life. You can’t get anything into them, and you can’t get anything out of them. When we take on too much in Christian service we can again end up in the same situation. Do what God has committed to you personally, regard what He gifted you to do, and grow in that and He may eventually give you more.  But don’t bite off more than you can chew! Sometimes we do this out of great love but beware it could be our pride that’s driving these activities!

These distractions will stop growth in the Lord and compliance with His will. We may hear the message of God (Bible reading, preaching, a lesson) but if we focus too much on money, work, stress, and fun, our faith stops growing. The division of our priorities edges out God’s plans putting worldly things first leaving no room in our hearts to obey God or help others. We had our devotions…we attended the Bible study…we were present for the lesson, but our minds were on something else. It is far better to be present (fully aware, attentive, careful regarding the present moment) and not worrying about the future (see Matt. 6:34; Psa. 118:24; Lam. 3:22–23; Jam. 4:14).

5.   God’s Treatment for the Overwhelmed Heart (Luke 8:15)!

·        Luke 8:15, But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

·        The fourth group consists of those who listen, retain the Word, and … produce a crop (v. 15), that is, they bear spiritual fruit, evidence of their spiritual life. Their hearts were changed for they were noble and good.^[3]

·        Believers with an honest and good heart can hear (paying attention) God's Word, retain it, and patiently produce good works. They have a receptive mind that approaches the message with sincerity and a genuine desire to understand and apply it!

·        “An honest and good heart”—Prepare your inner self to genuinely value God’s word above worldly distractions.

·        “Keeping the word”—Hold fast to what you have heard from God’s book instead of letting daily anxieties crowd it out.

·        “Patience”—Allow spiritual fruit to grow over time through steadfast endurance rather than seeking instant worldly satisfaction. We deliberately choose to pay close attention to “thus saith the Lord” and the needs of others instead of allowing ourselves to rush into action on autopilot.

6.   Practice Refocusing your Actions to Clear away the Pesky “Thorns.”

·        Identify distractions: Recognize which specific daily cares, material pursuits, or pleasures are draining your time and focus.

·        Prioritize time: Intentionally set aside quiet time for Scripture and prayer to keep your heart fertile and receptive.

·        Simplify focus: Actively minimize unnecessary commitments that choke your spiritual vitality.

·        Behave mindfully: Pay thoughtful attention to the Lord sensing His will and mindfully considering the needs of others, rendering appropriate care, noting their feelings, and being present in the moment.

Again Luke 8:15, says we must receive the word in an “honest and good heart,” keeping it, and bringing forth fruit with patience. They not only received the word but allowed it to mold their lives. They were teachable and obedient, developing true Christian character and producing fruit for God.^[4]

 

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^[1] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 225.

^[2] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 225.

^[3] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 225.

^[4] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1397.