Hebrews 9:14–how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

I had the opportunity yesterday to counsel one of my childhood best friends yesterday. Eleven years ago I had the opportunity to lead him to Christ, but throughout these years he has fallen away back into his old lifestyle.  Since then he has made some bad choices to compromise his marriage and effect his children.  He is now reminded by his family of the bad choices he has made, verbally and non-verbally…

My friend was suffering from his conscience being riddled not by people, but by his own sin. He confessed to me that there is not a day that goes by that he is not reminded of his bad choices.  Yet isn’t that the consequences of all sin?  Our consciences being so plagued with our rebellion, that to live reminded of our failures everyday can drive us to think and do terrible things…

The one thing I commended him on is his willingness to take responsibility of his sin.  Which is the first step in understanding our need for the gospel.  That until you see yourself as a sinner, and take responsibility for “riddling” your own conscience, you won’t see your need for a Savior.  Instead we end up blaming everyone, but ourselves like Adam and Eve!

Living with a “disturbed” conscience can really be torture.  But it also can be a great invitation to the love of Christ and His willingness to forgive us, even when people won’t.  My prayer for my friend is that he remember the commitment he made 11 years ago, that only Jesus can cleanse a conscience from guilt and shame.  Then you can confidently love and serve people who you have offended, even if they hold you hostage to your past sins.  You become free from the bondage of sin, and it’s effect on your conscience to live unashamedly!

In His Love, Ld