Can I Get a Witness

Pastor Bryan – Can I Get a Witness.

¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace.”

Colossians 3:15

HOW MOST PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS

• What feels good – .
• What we think we’ll lose – .
• What we think we need – .
• What we try and get quickly – .

¹⁵ They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.”

Romans 2:15

INNER WITNESS (Our Conscience): Is the internal sense of right and wrong that God gives every human being.

HOW THE BIBLE (NEW TESTAMENT) DEFINES OUR CONSCIENCE

1. It is a God-given for human beings to exercise .

¹ Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”

Acts 23:1

¹⁶ Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.”

Acts 24:16

        2. It portrays the conscience as a to something.

¹⁴ Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. ¹⁵ They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.”

Romans 2:14-15

¹ With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it.”

Romans 9:1

        3. It is a of the individual’s .

⁵ The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. ⁶ But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions… ¹⁹ Cling to your faith in Christ and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.”

I Timothy 1:5-6, 19

Has God ever spoken to you through the inner witness?

BIBLICAL ISSUES WITH OUR CONSCIENCE

1. It can become .

²² let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 10:22

        2. It can become .

⁷ However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 

⁹ But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. ¹⁰ For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? ¹¹ So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. ¹² And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.”

I Corinthians 8:7, 9-12

        3. It can become .

² These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are seared.”

I Timothy 4:2

        4. It can become .

¹⁵ Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.”

Titus 1:15

THE GOAL: A conscience.

⁶ … Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.”

I Peter 3:16

HOW DO WE KEEP OUR CONSCIENCE CLEAR?

1. Begin with the end in .

²⁸ “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”

Luke 14:28

• Watch what you .

³ I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.”

Psalm 101:3

• Listen to what you to.

²⁰ My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. ²¹ Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart.”

Proverbs 4:20-21

²⁰ “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”

Revelation 3:20

• Pay attention to your .

¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. ¹⁵ These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”

James 1:14-15

        2. our when we get it wrong.

⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

I John 1:9