During a bad storm at sea, water often ended up in the hold or the bowels of the ship. Crewmen would have to go below and begin to pump or bail out the water. They had to work fast because if the water got too high, it could ruin the cargo and eventually sink the ship!
Sometimes the storms of life can cause us to falter, and we need God to bail us out.
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them (Romans 2:14–15 NIV).
We all have a conscience and it’s that conscience that helps us to decipher right from wrong. I believe that once we are saved, the Holy Spirit becomes our conscience. If we are saved and in the Word, we have no excuses; we must try and keep our conscience clear.
They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience (1 Timothy 3:9 NIV).
We know the truth, and we need to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God. And when we mess up—and we will mess up—God is there to bail us out. Each time God puts us back on course, we will have learned a new lesson in this life. These lessons will make us stronger and draw us closer to Him.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:19–22 NIV).
Christ will cleanse our guilty consciences. But before He will do it, we have to draw near to Him with a sincere heart. We can’t fool Him—He knows our true intentions. He knows whether we are truly repenting or just spouting words in desperation.
So, is your conscience clear?
Debbie Mitchell