Is it a Sin? (Part 4)

OK, so we’re seeking to glorify God and uphold His well deserved reputation. We are trying to avoid things that will tear down or harm our relationship with God, and we are trying to stay away from things that might enslave/control us.

The next 2 questions we’re going to look at are still considering ourselves. Again, not selfishly but as a way to examine ourselves, make sure our attitude is humble and keeping things in the right perspective.

First, when faced with a choice in the “gray areas” ask yourself, “Will it defile God's temple?”

1st Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." While this verse is in the specific context of sexual sin, the principle is still true that we should not do anything with our bodies that would dishonor the Lord.

The bible says that we are not our own. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

If our body is a temple, and Jesus “purchased it” with His blood when He died for our sins, then we’re kinda like renters or guests. While we still remember that we are free to do as we'd like (Romans 8:1) it’s His body, not ours. We can’t just paint anything we want (body art) or punch holes in the walls (piercings) or put up just any kind of decorations (clothing) or bring in any other people we want (sex outside of marriage) without checking with the landlord first. Because it’s not our house. The same way you would want people to respect your possessions, we should also respect God’s. Just because it happens to be our body doesn’t make it any less true.

Next we take a deeper look inside and ask, “Will it violate my conscience?” This a big one! I cannot stress enough the importance of this.

First, what is our conscience? One thing it is NOT is emotions. We are not talking about a simple feeling, want or desire. Neither is it just an idea or a curiosity. Just wondering about something doesn't necessarily mean it's bothering your conscience. The dictionary defines conscience as an "inner sense of right and wrong in our conduct or motives, compelling us towards right actions."

Conscience is an inner sense that compels us to do the right thing. Keeper than feelings or idle thoughts. Remember that in Genesis God tells us that we are created in His likeness. Part of this shared likeness is an in-born sense of what is right. Throughout history all cultures have had a basic understanding that selfish greed is wrong and good treatement of others is right. Specifics may vary, but a general morality exists because deep down we all know right from wrong. That's our conscience.

Also, the bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is sent as a helper and teacher to remind us what is true. So that voice telling you to check yourself, yeah, that may be God directly.

1st Corinthians 10:25-29 contains three references to abstaining from a certain practice "for conscience' sake." And Romans 14:23 says, "He who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin." If we are not sure whether an action is pleasing to God, we should not do it. That way our conscience will remain clear and our relationship to God will not be hindered.

In the example given in Romans, eating meat from a pagan temple, the christians in question were actually free to eat. The act itself was not sinful. However, they didn't think so, and just because their conscience created doubt, for them it WAS a sin to eat. Their eating went against what they believed God wanted. Whether true or not, they practiced (what was in their mind) rebellion against God.

This is not neaw idea. Remember that Jesus taught lust is the same as actually committing adultury and hate is the same as actually murdering someone. Whether you actually commit the act or not, in your HEART you have sinned.

When your conscience even hints that something may not be right, you should say, “No.” When you decide on purpose to go against your conscience you are training yourself to rebel, to sin. Even when it is something small, you are hardening your heart against the voice of the Holy Spirit, and you can basicly “stop taking calls” from God. You train yourself to ignore God.

Once you have effectively silenced your conscience by practicing ignoring God on the "gray areas", you can then easily slide, or dive head first, in to actually violating the plainly black and white commandments.

We are children of the Creator of the universe and heirs together with Jesus to the Kingdom of Heaven. Does that sound like a family you really want to stop taking calls from? Not me!

Jesus told us to remain in relationship with Him (John 15). You don't keep a relationship going by ignoring the other person. We need to listen to our conscience. God gave it to us for a reason.