by Pedro Anosike | Mar 6, 2011 | Love
We live in a world where political and religious correctness (ethical righteousness) is increasingly becoming more important than godliness and good conscience. As such, godly people face the danger of failing to pursue good conscience towards God first and then man (Acts 23:1, 24:16).
Pursuing good conscience towards God entails:
- Consistent study of God’s word
- Believing His word
- Trusting God’s will and purpose to take precedence over our motives
- Examining our motives in the light of God’s word and submitting it to align with His purpose
- Obeying His voice
Doing the above is not easy for “self” but knowing that His purpose always works out far better than ours should be encouraging to us coupled with the fact that the conscience of the godly is strengthened by his knowledge of and obedience to God.
To follow good conscience towards man, every effort needs to be made to adhere to various ethical codes of conducts as it applies to different people (1 Cor 9:20).
However, it is worth emphasizing that God’s voice to His Children governs them on how they navigate the issues of ethical righteousness.
God loves all people and as such His will pilots us to treat others with the following attitudes:
- Sincere love
- Praying for others
- Speaking the truth of God’s word to others
- Helping others in their time of need
- Not lying or slandering others
- Giving others due respect
- Respecting others convictions
- Being patient
- Making sacrifice at ones expense for others good
- Not being vengeful
Again, the above are contrary to “self” but, submitting ourselves to God to work out these virtues in us is most rewarding as it keeps our consciences pure.
The bible (inerrant word of God) defines righteousness in two ways:
- To believe God (James 2:23, Rom 4:23-24) and to believe in Jesus (Rom 3:22, 4:5)
- Doing what is right ethically (1 John 3:7)
Godliness and righteousness are great blessings but God invites us to be painstaking in upholding a good conscience towards Him and our fellow man. It unleashes God’s favour and defends us as we present the gospel to the world 1 Peter 3:15-16.
Neglecting it is dangerous 1 Tim 1:19. Good conscience is a safe pilot of our faith.
Maranatha!
by Pedro Anosike | Mar 1, 2011 | Judgement
Hell is a word that sends shivers down the spines of many people. Even those who claim there is no hell would shiver at the thought of its possible existence if they were honest! In the body of Christ the fact there is hell is not a debatable subject. However, the many torturous descriptions religious minded people have given it sometimes tend to make it comical rather than horrific.
The beauty of hell is that no one who has the Spirit of Christ will be admitted there. For anyone to go to hell, he or she must be enveloped by the spirit of the devil.
I do not intend to elucidate what hell is or is not in this article but suffice it for me to say unequivocally there is hell.
Just as the sting of prison to a prisoner is not as torturous as is the separation from their loved one(s), so it is with hell.
For the living to really appreciate how the horror of hell can be, one must first taste the love of God. To taste the love of God, one must of a necessity as ordained by God receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When anyone truly experiences regeneration (being born-again) and the reality of living, moving and having their being in God, a heavenly glorious life is tasted (2 Pet 1:4).
Hebrews 6:1-3, gives the clear picture that the regenerate, starts off in Christ with elementary doctrines which typifies tasting just the milk of the heavenly joyous life. The main theme of verse 1 is an exhortation to “quickly” imbibe this core foundational milk, profit from it and then move on to maturity (a higher and more varied enjoyment of the meat and strong meat) of the heavenly life.
Having tasted the goodness of the word of God, if one then is deceived falling for the doctrine and practice of lets continue in sin so grace may abound long enough, falls from grace losing the fortitude to resist the devil thereby giving him momentous control over oneself, then, the person can testify to the reality of hell and its scourge to a measure.
It’s to a measure because God’s presence in His people is still on the earth cushioning total outrage of evil. This is why church discipline can save a derailing brother or sister by jilting them to their senses and repentance (turning away from evil and to follow after Christ) 1 Cor 5:5, 2 Cor 7:9-10, 12:21.
In hell, God’s presence is totally absent while the devil’s is at full blast. The full measure will be felt because Satan has been bound with his cohorts and cast into the everlasting pit that burns with unquenchable fire together with all who worshiped (those whose spirit, mind and body did the devil’s biding) him.
Only then will his worshipers fully realize he was their enemy. Oh! What a life to have to dwell with an enemy forever without the enablement of God’s grace.
The meanness of heaven is that no one with the spirit of Satan (corrupt nature of Satan) will be admitted there. For anyone to go to heaven, he or she must be enveloped (regenerated spirit, sanctified mind and body) by the Spirit of Christ Jesus.
This horrendous danger was the reason Paul firmly denied and refuted the wrong teaching of “let’s continue in sin that grace may abound” when he (Paul) was accused of such teaching.
God will not hold anyone and throw them into hell. He will simply claim those enveloped by His Spirit and the devil will do just the same thing (claim everyone enveloped by his spirit). It is excruciating to imagine!
I want to go to heaven is a good ambition but, the wise question individuals should ask is this “whose spirit controls my spirit, mind and body?” God does not own anyone or thing partially and the same goes with the devil. This is how things work in the realm of the spirit. God does not share His glory and neither does the devil. Paul puts it this way, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Gal 5:9). Prior to that, Jesus stated in John 4:14.
So, who do you have inside you? Is it the leaven (devil) or the water (Christ Jesus)?
On the one hand, the leaven takes its course and compulsorily fills its environment leading to destruction and on the other hand, the water keeps welling up to eternal life.
May the grace and peace of God guide our minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Maranatha!
