Monday, May 5, 2014

Bible Study: A well-formed conscience

Romans 14:23
Isaiah 50:4-11
Maria and Reese demonstrating sisterly love (2009)
Walking in confidence requires a well-formed conscience. Anything less is foolishness, for the confidence is based on self-focused pride rather than a well-developed relationship with the Lord. So how do we develop that conscience? How do we reach the place where we can speak words "to sustain the weary"? How can we act according to faith and avoid sinning because we doubt?
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You will never know what the Lord wants of you if you don't seek out His will. Seek to know Him, seek to know about Him, seek His input in specific and general areas of your life. Pray. Read His word. Study His teaching. Learn about Him. Pursue a relationship with Him.
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Every time we reject sin makes it that much easier to reject it again in the future. Every time we give in makes it harder to do what is right in the face of the next temptation. Choosing to obey the Lord reaps benefits both in the immediate act of avoiding sin and in the long-term reality of forming ourselves according to His desires for us.
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We don't have to travel the path of Christian virtue by ourselves. When we choose mentors, teachers, and friends who are also striving to honor God, we are all stronger. We learn from one another, strengthen one another, and encourage one another.
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Our goal is to form our conscience so we can live confidently, not worried about whether we are acting appropriately or not, but rather knowing that we are living according to God's will regardless of what the world around us says.

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