September 5, 2010
Key Passage: Ephesians 1:1-14
“The Power of a Clear Conscience”
Insurance vs. Assurance…hold that thought, we'll come back to it…Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always wondered why the history of Christianity is so violent and bloody – and may I place emphasis on the BLOODY part?!? For instance, the Old Testament speaks of a time when, literally, millions of gallons of blood were shed to cover the sins of people. And the biggest problem critics had with “The Passion of the Christ?” Blood. The irony in today’s world religions is that all have the blood flowing from the devotees to their gods in order to appease their sins – in Jesus Christ, we have a God whose blood flowed to us in order to cleanse from sin. Of course the blood of Jesus has the ability to save us for eternity – but what about its ability to cleanse us in the here and now from a past that won’t stop haunting us? Frankly, we’re most vulnerable to temptation when our conscience accuses us and we are unclear on the fact that God has forgiven our sins, and continues to do so. Those who are burdened by the past find themselves ill at ease with the present, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The power of a clear conscience rests solely on the power of the blood of Christ…
Why Blood? See Leviticus 17:11 – “For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Blood is life, sin is death – and somebody’s got to pay…
Garnett's Simplistic Model for Pre-destination vs. Man's Will…let's set the record straight here. The bible is CRYSTAL clear, time and time again, that God chose us; in fact, today's passage says he chose us "before the creation of the world." How to reconcile that with our choice? Imagine you're on the "Highway to Hell" and you see an exit sign that says, "Come to me all who labor, and I will give you rest (for eternity)"…you take the exit, only to notice in the rearview mirror the other side of the sign that reads, "I knew you would…in fact, I chose you to take this exit before the creation of the world."
How to Have a Clear Conscience
- The Purchase of the Blood of Jesus (INSURANCE)
- A precious purchase – (1 Peter 1:18-19) – His blood, perfect and pure, was of the character that could satisfy the just demands of a holy God.
- A personal purchase – (Isaiah 53:4-6) – verse 7 tells us that it was "through his blood." That may sound simple, but the depths of that statement cannot be plumbed by our minds.
- A permanent purchase – (John 6:37-40) – remember, the Old Testament sacrifices merely covered sin; Christ’s blood on Calvary removed the stain of sin forever.
2. The Power of the Blood of Jesus (ASSURANCE)
- Power to cleanse – (1 John 1:7) – How, exactly, is blood a cleaning agent?
- Power to change – (2 Cor. 5:17) – this results in a change of attitude toward sin, a change of affection for sin, and a change of activity in sin.
- Power to promise – (Matthew 27:51) – can you, in your wildest dreams, even fathom the privilege we have in approaching the throne of God with confidence?
Q: If your past haunts you, if you’re wracked with guilt, what will it take to realize you’ve been cleansed?
Q: If God forgives all of our sins at the moment we're saved, why do we need to confess them to obtain forgiveness? (1 John 1:9)
Bottom Line: The gospel is that he has made himself available to us, to do everything in us, as a living God. So….let’s stop thinking we have to depend on our intellect, our ability, our gifts, our talents, or our anything, and start reckoning on his ability to supply what we lack to do what he asks (Phil. 4:13). What a relief to live a guilt-free, conscience driven life in honor of the precious blood that was shed for us!
