Do Not Let Conscience Silence God's Voice

The first section presents the main theme of the sermon about spiritual warfare in the life of believers. The pastor reminds that Scripture teaches this battle is real, ongoing 24/7 between three main enemies: the world, the flesh, and demons. The devil's strategy is to deceive believers into living according to the conscience of the old self rather than according to Scripture and the Holy Spirit's instruction. Many Christians participate in external religious rituals like attending church, giving, and worship, but do not allow their hearts to change, keeping themselves as the old self merely polished by religious forms.

The second section develops the argument about differences and changes in conscience through specific biblical and historical examples. The pastor shows that not everyone hears the same conscience, and conscience changes according to individual, circumstance, time, and custom. He uses the stories of Adolf Eichmann, murderers, and biblical figures like Saul to illustrate how human conscience can be completely silent while committing grave sins. The contrast between Saul and David reveals clearly: Saul transforms from a gentle person into a cruel one because of jealousy, while David's conscience remains sensitive to the fear of God.

The third section explores the primary causes of conscience change. The pastor identifies two main reasons: first, when people refuse to listen to conscience's reminders and close the window of conscience so that the light of Scripture cannot illuminate spiritual life, conscience gradually becomes darkened, seared, and eventually completely silent. Second, when people not only refuse to listen but also replace God's law with laws created by humans. The pastor uses the example of the Avianca plane crash and John Bunyan to illustrate how the alarm system (conscience) is shut off or poisoned by demons.

The fourth section explains the conscience of the new person in Christ. The moral foundation for believers is not conscience but Scripture. The pastor cites Paul and Martin Luther to show that the believer's conscience must be held captive to God's Word, transformed by Scripture. Scripture promises that Christ's blood cleanses the conscience of those who believe in Him, purifying them from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore, believers must approach God with sincerity of heart to have their consciences cleansed, and must not allow conscience to silence God's voice in Scripture.