WE come to the next chapter of our Complete Green Letters study on Positional Truth, Sins and Conscience. As said in the last comment, the previous chapter dealt with the principle of indwelling sin, resident within (Rom 7:13ff). This chapter expands upon the gracious provision we have in Christ, showing our Advocate on high in maintaining our fellowship with the Father. The comfort derived from this is so singularly important and significant as our author once again takes things from many scriptures and weaves those scriptures as on a string of pearls to behold.
WHEN we speak about our conscience, we are reminded of the many places in scripture that reference the peace of God that surpasses mere understanding: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You (Isa. 26:3); In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength (Isa. 30:15), and more! When faced with our many failures and sins, knowing we have an Advocate with the Father can result in great comfort and peace. Also knowing that “no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man” (1Cor 10:13a) is also a comfort and help to a troubled conscience dealing with sin (Rom. 7:14ff); finding the hope that we are not alone in our struggles with sin and temptation. I recall counseling a young man who was dealing with troubling sins of the flesh, pointing him to the reality of 1Cor 10:13, he looked up with hopeful eyes realizing we wasn’t “alone” or “hopelessly broken,” that his experience was “common to everyone” and that there was hope since “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” The way of course is Christ himself, who redeems us not only from sin’s condemnation, but power as well (Rom 7: 24 – 8:4). This is the way, the truth alone that can work wonders for a troubled conscience on the quest for Christ (Phil. 3: 12-14).
WELL, I’ve gone a little long, so I’ll stop here and get to this week’s consideration.
In the joy of the Lord,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa. 30:15 & Job 2:10
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Chapter26—Sins and Conscience
“We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10, ASV). It is because of His work on the cross that our conscience is at peace despite indwelling sin. Once we know our conscience to be purged concerning the ever-present principle of sin, we can rest in our Father’s gracious provision for the sins we commit—but not until. The fact of sin within can in no way keep us from resting and rejoicing in our risen Lord, abiding in the very presence of our Father. He Himself, after condemning sin in the flesh, “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6, NASB).
Advocate
When we are at rest concerning sin, through abiding in the risen Lord, we are established and ready to receive His answer to the problem of sins committed. There are two factors that come into play when we have sinned: Christ’s advocacy (this chapter); our confession (next chapter). His advocacy is the foundation for our confession.
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). An advocate is one who speaks in support of another. Our Lord Jesus has entered heaven, “now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24). As our High Priest, He is in God’s presence on our behalf; He is there as our propitiation, our atonement.
… to be continued.
