Commentary on "Joab: David's Weak Strongman"

JONATHAN BILIMA

 

Day 3: Monday, November 15, 2010 - The Cost of Sin

 

Overview

In today’s lesson there is an assumption made by the authors that sin takes place in our lives because we simply violate our conscience.

“But striving to make oneself indispensable rather than focusing on doing the right thing often involves violating one’s conscience. If that happens again and again, the voice of our conscience becomes duller and duller, until we are unable to stand up when it really counts.”

 

Observations

Although the above statement could be true, on one hand there is a fundamental theological problem created by this ideology. What I sense the authors implying here is the idea that one’s conscience is neutral or even good but becomes sinful based on his/her decision to reject following it. The truth is that we are formed and shaped in iniquity and that iniquity is also found in our conscience. Good conscience, prior to being transformed by Jesus, is shaped by an form of moralism that is dominant in the culture that one is surrounded by. Although there may be good in the conscience, it doesn’t necessarily lead one to righteousness and godly living.

The conscience can help one determine between right and wrong in some sense but for the Christian, the Holy Spirit is the One who brings about transformation and right actions. As Christians, Jesus doesn’t call us to live conscience-led lives but to filled with the Spirit  and rely on the Spirit’s leading in our lives. Our consciences are taught and properly informed only when we are born again and submitted to the Holy Spirit's teaching through the the words of Scripture. 

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

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