IF IT FEELS RIGHT, IT IS RIGHT (1 COR 4:1-5)

SERIES: DON’T BELIEVE IT, PART 1

GCEFC: JULY 5, 2009

 

INTRODUCTION

 

1.      One afternoon about 25 years ago, I was browsing in a bookstore and came upon a book that immediately grabbed my attention.

 

2.      The book was entitled: Don’t You Believe It. It was a collection of what are known as philosophical or logical fallacies.

 

3.      The word “fallacy” comes from the Latin word meaning “to deceive.” A fallacy is a type of erroneous reasoning that renders an argument logically unsound.

 

4.      When an argument contains a logical fallacy, the conclusion does not follow from the reasons given for it. For example:

 

a.       What if I said to you: I cannot speak a word of English? That statement would be a logical fallacy because I spoke English to utter the statement.

 

b.      Another common logical fallacy is known as cliché thinking. This is when we use clichés or proverbs as proof of an argument.

 

c.       If we want to argue for the value of waiting, we may say, “Haste makes waste.” But if we want to argue for moving quickly, we say, “He who hesitates is lost.”

 

d.      If we want to argue for a careful and conservative approach, we say, “Better to be safe than sorry.” But if we’re inclined to a more risky and careless pursuit, we’ll say, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

 

e.       Clichés are not sound arguments. They may enlighten to some degree. But they can also confuse and distort. Sometimes they’re even logical fallacies.

 

5.      This morning we’re starting a new summer sermon series that will take us through September 6th. I’m calling the series: Don’t Believe It.

 

6.      Which may seem like a strange thing to call a sermon series. Aren’t sermons supposed to be things we’re to believe—not disbelieve? So let me explain.

 

7.      As we journey through our Christian life, we learn things. We learn things about God, we learn what the Bible teaches, we learn about ourselves.

 

8.      We learn principles of theology and we learn a little church history. We learn how the spiritual life works. We learn what we’re to believe and what we’re to disbelieve.

 

9.      But in our pursuit of knowledge and practical understanding and application of biblical truth, sometimes we come to believe and accept what is really not true.

 

10.      One of the more common reasons for this is that somewhere along the way we heard it, and it just seemed to make sense to us—so we believed it.

 

11.      This is very common. For example:

 

a.       When I was growing up, it was commonly believed that reading in the dark hurt your eyes. I was told this frequently and went on to tell my own kids the same thing.

 

b.      But then I read a book years later called: You Know What They Say. In it I read that the Academy of Ophthalmology says: Reading in dim light can no more harm your eyes than taking a photograph in dim light can harm the camera.

 

12.      But there are loftier matters. Like the belief that the earth is the center of the universe and everything revolves around it. It wasn’t until the 16th century this myth was debunked.

 

13.      And what about the belief that the earth is flat? Actually that’s a myth of a myth. Educated people haven’t believed the earth was flat for nearly 2500 years.

 

14.      But myths and urban legends and falsehoods are not limited to folklore and primitive science. They’re alive and well among Christians too.

 

15.      This summer I want to take 7 common beliefs among Christians and expose them for what they are—myths. Beliefs we have that are not supported by the Bible.

 

16.      Beliefs that are self-contradictory, or beliefs unsupported by what the Bible teaches.

 

17.      My hope is that through our look at these issues, we’ll grow in our understanding of them. That we’ll have a better grasp of how certain things are and how they are not.

 

18.      We start today with the common belief among Christians that if it feels right, then it is right. That our conscience is a reliable guide to what is right and what is wrong.

 

A.     PRIMER ON SPIRITUAL GROWTH

 

1.      Let’s begin with a very basic question: As a Christian disciple, how do I determine what to do and what not to do on my journey toward Christlikeness?

 

2.      What things should I commit to doing and what things should I commit to avoiding?

 

3.      Well as you probably know, what we think determines what we do. Our actions are preceded by our thoughts. That’s why ROM 12 says that transformed lives come about through transformed minds.

 

4.      Then after our thoughts influence our actions, our actions determine what we become.

 

a.       So those who steal become thieves.

b.      Those who lie become liars.

c.       Those who gossip become gossips.

d.      Those who obey become obedient.

e.       Those who speak the truth become honest.

 

5.      EPH 4 says: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully. And he who has been stealing must steal no longer.

 

a.       Don’t just think about how you speak—change it.

b.      Don’t just think about not stealing—stop stealing.

 

6.      Christian discipleship is about what we think and what we do as a result of what we think. Both must be transformed before we will be transformed.

 

7.      But a basic question remains—how do I know what to think and do? What source of authority determines what is right to think and do and what is wrong to think and do?

 

a.       Is it Dear Abby? Is it our favorite blogger on the internet?

 

b.      Is it Oprah or Dr. Phil?

 

c.       Is it infomercials? My brother-in-law?

 

d.      The latest self-help book? The latest Christian bestseller?

 

8.      There are 3 primary sources from which we take our marching orders. 3 lines of authority from which we seek direction in our decisions.

 

9.          These are the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and our conscience.

 

10.      Two of these 3 are straightforward and are seldom confusing.

 

a.       If the Word of God says something is right to do—we do it with confidence. If the WOG says something is wrong to do—we avoid it consistently.

 

b.      The same is true of the Holy Spirit. But understand that the Holy Spirit never leads contrary to the Word of God.

 

c.       So if we sense the Spirit of God leading us to do something questionable—we’ll need to square it with the WOG. If it squares, then it’s safe to proceed. If it doesn’t, then we’ll need to reconsider.

 

d.      The difficulty and complexity comes when we take our cue from our conscience.

 

e.       How we relate to our conscience is absolutely crucial in our spiritual life. Because nearly everything we decide to do or not do, we decide through our conscience.

 

B.     HOW THE CONSCIENCE WORKS

 

1.      Our decision to do or not do something doesn’t come out of thin air. We decide because of the influence of that voice inside known as the conscience.

 

2.      I’m not talking about non-moral decisions like what kind of cereal you eat for breakfast.

 

3.      When it comes to moral decisions—decisions that are either right or wrong—those decisions are influenced by our conscience.

 

4.      Even if you study the Word of God or pray about your decision, in the end the choice is made because your conscience either frees you up , or locks you up.

 

5.      Helpful analogies have been suggested to help us understand the nature of the conscience.

 

a.       Some people think of their conscience as a kind of spiritual thermometer. That it tells the “moral temperature” of something.

 

b.      So we trust our conscience to tell us whether something is spiritually too hot, too cold, or just right.

 

c.       Unfortunately this is not how our conscience actually works. Our conscience is more like a spiritual thermostat. A thermostat doesn’t define hot or cold. A thermostat simply responds to our definition of hot or cold.

 

d.      A thermostat could care less what the temperature is set on. It’s simply designed to keep the temperature at that level.

 

e.       But you and I set the thermostat—it doesn’t set itself. Our conscience doesn’t tell us we’re violating God’s standard. It tells us we’re violating our own standard!

 

f.        Your conscience will beckon you to do what you believe is right, and it will restrain you from doing what you believe is wrong.

 

g.       But we should not equate the conscience with the voice of God or the truth of God or the will of God. The conscience is a human faculty that judges your thoughts and actions in keeping with your standards.

 

h.       When you violate your conscience—it condemns you. When you follow your conscience it commends you.

 

i.         Condemnation from our conscience brings feelings of guilt, shame, regret, anxiety, and fear. Commendation from our conscience brings feelings of joy, gladness, confidence, self-respect, and peace.

 

j.        The conscience is not a source of revelation about what is right and wrong. The conscience does not teach us truth or ethical ideals.

 

k.      The conscience simply holds us accountable to the standards of right and wrong that we hold.

 

6.      We get a glimpse of this from 1 COR 4, where we read some interesting words penned by the Apostle Paul. He says, beginning at V2: Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

 

7.      Does it seem strange that the Apostle Paul could not rely on his clear conscience? He said his conscience was clear—but this didn’t make him innocent.

 

8.      If there was ever a clear conscience that would ensure innocence—it seems like it would be Paul’s. Apparently not. Apparently even though Paul’s conscience did not condemn him—it was insufficient as a judge

 

C.     GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

 

1.      So there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that the conscience is an extremely valuable spiritual early warning system. It’s very useful in letting us know when it’s not safe to proceed.

 

2.      But there’s also bad news when it comes to the conscience. Our conscience is not infallible. Remember, we set the thermostat and we can set it high or low.

 

3.      When we start thinking that our conscience is a source of truth. That our conscience is equal to the voice of God—we’re in trouble.

 

4.      The conscience is not a source of truth. It’s only a reflector of what we already believe.

 

5.      And to make matters worse, JER 17:9 tells us that: The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. The heart here is equated with the conscience.

 

6.      In other words, that internal guidance system that we use to help us decide when something is right or wrong—is a corrupt system itself.

 

7.      Our conscience can even be at the end of a continuum that actually gets us into trouble.

 

a.       We may have a conscience that’s insensitive to biblical truth. It may be so corrupted by repeated sin that it’s no longer sensitive to what is wrong.

 

b.      We’ve known people like this. They do whatever they feel like doing because their conscience never condemns them.

 

c.       Others have a conscience that’s too sensitive. So they feel guilty about doing things that the Bible doesn’t even forbid.

 

d.      You’ve known people like this too. Their lives are one big guilt trip because their conscience is always condemning them for things that aren’t even wrong.

 

D.    CONSCIENCE CONSCIOUSNESS

1.      So what is a Christian disciple to do? We have this wonderful gift of a conscience that serves as an effective early warning system.

 

2.      But it simply reflects our own value system. It doesn’t teach us truth. It just keeps us within the guidelines of the truth we already possess and at core believe.

 

3.      But there are two things we can do that will make a difference. The first thing we do is inform our conscience from the Word of God.

 

a.       Because our conscience is a mirror of what we already know and believe, it’s imperative that we know and believe what God has revealed as true.

 

b.      We need to inform our conscience with the truth of what the Bible teaches. That way, when our conscience reflects back to us our core beliefs—our core beliefs will correspond to the godly truth of the Word of God.

 

c.       This means we need to read and study the Word of God. We already know this.

 

d.      The second thing we do is compare what our conscience is telling us with what the Word of God teaches. Otherwise we’ll be cleared to do what is wrong.

 

e.       So we study the Bible so our conscience is properly informed. And when our conscience warns us about a particular thing, we consult what the Bible teaches to be sure that the warning squares with it.

 

4.      So…If it feels right, it is right—may be right—or it may be wrong.

 

5.      If we will study the Word of God so we know what is right. And our internal conscience adjusts to our core values based upon what the Word of God declares.

 

6.      And if we square what God has revealed in his Word with that voice of conscience within—we’ll find that our conscience is a wonderful gift from God that will serve us well on our journey as disciples.