Mat 6:12 Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
1 Tim. 1:19 Holding faith and a good conscience, concerning which some, thrusting these away, have become shipwrecked regarding the faith.
(Part 1 of 2)
Day by day, we commit offenses against God. In many things, we may not have sinned, but we have incurred debts. Failing to do what we should do is to incur a debt. Failing to say what we should say is to incur a debt. It is not easy for us to maintain a good conscience before God. Every night when we go to bed, we realize that we have committed many offenses against God. We have to ask God to forgive us and forgive our debts before we can have a good conscience. This is very important. To be forgiven of our debts is like being forgiven of our sins; we must have it before we can have a good conscience and before we can live before God with boldness. Many brothers and sisters have the experience that as soon as their conscience has a leakage their faith is gone. We must not have any leakage in our conscience.
Concerning faith and a good conscience, Paul said that some, thrusting these away, have become shipwrecked regarding the faith (1Tim. 1:19). The conscience is like a ship; it cannot afford to have any holes. Once the conscience has a hole, faith leaks out. The conscience cannot have any debts; it cannot accumulate any offenses. Once it has any offense, it will have a hole, and the first thing that will leak away is our faith. If the conscience has a hole, one cannot believe even if he tries to. Once condemnation arises in the conscience, faith will leak away. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in order to maintain a good conscience, we have to ask God to forgive our debts. This is a crucial matter. This forgiving of our debt has nothing to do with our receiving of eternal life. But it has to do with our fellowship and with God’s discipline.
(Continued tomorrow)
Thought Of the Day: Day by day, we commit offenses against God. In many things, we may not have sinned, but we have incurred debts. Failing to do what we should do is to incur a debt. Failing to say what we should say is to incur a debt. It is not easy for us to maintain a good conscience before God. Many brothers and sisters have the experience that as soon as their conscience has a leakage their faith is gone. We must not have any leakage in our conscience.
Prayer Confession: Dear father forgive me even now for all my debts help me maintain a good conscience before you, so that my faith does not leak away.
Further Bible Readings: 1Timothy 1:5, 1Timothy 3:9;
