You and Your Conscience

The conscience. It is that still small voice in you. It is a display of God’s love, grace and kindness, calling you to Himself. - Clint Decker

David knew where all the creaks were in the floor down the hallway. This helped one night when he snuck out of the house after his parents went to bed.

He quietly opened the door of his room, and passed by his parents, while he carefully stepped down the hallway, gently hopping from left to right, strategically avoiding every creak. Then when he made it outside, we met up and took off together.

Why did not David just open his door and walk out of the house while saying, “Good night dad and mom! I am headed out. I will be back in a little while. Love you!”? Because David and I knew what we were doing was wrong, and we wanted to hide it from his parents.

What testified to us that it was wrong? Our conscience (and mine especially since I was a few years older). Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist once wrote, “Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still, small voice says to us, something is out of tune.” David and I knew something was out of tune when he sneaked out of the house, instead of listening to that quiet voice to “Honor your father and your mother…” (Exodus 20:12)

God describes the conscience as something that leads to “…conflicting thoughts [that] accuse or even excuse them…” (Romans 2:15) One writer state’s that the Bible’s word for conscience in the New Testament is suneidēsis, which means “moral awareness” or “moral consciousness.” The conscience reacts positively or negatively when one’s actions, thoughts, and words either conform to, or contradict, God’s moral law, which is the universal standard for right and wrong.

The conscience to our soul, is like the nerve ending in our fingers. When our hand touches a hot pan, we are instantly alerted and pull it back to protect ourselves from danger. Likewise, when we violate God’s moral law through behaviors of the heart and life like lying, sexual immorality, hate, anger or profanity our conscience warns us, giving us an opportunity to protect ourselves from danger.

Some people have what is called a “seared conscience.” One writer says, “it is a conscience that has become desensitized to what is right and wrong.” One that has become numb to guilt and shame, where a person has so trained themselves that wrong is right, that they have become a servant of Satan and a tool of demons.

The conscience is a creation of God that He has gifted us with when He fashioned us together. It is truly a creation of hope. Rather than leaving us to ourselves, the conscience (with the work of God’s Spirit) awakens us to how we have fallen short of His moral standards, and how we stand in desperate need of a Savior.

Our guilty conscience may not seem like a blessing, because it weighs us down. It can distract our focus, interrupt our sleep and ruin our fun. Consequently, we try to ignore it. We try to justify what we have done. We try drowning it out with addictions like drugs or alcohol to numb our conscience. We cover it up with busyness, entertainment or work. Yet, that still small voice is there. It is a display of God’s love for you. His grace and kindness, calling you to Himself.

Jesus came from heaven to earth and died and rose again that you might turn from your evil ways and to Him by faith. And when you do, He will bless you with a clear conscience, and a peace and joy that will endure.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I realize what I am wrestling with is not myself, but you. Thank you for my conscience and your Spirit that is revealing how I have fallen. Today, I no longer make excuses but acknowledge my failure and call to you for forgiveness through Jesus. In His name I pray. Amen.

Are Christianity and Islam Compatible?

The Qur’an acknowledges Jesus and respects Him as a messenger of Allah but writes that He was created by God as a human being. - Clint Decker

After I finished my message as a guest speaker in a local church, the service continued with a special fundraising event. During that time, a Muslim politician and his wife entered the church and came up to the platform to make a donation. Afterwards, the husband turned toward the congregation and stated, “We worship the same God.” (Image from magnific.com)

Is that true? Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? The question is relevant due to the rise of Islam in the United States. The Muslim population has increased over 100% since the year 2000, growing from around 2 million to 4 million with nearly 3,000 mosques in all 50 states.

In English we use the name “God.” In Hebrew, the main name for God is “Elohim”. In Greek, it is “Theos,” and in Arabic the name for God is “Allah.” Islam’s sacred text, the Qur’an (Quran or Koran), was originally written in Arabic and uses the term Allah for God. Is the God of the Bible and the Qur’an the same?

Many around the world have heard the statement, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” This is called the “Shahada”, the most sacred statement in Islam. It must be confessed for someone to convert to Islam, is recited in daily prayers and is rooted in the teachings of the Qur’an.

The first part of this statement of faith “There is no god but Allah,” is at odds with the God of the Bible. The Scriptures say, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) It seems similar on the surface as Islam, but in Christianity, God’s oneness is represented in three forms. God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. One God, one person in three forms. This is a core Christian doctrine called “The Trinity.” The religion of Islam denies this. Why is this such an important distinction? Because it affects Jesus. To deny the Trinitarian view of God, is to deny the deity of Christ.

The Qur’an acknowledges Jesus and respects Him as a messenger of Allah but writes that He was created by God as a human being, “Indeed, the example of Jesus in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be!” And he was!” (3:59) Since Islam views Jesus as a creation of God, the religion strongly rejects the deity of Christ. The Qur’an says, “God has never ascribed to Himself any son, and there is no other god beside Him.” (23:91)

The Bible correctly speaks of Jesus, where He said of Himself, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) For those who doubted He was the Son of God, He provided evidence through His miracles, signs, wonders and teachings. The greatest sign was His suffering and death upon the cross. His followers then took His body down from the cross and buried Him in the grave like any other person. However, three days later the tombstone was rolled away and His grave was found empty. Jesus had risen from the dead like He predicted in advance.

Why did He do all those signs and wonders, and rise from the dead? He did it that we might be forgiven of our sins and have a relationship with Him. The Qur’an does not speak of God as being knowable or having love for all people. This, however, is a central message of the Christian faith. Though Christianity and Islam are not compatible, the Lord God sends the good news of Jesus to all the world, including Muslims, as an expression of His goodness and love for them.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray that you will grant me an understanding of the Islamic religion to love and dialogue with Muslims. I pray as well that you will grant Muslims an understanding of Jesus through His miracles and teachings, that they might know the reason for His death and resurrection. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are Christianity and Socialism Compatible?

In opposition to God, socialism forcibly takes from one and gives to another. Karl Marx wrote, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” - Clint Decker

Is socialism a good government system? According to a CNBC survey, nearly 50% of younger Americans think so. Let us look at one example of a socialist program from the distant past. (Image from freepik.com)

Collectivization was a socialist policy instituted under communist Soviet Union leader, Joseph Stalin. One of his programs was “Kolkhozy” (Collective Farms), which became the nationalization of agriculture. The program forced farmers and ranchers to hand over their operations to the government, which included their land, cattle and equipment. Farmers and ranchers then switched from being owners, to employees of their operations, receiving wages from the government. They also had firm production and delivery quotas to meet. The socialist program resulted in a nationwide uprising, as citizens rejected the government’s theft of their property. In retaliation, farmers and ranchers destroyed their crops and cattle. The government responded by executing or exiling thousands of farmers and ranchers. It all caused chaos in the national food system leading to an eventual famine and starvation that killed millions of people in the Soviet Union.

Communist and socialist governments tend to promise much good to win the support of citizens but deliver something very different to the detriment of their citizens.

The Bible is the source of all truth. What does it say about socialism? Is Christianity and socialism compatible?

1. Seizing private property. According to the Bible, God created the heavens and the earth and owns everything within them. He also has commanded mankind to be good stewards of what He has given, which means to be reliable owners of all that has been entrusted to us. Consequently, God established a universal moral law stating, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), to protect private property.

In opposition to God, a key tenet of socialism is where the government seizes control or ownership of privately run key areas of society like education, the press, transportation, agriculture, technology, energy, housing or healthcare.

2. Forced distribution of wealth. According to the Bible, Jesus will one day say to His followers, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21) This statement reveals what God values. Hard work. Productivity. Excellence. Profit. All to the best of one’s ability.

In opposition to God, socialism forcibly takes from one and gives to another. Karl Marx wrote, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Not only is this a form of theft by the government, but also disincentives how God created us. It discourages the worker from striving for a profit, knowing it will be seized, and dampens the drive to work, knowing one will receive from another, who has been forced to give.

3. A divided society. According to the Bible, “…God shows no partiality.” (Romans 2:11) Though God recognizes the natural physical needs of the poor, sick, widows, orphans and those treated unjustly—God condemns favoritism. Under His divine law, He is no respecter of persons, all will be accountable to Him.

In opposition to God, a socialist government puts people in classes and sets them in opposition to each other, deciding who is the oppressed and oppressor. The rich oppress the poor, whites oppress people of color, men oppress women and so on. And it all leads to a divided society.

Instead of encouraging the God-given natural rights of freedom in every man and woman, socialism suppresses that through government control. Instead of the government being a servant of God, as intended, they become like god.

Finally, to safeguard government control, socialists will stomp out the true gospel of Jesus that speaks the truth about sin and calls all people to repentance and faith in the living God.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will give me understanding into socialism. Help me to see it with the eyes of wisdom and discernment. Help me to see it laid down against the truth of your Word and reject the lies it teaches. In Jesus’ name. Amen.