First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Lord’s Day February 9, 2003 Anno Domini

Hebrews 13:18

Prayer and a Good Conscience

  I.   What is it to have a good conscience?
 

      A.  The conscience is the inward faculty of distinguishing right and
wrong.
        

Romans 2:14-15

      B.  “for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all
things desiring to live honorably.”
            

Acts 23:1; 2Tim 1:3; 1Peter 2:17.

     C.  To have a good conscience means that we have not
offended God or man.
       

Acts 24:16; Gen 2:17;

   II. To acquire a good conscience
     A.  A conscience is made good by having the heart cleansed
of sin by the atonement of Jesus Christ.
       

Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 9:14

     B.  A good conscience cannot come from religious rituals or
from just doing the best you can.
       

Hebrews 9:9; 10:2

     C.  A good conscience is strengthened by living rightly
before God.
       

2Corinthians 1:12; 1Corinthians 8:7.

   III.  Maintain a good conscience: desire to conduct
yourselves honorably in all things.
     A.  Maintain good conduct.
       

1Peter 3:16; 1Timothy 1:19.

     B.  Keeping a good conscience motivates you to live a life
that pleases God.
       

1Timothy 1:5; 4:2

     C.  A prayer for a good conscience: Psalm 26.
       

Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 36.

What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

Pastor Christian Adjemian, Dipl.Div., Ph.D.

pastor@reformedprescambridge.com phone: 617.864.3185