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Desire to be a vessel of honor unto the Lord Jesus Christ?
Join Hidden in Him and For His Glory for discussions on how
https://christianforums.net/threads/become-a-vessel-of-honor-part-2.112306/
The Vanishing Conscience - by John F. MacArthur, Jr.
- Thread starter Relic
- Start date
G
Gary
Guest
Yes, I have read this book. I think it is excellent.
I will post a longer comment later as to why I enjoyed the book. I spent some time reading and marking the book.
Your thoughts...??....
I will post a longer comment later as to why I enjoyed the book. I spent some time reading and marking the book.
Your thoughts...??....
G
Gary
Guest
Summary (from the electronic version)
PART I - A Sinful Society
Modern society is full of sin, decadence, and devastating spiritual catastrophe. It can be seen at every turn. Part I isolates the causes in a sinful world where consciences have been silenced by sin.
Chapter 1, “Whatever Happened to Sin?,†singles out society’s tolerant notions about guilt and sin. It shows numerous examples of how society has treated every human failing as some kind of disease and created a “disease-model therapy†that only compounds the problem. It shows how victimism has taken the place of traditional morality, even in the church.
Chapter 2, “The Soul’s Automatic Warning System,†introduces the book’s key concept of the vanishing conscience, which warns the soul about the presence of sin. It discusses how the conscience can be cleansed and strengthened.
Chapter 3, “How Sin Silences the Conscience,†examines society’s continuing downward spiral into sin because of secularism, lack of common sense, corrupt religion, uncontrolled lust, and sexual perversion. It parallels the decadence of Rome with today’s moral decline and highlights the desperate need for revival.
Part II - The Nature of Sin
We must understand the nature of sinâ€â€specifically our own sinfulnessâ€â€before we can know how to deal with it, without and within. If we are to rejuvenate our vanishing consciences, we must first understand the nature of sin. Once we understand the enemy, we will be able to employ the biblical strategy to gain real victory over sin (the focus of Part III). Part II specifically provides this understanding by showing how and why the conscience is silenced by sin.
Chapter 4, “What Do You Mean, Totally Depraved?†explains the doctrine of total depravity as explained by Paul in Romans 1-3. It also introduces the self-esteem credo of modern psychology as a major stumbling block to people’s understanding the depth of their own sinfulness. It shows society’s focus on self, not God.
Chapter 5, “Sin and Its Cure,†examines the character of sin and how we attempt to justify it. It explores the theological problem of where sin and evil come from and how they fit in God’s providence. It then turns to the liberation from sin through union with Christ and the new birth.
Chapter 6, “The Conquered Enemy Within,†examines some misguided religious attempts to deal with sin. It exposes the dangers of perfectionism and examines several perfectionist groups in church history. It shows the importance of keeping the proper relationship between sanctification and justification. It treats what it means to be “freed from sin.â€Â
PART III - Handling Sin
Part III provides many practical solutions to gaining victory over sin in our daily walk.
Chapter 7, “Hacking Agag to Pieces,†describes the necessity and the “how-to†of continuously mortifying the sin in our lives, lest it keep sprouting up again to wound us.
Chapter 8, “Handling Temptation,†examines society’s glorification of the seven deadly sins. It suggests ways of overcoming temptation by looking at its means, nature, and extent. It shows how God sends not temptation but tests, which we can learn from and which are not beyond our endurance.
Chapter 9, “Keeping a Pure Mind,†examines the dangers of a sinful thought life and gives suggestions for guarding against sins of thought by watching over our hearts and knowing how the mind sins.
Chapter 10, “Holding to the Mystery of Faith with a Clear Conscience,†emphasizes how modern evangelicalism has forgotten the exceeding sinfulness of sin and instead preoccupied believers with the pursuit of “feeling good.†It examines the Bible’s stance on the intrinsic worth of individuals and modern psychology’s hostility to the doctrine of sin. It concludes with showing specific and practical principles to assist our consciences to detect and cope with the presence of sin in our lives.
PART I - A Sinful Society
Modern society is full of sin, decadence, and devastating spiritual catastrophe. It can be seen at every turn. Part I isolates the causes in a sinful world where consciences have been silenced by sin.
Chapter 1, “Whatever Happened to Sin?,†singles out society’s tolerant notions about guilt and sin. It shows numerous examples of how society has treated every human failing as some kind of disease and created a “disease-model therapy†that only compounds the problem. It shows how victimism has taken the place of traditional morality, even in the church.
Chapter 2, “The Soul’s Automatic Warning System,†introduces the book’s key concept of the vanishing conscience, which warns the soul about the presence of sin. It discusses how the conscience can be cleansed and strengthened.
Chapter 3, “How Sin Silences the Conscience,†examines society’s continuing downward spiral into sin because of secularism, lack of common sense, corrupt religion, uncontrolled lust, and sexual perversion. It parallels the decadence of Rome with today’s moral decline and highlights the desperate need for revival.
Part II - The Nature of Sin
We must understand the nature of sinâ€â€specifically our own sinfulnessâ€â€before we can know how to deal with it, without and within. If we are to rejuvenate our vanishing consciences, we must first understand the nature of sin. Once we understand the enemy, we will be able to employ the biblical strategy to gain real victory over sin (the focus of Part III). Part II specifically provides this understanding by showing how and why the conscience is silenced by sin.
Chapter 4, “What Do You Mean, Totally Depraved?†explains the doctrine of total depravity as explained by Paul in Romans 1-3. It also introduces the self-esteem credo of modern psychology as a major stumbling block to people’s understanding the depth of their own sinfulness. It shows society’s focus on self, not God.
Chapter 5, “Sin and Its Cure,†examines the character of sin and how we attempt to justify it. It explores the theological problem of where sin and evil come from and how they fit in God’s providence. It then turns to the liberation from sin through union with Christ and the new birth.
Chapter 6, “The Conquered Enemy Within,†examines some misguided religious attempts to deal with sin. It exposes the dangers of perfectionism and examines several perfectionist groups in church history. It shows the importance of keeping the proper relationship between sanctification and justification. It treats what it means to be “freed from sin.â€Â
PART III - Handling Sin
Part III provides many practical solutions to gaining victory over sin in our daily walk.
Chapter 7, “Hacking Agag to Pieces,†describes the necessity and the “how-to†of continuously mortifying the sin in our lives, lest it keep sprouting up again to wound us.
Chapter 8, “Handling Temptation,†examines society’s glorification of the seven deadly sins. It suggests ways of overcoming temptation by looking at its means, nature, and extent. It shows how God sends not temptation but tests, which we can learn from and which are not beyond our endurance.
Chapter 9, “Keeping a Pure Mind,†examines the dangers of a sinful thought life and gives suggestions for guarding against sins of thought by watching over our hearts and knowing how the mind sins.
Chapter 10, “Holding to the Mystery of Faith with a Clear Conscience,†emphasizes how modern evangelicalism has forgotten the exceeding sinfulness of sin and instead preoccupied believers with the pursuit of “feeling good.†It examines the Bible’s stance on the intrinsic worth of individuals and modern psychology’s hostility to the doctrine of sin. It concludes with showing specific and practical principles to assist our consciences to detect and cope with the presence of sin in our lives.
- Thread starter
- #4
Wow! You just about covered it there!
How can I even dare to add onto that?
John MacArthur is and has been for a long time one of my favorite preachers. His abrupt in your face way of presenting conviction of sin is difficult to ignore. The truth of it echoes in your mind for the rest of the day, after hearing it. Same holds true for this book!
I found some of Dr. MacArthur's one liners very amusing and yet very strikingly serious in the truth of them.
Such as in this one:
"Because sin is so pervasive, we naturally tend to be insensitive to our own sin, just as a skunk is impervious to its own odor. "
As time permits, I'd like to add some small excerpts from the book to this thread.
.
How can I even dare to add onto that?
John MacArthur is and has been for a long time one of my favorite preachers. His abrupt in your face way of presenting conviction of sin is difficult to ignore. The truth of it echoes in your mind for the rest of the day, after hearing it. Same holds true for this book!
I found some of Dr. MacArthur's one liners very amusing and yet very strikingly serious in the truth of them.
Such as in this one:
"Because sin is so pervasive, we naturally tend to be insensitive to our own sin, just as a skunk is impervious to its own odor. "
As time permits, I'd like to add some small excerpts from the book to this thread.
.
G
Gary
Guest
John MacArthur
Me too!! I have several of his books and use his Study Bible often.
The books I have enjoyed:
Hard to Believe - the high cost and infinite value of following Jesus (2003) - Rating 6/10
The Keys to Spiritual Growth - unlocking the riches of God (1991) - Rating 9/10 (I know that because I have written all over the book and highlighted many sections!)
Nothing but the Truth - upholding the Gospel in a doubting age (1999) - Rating 8/10 (Great for testing your witness)
Alone with God - the power and passion of prayer (1995) - Rating 7/10 (I should re-read this one!)
The Pillars of Christian Character - the essential attitudes of a living faith (1998) - Rating 8/10 (V. Good)
The Murder of Jesus (2000) - Rating 9/10 - (Excellent. When you compare this to something like Mel Gibson's movie, you realise how far short Gibson fell!)
I am sure I have others but they are in the pile somewhere or loaned out!
Relic, please do continue to post extracts or quotes... I love seeing another person's insights.
Kind regards
Gary
relic said:
Me too!! I have several of his books and use his Study Bible often.
The books I have enjoyed:
Hard to Believe - the high cost and infinite value of following Jesus (2003) - Rating 6/10
The Keys to Spiritual Growth - unlocking the riches of God (1991) - Rating 9/10 (I know that because I have written all over the book and highlighted many sections!)
Nothing but the Truth - upholding the Gospel in a doubting age (1999) - Rating 8/10 (Great for testing your witness)
Alone with God - the power and passion of prayer (1995) - Rating 7/10 (I should re-read this one!)
The Pillars of Christian Character - the essential attitudes of a living faith (1998) - Rating 8/10 (V. Good)
The Murder of Jesus (2000) - Rating 9/10 - (Excellent. When you compare this to something like Mel Gibson's movie, you realise how far short Gibson fell!)
I am sure I have others but they are in the pile somewhere or loaned out!
Relic, please do continue to post extracts or quotes... I love seeing another person's insights.
Kind regards
Gary
- Thread starter
- #6
.
John MacArthur recently posted this article on the Oneplace.com web site.
Keeping a Pure Conscience
by: John MacArthur
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through the years I've been a pastor, I have watched our culture unravel in its addiction to corruption. People are enslaved to sex, numb to violence, and terminally self-consumed. The rapid increase in the pervasiveness and openness of sin is paralleled by a decreasing sensitivity to conscience. And no wonder. People are trained to ignore their guilt-and yet their drowning in it.
Our culture has declared war on guilt. The very concept is considered medieval, obsolete, unproductive. People who trouble themselves with feelings of personal guilt are usually referred to therapists, whose task it is to boost their self-image. No one, after all, is supposed to feel guilty. Guilt is not conducive to dignity and self-esteem. Society encourages sin, but it will not tolerate the guilt sin produces.
But the answer to dealing with guilt is not to ignore it-that's the most dangerous thing you can do. Instead, you need to understand that God graciously implanted a powerful ally within you to aid you in the battle against sin. He gave you your conscience, and that gift is the key to bringing you joy and freedom.
If you find your conscience polluted by this fallen world, you are not alone. According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Christians just like you come out of all kinds of sinful backgrounds, some of them quite wretched. But, through the blood of Christ, God has been gracious to "cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14).
As a Christian, you have the capacity to walk before God with a clear conscience. In fact, that is your daily privilege and joy. Paul said, "I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men" (Acts 24:16).
That can be a daunting task in this world, but rest assured-you have every resource to keep a healthy, sensitive, and pure conscience. Here are some simple principles to remember involving confession, forgiveness, restitution, procrastination, and education.
Confession
Confess and forsake known sin. Examine your guilt feelings in light of Scripture. Deal with the sin God's Word reveals. Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." First John 1 speaks of confession of sin as an ongoing characteristic of the Christian life: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (v. 9).
We should certainly confess to those we have wronged: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed" (James 5:16). But above all, you should confess to the One whom sin offends most. As David wrote, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD'; and You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Psalm 32:5).
Forgiveness
Ask forgiveness and be reconciled to anyone you have wronged. Jesus instructed us,
Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. (Matthew 5:23-24)
Jesus also said,
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:14-15)
Restitution
Make restitution to those you've wronged. God told Moses:
Speak to the sons of Israel, "When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the LORD, and that person is guilty, then he shall confess his sins which he has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged." (Numbers 5:6-7)
The principle behind that law is binding on believers living in the New Testament era as well (cf. Luke 19:8; Philemon 19).
Procrastination
Don't procrastinate in clearing your wounded conscience. Paul said he did his best "to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men" (Acts 24:16). Some people put off dealing with their guilt, thinking their conscience will clear itself in time. It won't.
Procrastination allows the guilt feelings to fester. That in turn generates depression, anxiety, and other emotional problems.
Guilt feelings may persist long after the offense is forgotten, often spilling over to other areas of our lives. That's one reason people often feel guilty and are not sure why. Such confused guilt may be a symptom that something is terribly wrong spiritually. Paul may have had that in mind when he wrote, "To those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their consciences are defiled" (Titus 1:15).
Dealing with a wounded conscience immediately by heart-searching prayer before God is the only way to keep it clear and sensitive. Putting off dealing with guilt inevitably compounds the problems.
Education
Educate your conscience. A weak, easily grieved conscience results from a lack of spiritual knowledge (1 Corinthians 8:7). If your conscience is too easily wounded, don't violate it. To violate even a weak conscience is to train yourself to override conviction, and that will lead to overriding true conviction about real sin.
Moreover, violating the conscience is a sin in itself (v. 12; cf. Romans 14:23), bringing legitimate guilt for a real offense against God. So, respond to your conscience, even if it's weak, and then continue to inform your conscience with God's Word so it can begin to function with reliable data.
An important aspect of educating the conscience is teaching it to focus on the right object-divinely revealed truth. If your conscience looks only to personal feelings, it can accuse you wrongfully.
You are certainly not to order your life according to your feelings. A conscience fixed on feelings becomes unreliable. If you are subject to depression and melancholy, you of all people should not allow your conscience to be informed by your feelings. Despondent feelings will provoke unnecessary doubts and fears in the soul when not kept in check by a well-advised conscience. The conscience must be persuaded by God's Word, not by your feelings.
Furthermore, the conscience errs when the mind focuses wholly on your faltering in sin and ignores the triumphs of God's grace in you. True Christians experience both realities. Conscience must be allowed to weigh the fruit of the Spirit in your life as well as the remnants or your sinful flesh. It must see your faith as well as your failings. Otherwise the conscience will become overly accusing, prone to unwholesome doubts about your standing before God.
Learn to subject your conscience to the truth of God and the teaching of Scripture. As you do that, your conscience will be more clearly focused and better able to give you reliable feedback. With a trustworthy conscience, you have a powerful aid to spiritual growth and stability. With a clear conscience, you live in an abundance of freedom and joy.
Adapted from The Vanishing Conscience, © 1994 by John MacArthur. All rights reserved.
• Grace to You (Monday, March 21, 2005)
http://www.oneplace.com/Articles/Print-Friendly.asp?article_id=954
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John MacArthur recently posted this article on the Oneplace.com web site.
Keeping a Pure Conscience
by: John MacArthur
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through the years I've been a pastor, I have watched our culture unravel in its addiction to corruption. People are enslaved to sex, numb to violence, and terminally self-consumed. The rapid increase in the pervasiveness and openness of sin is paralleled by a decreasing sensitivity to conscience. And no wonder. People are trained to ignore their guilt-and yet their drowning in it.
Our culture has declared war on guilt. The very concept is considered medieval, obsolete, unproductive. People who trouble themselves with feelings of personal guilt are usually referred to therapists, whose task it is to boost their self-image. No one, after all, is supposed to feel guilty. Guilt is not conducive to dignity and self-esteem. Society encourages sin, but it will not tolerate the guilt sin produces.
But the answer to dealing with guilt is not to ignore it-that's the most dangerous thing you can do. Instead, you need to understand that God graciously implanted a powerful ally within you to aid you in the battle against sin. He gave you your conscience, and that gift is the key to bringing you joy and freedom.
If you find your conscience polluted by this fallen world, you are not alone. According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Christians just like you come out of all kinds of sinful backgrounds, some of them quite wretched. But, through the blood of Christ, God has been gracious to "cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14).
As a Christian, you have the capacity to walk before God with a clear conscience. In fact, that is your daily privilege and joy. Paul said, "I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men" (Acts 24:16).
That can be a daunting task in this world, but rest assured-you have every resource to keep a healthy, sensitive, and pure conscience. Here are some simple principles to remember involving confession, forgiveness, restitution, procrastination, and education.
Confession
Confess and forsake known sin. Examine your guilt feelings in light of Scripture. Deal with the sin God's Word reveals. Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." First John 1 speaks of confession of sin as an ongoing characteristic of the Christian life: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (v. 9).
We should certainly confess to those we have wronged: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed" (James 5:16). But above all, you should confess to the One whom sin offends most. As David wrote, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD'; and You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Psalm 32:5).
Forgiveness
Ask forgiveness and be reconciled to anyone you have wronged. Jesus instructed us,
Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. (Matthew 5:23-24)
Jesus also said,
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:14-15)
Restitution
Make restitution to those you've wronged. God told Moses:
Speak to the sons of Israel, "When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the LORD, and that person is guilty, then he shall confess his sins which he has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged." (Numbers 5:6-7)
The principle behind that law is binding on believers living in the New Testament era as well (cf. Luke 19:8; Philemon 19).
Procrastination
Don't procrastinate in clearing your wounded conscience. Paul said he did his best "to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men" (Acts 24:16). Some people put off dealing with their guilt, thinking their conscience will clear itself in time. It won't.
Procrastination allows the guilt feelings to fester. That in turn generates depression, anxiety, and other emotional problems.
Guilt feelings may persist long after the offense is forgotten, often spilling over to other areas of our lives. That's one reason people often feel guilty and are not sure why. Such confused guilt may be a symptom that something is terribly wrong spiritually. Paul may have had that in mind when he wrote, "To those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their consciences are defiled" (Titus 1:15).
Dealing with a wounded conscience immediately by heart-searching prayer before God is the only way to keep it clear and sensitive. Putting off dealing with guilt inevitably compounds the problems.
Education
Educate your conscience. A weak, easily grieved conscience results from a lack of spiritual knowledge (1 Corinthians 8:7). If your conscience is too easily wounded, don't violate it. To violate even a weak conscience is to train yourself to override conviction, and that will lead to overriding true conviction about real sin.
Moreover, violating the conscience is a sin in itself (v. 12; cf. Romans 14:23), bringing legitimate guilt for a real offense against God. So, respond to your conscience, even if it's weak, and then continue to inform your conscience with God's Word so it can begin to function with reliable data.
An important aspect of educating the conscience is teaching it to focus on the right object-divinely revealed truth. If your conscience looks only to personal feelings, it can accuse you wrongfully.
You are certainly not to order your life according to your feelings. A conscience fixed on feelings becomes unreliable. If you are subject to depression and melancholy, you of all people should not allow your conscience to be informed by your feelings. Despondent feelings will provoke unnecessary doubts and fears in the soul when not kept in check by a well-advised conscience. The conscience must be persuaded by God's Word, not by your feelings.
Furthermore, the conscience errs when the mind focuses wholly on your faltering in sin and ignores the triumphs of God's grace in you. True Christians experience both realities. Conscience must be allowed to weigh the fruit of the Spirit in your life as well as the remnants or your sinful flesh. It must see your faith as well as your failings. Otherwise the conscience will become overly accusing, prone to unwholesome doubts about your standing before God.
Learn to subject your conscience to the truth of God and the teaching of Scripture. As you do that, your conscience will be more clearly focused and better able to give you reliable feedback. With a trustworthy conscience, you have a powerful aid to spiritual growth and stability. With a clear conscience, you live in an abundance of freedom and joy.
Adapted from The Vanishing Conscience, © 1994 by John MacArthur. All rights reserved.
• Grace to You (Monday, March 21, 2005)
http://www.oneplace.com/Articles/Print-Friendly.asp?article_id=954
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
