THE INTRODUCTION

The Bible says, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:22). Now, in being New Testament Christians, we must properly train our conscience so that we can walk in the pathway of righteousness. Therefore, we should properly train our conscience so that we can enjoy the Spiritual Blessings of New Testament Christianity in this life. Remember: All Scriptures which are used in this article will be taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR OWN CONSCIENCE

1. If we are rebellious against the Lord our God, we would have a seared conscience. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and now the truth" (1 Timothy 4:1-3).

2. If we are obedient unto the Lord our God, we would have a pure conscience. "And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day" (Acts 23:1).

THE WAY TO DEVELOP OUR OWN CONSCIENCE

1. If we have a pure heart, we would have a pure conscience. "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (1 Timothy 1:5). "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23 "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).

2. If we have a working faith, we would have a good conscience. "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some have put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck" (1 Timothy 1:19). "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. but wilt thou know, O man man, that faith without works is dead" (James 2:19-20).

3. If we have a trusting faith, we would have an undefiled conscience. "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." 1 Timothy 3:9 "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR OWN CONSCIENCE

1. We must purge our conscience from dead works so that we can serve the living God. "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)

2. We must obey the commandment of baptism so that we can have a good conscience. "When once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:20-21).

THE BLESSINGS OF OUR OWN CONSCIENCE

1. Our conscience will help us to endure wrongful deeds. "For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God" (1 Peter 2:19-20).

2. Our conscience will help us to silence the evildoers. "Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ" (1 Peter 3:16).

THE APPLICATION

1. If we want to develop the Proper Conscience in our being of life upon the earth, we must be willing to learn that the damnable heresies of the Sectarian World is what makes a Ranked Hierarchy to rule in a religious way upon the earth because they simply make the Clergy and the Laity Class of persons to exist in their man-made churches.

2. The New Testament Church of Christ must Scripturally teach that a Ranked Hierarchy can not rule in the Lord's Church upon the earth because each congregation of the New Testament Church must be autonomous (self-ruled), and under the leadership of its own qualified elders or bishops. For an example:

THE RELIGIOUS INSANITY OF A RANKED HIERARCHY

THE FALSE DOCTRINES OF THE SECTARIAN WORLD

Our Lord said, "Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God" (Matthew 22:29).

1. A Ranked Hierarchy can not

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