Seared in Their Own Conscience as With a Branding Iron

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Seared  in Their Own Conscience  as With a Branding Iron

The conscience  of people  can be indelibly impressed  with great fears,  superstitions,  or acts  of love.     Whatever it might be  that greatly impressed them,  they cannot  dismiss  the feeling  that overtook them.     That feeling  will influence  their thoughts  and actions  in all sorts  of circumstances — whether for good  or for bad.

The apostle Paul wrote about  how some people  allowed themselves  to be swayed  with various deceits — and then tried  to convince others  that their misguided  ( hypocritical ) thoughts  and fears  were actually a truth  to be heeded  by everyone.     In 1 Timothy 4:1-5,  Paul shows us,

But the Spirit  explicitly says  that  in later times  some will fall away  from the faith,  paying attention  to deceitful spirits  and doctrines  of demons,  by means  of the hypocrisy  of liars  seared  in their own conscience  as with a branding iron,  men who forbid marriage  and advocate  abstaining  from foods  which God has created  to be gratefully shared in  by those  who believe  and know the truth.     For everything  created  by God  is good,  and nothing is  to be rejected  if it is received  with gratitude;  for it is sanctified  by means  of the word  of God  and prayer.

Paul strongly declares  that the false teachings  that were being pushed  upon the people  were  “deceitful spirits  and doctrines  of demons”.     He had to show  that truth  because the devil  will do everything  within his power  to destroy  faith  in Christ Jesus.

The false preachers  who dared to  “forbid marriage  and advocate abstaining  from foods”  were actually leading people  to imagine  that these were  “good works”  that would earn their way  into heaven.     Their faith  in Christ Jesus  was being destroyed  because,  instead  of leaning totally  on God’s grace  in Christ,  they would be depending  upon their own ability  to consistently perform  these “good works”  with perfection.

Actually,  the apostle Peter  was so taken up  with needing  to obey Old Testament  food regulations,  that God had to give him  a vision three times  declaring that all foods are permissible  to eat.     One can read Peter’s account in Acts 11:4-9.     In Acts 11:9,  a voice  from heaven  told Peter,

What God has cleansed,  no longer consider unholy.

Peter finally became impressed  with God’s message  of making all foods “cleansed”  for eating.

When Paul spoke  of our freedom  in Christ,  he presented this question  in 1 Corinthians 9:5,

Do we not  have  a right  to take along  a believing wife, even as the rest  of the apostles,  and the brothers  of the Lord,  and Cephas?    

All the apostles had wives,  except for Paul and Barnabas.     Cephas is another name for Peter.     They evidently  took their wives  with them  as they preached.     So,  who has a right  to forbid marriage  to God’s preachers?     Nobody.     Who has a right  to tell us  what we can  or cannot eat?     Nobody.

We cannot afford  to allow anyone  to sear our  “own conscience  as with a branding iron”  because  that is shear faithlessness.     Trust in God’s love  and promises — not man-made regulations.

In love and freedom,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord,  the message  in Your eternal word  frees us.     Let us always live  in Your word.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional  to glorify  the LORD of lords  and GOD of gods.

A 2.67 year old says  I Pledge Allegiance

Pray for our country.

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… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …

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Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska

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The LORD  made this day, let us rejoice  and be glad  in Him.

Psalm 118:24

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The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

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Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

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How blessed are those  who dwell  in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

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Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD  has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

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O give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness  is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

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Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

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Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already  become perfect, but I press on  in order that  I may  lay hold  of that for which also  I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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