“Peace of
conscience is to the soul what health is to the body. Even a suit of gold cloth
does not feel comfortable on a diseased man's shoulders.
What an acceptable
work it is to win men to Christ! A doctor is never angry with a man who brings
a patient to him, because through the cure his dedication and skill will be
publicized. And this is the great design Christ has had for a long time, and
prayed for-- "that the world may believe" that God sent Him John
17:21. His aim in gathering souls by the grace of the Gospel is "to take
out... a people" from the heap of sinners "for his name Acts 15:14--
to choose a peculiar people, show mercy on them, and allow His glorious name to
be exalted.
Peace of
reconciliation reconciles a man to God; but peace of conscience reconciles him
to himself. Since man broke peace with God he has not been able to be a friend
to his own conscience. This second kind of peace is so necessary that the
person cannot taste the sweetness of reconciliation with God, or of any other
mercy, without it.
Peace of
conscience is to the soul what health is to the body. Even a suit of gold cloth
does not feel comfortable on a diseased man's shoulders. And neither does
anything seem joyous to a distressed conscience. When Moses brought good news
to the troubled Israelites in Egypt "they hearkened (to give heed or attention to what is said ) not" to him "for anguish of spirit", Exodus 6:9. Hannah
went up to the festival at Jerusalem with her husband but "she wept, and
did not eat" 1 Samuel 1:7 Thus the wounded soul goes to the sermon but
does not partake of it; she hears many precious promises but cannot receive the
life they offer.
A royal banquet
spread before a deeply troubled man does not make him happy; he would rather go
off in a corner by himself and cry. "A wounded spirit who can bear?"
Proverbs 18:14. Diseases which are incurable are called the physician's
reproach. And the spiritual perplexity of an accusing conscience puts all the
world to shame for their vain attempts to apply a cure.”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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