SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Isaiah 6:1-10
Isaiah 6:5

"…Woe is me! for I am undone;
because I am a man of unclean lips…"

A SANCTIFIED CONSCIENCE (7)

The Scripture tells us about several kinds of conscience: evil conscience due to a depraved heart (Jer 17:9; Heb 10:22), weak conscience due to a lack of knowledge of God and His Word (1 Cor 8:7, 10, 12), seared (or burnt and hardened) conscience due to unbelief, impenitence, wrong doctrines, apostasy, lies, seducing spirits (1 Tim 4:1-3), defiled conscience due to ignorance, unbelief, or wrongdoings (1 Cor 8:7; Titus 1:15), un-offensive (or blameless, clear) conscience (Acts 24:16), pure conscience (1 Tim 3:9; 2 Tim 1:3), and good conscience (Acts 23:1; 1 Tim 1:5,19). Only the Triune God is able to sanctify our corrupt and deceitful conscience. Our conscience must be separated and dedicated to the Lord and be filled with God’s holy standard, even God’s holy Word.

First, our conscience must be separated from any moral standard that is contrary to God’s holy standard. If you believe that it is a sin to take away the life of animals and insects and think that you are holier than others because you are a vegetarian, you must separate yourself from such unbiblical beliefs and submit yourself to God’s holy standard. You must do the same with all other unbiblical beliefs about your "self " and about sin from human moral standard, religious teachings and worldly philosophies.

Next, we ought to read God’s Word and ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and convict us of our sins according to His holy standard (Ps 139:23-24; John 16:8-11). Then, we have to repent of our sins and ask the Lord to wash us, not only from our sins but also from our evil conscience, in His precious blood (Heb 9:14; 10:22; Rev 1:5). Only the Holy Spirit is able to help us see God’s holiness and to break our self-goodness and self-righteousness into pieces in humble repentance like Isaiah, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips" (Isa 6:5) and like Job, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6). What about you?

THOUGHT: Once I see God’s holiness, I shall "abhor myself."
PRAYER: Lord, may Thy holiness break my self-goodness to pieces.