|
For context, Sproul points out this familiar quote was “Martin Luther’s heroic statement at the Diet of Worms when he was called upon to recant,” and uses it to launch his devotion on the case to guard one’s “conscience” to protect against worldly culture. An interesting and thought-provoking devotion; I recommend it; it’s a quick read.
In the Philippians verse above, I mentioned how comforting it is to know we have a God whose peace is wildly beyond our understanding. Yet, we are assured that in knowing, understanding, and loving Christ Jesus, our hearts and minds are guarded; they are captive. Luther’s quote also teases out another way that we are guarded, that of our conscience. Here, he says he can’t believe or behave differently because it is against his conscience, which is held captive by the Word of God.
I will not get too deeply into the conscience, as it is complex and widely used in different settings, such as philosophy, psychology, legal, and even political. I did want to point out that it is a term that Martin Luther used often. Things in the world and culture during his time, especially with the Church, were weighty and caused angst. There is also much to say about Luther’s preaching and writings about the conscience. Two things that struck me most about Luther’s defense are that his conscience guides him and that he is held captive by a guiding light, the Word of God.
It’s strange, you don’t hear much these days about the concept of wrestling with your conscience. I remember a basic [elementary] definition from a Sunday school teacher: your conscience is when the devil is on your left shoulder, an angel is on your right, and they are both whispering in your ear; you should be listening to the angel. I think of the conscience as an inner dialogue about our decisions, thoughts, opinions, and behaviors as we compare our values and the things that set our moral compass.
I don’t think it is extreme to say our society today seems to be adrift and suffering from a conscience crisis; after all, if the conscience is a vacuum and being captivated by worldly immoral propositions, then as Luther said, “It is neither right nor safe.” This is why, as parents, we instill Christian principles and values in our children from a very young age, beginning with distinguishing right from wrong. It is also why keeping our nose in the Word of God is so important so there is no conscience mission drift away from the safety of Jesus Christ.
As a community, Saints, we strive to be a nested environment where God’s word is taught and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, caught. We pray that through the work and experience in our community, our conscience is held captive by the Word of God. We are also blessed to know our hearts and minds are fully guarded by God through His peace in Christ Jesus. Amen.
| 
