Hearts Sprinkled from an Evil Conscience

“Our Hearts Sprinkled from an Evil Conscience”

“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.”  Heb. 10:22

The highest and holiest ideas in the Bible are treated in the 10^th chapter of Hebrews.  But many professors of Christ know nothing of them – they can only quote the verses about “not forsaking the assembly…”   And they know the phrase “our bodies washed with pure water” as another proof text on baptism.  But they only dabble on the surface of things – the merest external traditions like church attendance and baptism – and to them the rest of the chapter – and all of the book – are just foggy references to the Old Testament sacrifices.  “Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” carries no real meaning to them, and they believe we really shouldn’t talk about sprinkling anyway.  The Methodists might overhear us and get some encouragement out of it.

Perhaps I am reaching too far. But I want to draw an important lesson. Please take a few minutes today to follow the inspired writer’s train of thought about the cross of Christ and the conscience.

Our problem is the fact of sin.  The Bible is clear about it.  We need the forgiveness of God and He is the only one who provides it.  On our own, we cannot escape sin.  No matter what we do, we will fail and fall short of the glory of God.  When we come to Christ, and are added to his church, we are not thereby immune to sin.  In fact, we now feel it perhaps even more, if we are honest with ourselves.  Before we became Christians, we were blatantly sinful transgressors with little concern about it.  Now we are struggling and failing and “knowing to do good and doing it not”… and we feel ashamed about it – that is, we have an evil conscience!  [The word translated “evil” may also carry the meaning of painful or grievous or shameful.]  The closer we draw to God, the more aware we are of how we fall short of his glory…  We are all failing in some respects, and we bear the guilt of that.  We need our guilty consciences cleansed!  

Now this is, I think, exactly what the Hebrew writer is dealing with here.  Remember that they were tempted to give up on the struggle in Christ and pull back (10:39).  They were tempted to be drawn back to the OT sacrificial system.  He tells them those sacrifices offered year by year “can never make perfect them that draw nigh” (10:1-4).  Note this, that if the worshippers had been truly cleansed, they would have no more “conscience of sins”.  But the sacrifices just made remembrance of sins year after year.  They had this same problem we just mentioned – guilty conscience about sin.  They needed a clear conscience!  But it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could do that!

So what is the solution to the guilty conscience?  The sprinkling of the blood of Christ!  See how this is developed in chapter 10.  When Jesus came into the world, he understood what God really wanted: not sacrifices and offerings, but “Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God” (10:5-9).  The sacrifice of Jesus- giving himself to do the fathers will, sanctifying himself to that; offering himself once for all, and by that death, also setting us apart by the will of God (10:10).  He summed up all things for us – “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (10:14).  The author of a new covenant, he makes it possible that the laws of God are written on our hearts and minds, and our sins and iniquities are remembered no more.  Note carefully what this means.  When we by faith in Christ surrender ourselves to do the will of God - like he did in his life and death – then our weaknesses, fumblings and failings are “remembered no more”.  He will use them to his glory.  We have boldness to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus (10:19), and we draw near with fullness of faith and clear conscience (“hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience”) by that blood.

Let the beauty of that sink in. The glory of it!  A pure heart and a clean conscience on the part of weak and wavering men and women!  A salvation by grace through faith - at once upholding the holiness and righteousness of God, but also pouring out his love and mercy and goodness!  A salvation that humbles us, but at the same time lifts us up!  All by the blood of Christ, which cleanses the conscience (9:14)!

So what should we do? Let us hold fast the confession of our hope, and consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, and don’t forsake our assembling together, but exhort one another… (10:23-25).

Let’s be clear about one question.  Such a gospel might lead a man to say, “Sin doesn’t matter. God’s grace covers me.  I can do what I want.  Since I am freely forgiven, why not indulge myself.  Shouldn’t I sin, that grace may abound?”  Now it is very interesting that the Hebrew writer anticipates this very point.  10:26-29. “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins…”  One who does so tramples the Son of God under his feet, counts “the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing”  and does “despite to the Spirit of grace”.                                                          Larry Walker, October 2013

The Lighthouse Brigade

On a distant continent, there is a long and lonely stretch of seacoast where treacherous rocks and dangerous currents lie not far offshore, and sudden storms would arise to make it all the more perilous.  Often ships passing through the area came too close to the rocks and found themselves driven against them with such force that the vessels were destroyed and sunk.  Over the years many sailors and passengers went to their deaths.

In the nearby Rockland community, the residents were a good and hardy people who determined that they would band together to rescue these victims.  “The Lighthouse Brigade”, as they called themselves, committed themselves to the work, determined how everyone could best contribute, gathered such equipment and boats as they needed, pooled their resources, and cooperated as a band of brothers and sisters to get it done as best they could.  They  tended to the lighthouse, and they constructed a simple and practical facility as a base for their work, one that suited their original mission.  Over the years, they unselfishly risked comfort and sleep and even their own lives to rescue the drowning and dying.  They saved so many lives, they became very famous.  Everyone thought it was such a good and humble and unselfish and worthy work, and many wanted to be a part of it.  They wanted to carry the idea to other locations and make it work there too.  Before long there were Lighthouse Brigades in four other locations in the region. 

But as the Lighthouse Brigades grew more popular, things began to change.  Their standing and reputation in the community would be increased if they had a nicer facility – one that suited the modern culture a bit better.   They could grow more and afford more programs if they added some conveniences and comforts.  And they could have training classes and programs there on brigade growth!  Of course, they needed more “outreach” so maybe child care, a play room, and a coffee shop.  Don’t forget the gym!

Once they had a nice facility, the Brigade members really did enjoy coming there, talking, sharing, hugging, eating together, having a good time.  And the training classes were really going well.  They grew and prospered.  They hired a “full-time” director who could lead the Brigade to greater and more effective programs.  A professional expert, well-educated. He could lecture, go to seminars, do public speaking at Rotary, and find out the latest growth strategies.  Soon they started the Lighthouse Brigade Area-Wide Conference.  All the Brigades got together once a year and lectured to each other and planned new programs, and enjoyed “fellowship”.  Other activities were planned, facilitated by the conference.  Area-wide softball tournaments so all the Brigades could spend time together.  They bought buses for road trips (and Opryland) to promote the unity and uniformity of all the brigades.  It was grand.  Eventually, with leadership from all of the professional expert directors, they established the “Lighthouse Brigade Fellowship Association”.  They organized it, built a headquarters building, and hired a staff for the Association management.  The association collected dues from all the brigades; they could work more efficiently that way.

Back at the original Brigade location, problems began to surface.  Between the regular classes, the meals, the conferences, the games, the special programs, and all the other activities, the schedule was really full. They hardly had any time to go out and rescue people.  Maybe the Brigade should just stop rescue work themselves, and have someone else do it.  It would be simpler to contract with professional rescue crews with all the right training and equipment, etc.  They could just pay a little money and it would get done.  Same thing, right?  Yes, that is just what they did.

But when the crews brought in survivors, it was really a challenge. They were cold and dirty and wet, injured and sick, and it really made a mess of the nice Brigade building, and some of the members resented it.  It just led to so many problems.  And one time they had someone who actually died before they could get help – right there in the Brigade fellowship hall!  Blood all over.  How could one enjoy the Brigade fried fish fellowship, with the memory of that?  Many members just decided it was not worth it.  These rescue efforts were really getting in the way of the fellowship and destroying their beautiful building.  They favored stopping this rescue work altogether.  Besides, they were deep in debt – building payments, experts’ and staff salaries, association membership fees, bus payments and maintenance, liability insurance, etc.  They had to cut back somewhere…

Bro. Justice, an elderly man, a member of the original Lighthouse Brigade, rose up to speak.  He was weak and feeble, but he gently reminded them that their primary mission when they started was to save the lives of shipwrecked people.  He spoke through tears to challenge them.  He suggested they should disband the association, because it had nothing to do with their original purpose.  He argued for dismissing the expert director and terminating the contract of the professional crews, insisting that this was the members’ work, not someone else’s.   He proposed that they sell the big fine grand building and the buses, and try to get out of debt.  He said they should stop worrying about what other Brigades thought, gather their own equipment, put on their own work clothes and be ready for service.

Most were ashamed.  They agreed with Bro. Justice.  But the Brigade leaders were adamant.  They had so much invested!  They couldn’t lose all that.  Rather they called Bro. Justice a legalist, a crank, backward, not keeping up with the times, and with the latest Brigade management practices.  He had no real education in brigade management, had not even been to one Association Brigade Growth Seminar. What would the world think if they abandoned all this? They branded Bro. Justice as a trouble maker who didn’t really belong in the Brigade.  They would be better off without him.  So he, with a small group of members, reluctantly began again with their life-saving efforts in a nearby location in Rockland, across the tracks.  They worked quietly, struggled financially, and began again to save the lives of shipwrecked people. 

But the word got around throughout the Association about Bro. Justice.  “Did you hear what happened up in Rockland? Big split! Bro. Justice split the Lighthouse Brigade!  A dangerous man!  Don’t invite him to speak!  Don’t go hear near them!  They are not the true brigade!  We are the original!  Quarantine him and any who associate with him…  They will never make it – they will dry up and die…

“But you are a CHOSEN RACE, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a PEOPLE for GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of HIM who has called you out ^[1] of darkness into His marvelous light”  I Pet. 2:9