[Biblemat] S) APPEALING TO GOD FOR A GOOD CONSCIENCE (3)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is the third and final
part of this study on this particular subject.  Use to the glory of God.

APPEALING TO GOD FOR A GOOD CONSCIENCE  (3)

The Answer Of A Good Conscience Toward God: -- Peter tells
us here what baptism is: the answer of a good conscience to-
wards God.  The word "answer" means an inquiry which is a
"search for the truth or facts about something," "a quest for
knowledge, or truth," "a request for information" (American
Heritage Dictionary), A "request, appeal...an appeal to God for a clear 
conscience" (Arndt & Gingrich, 285), "an appeal to
God for a clear conscience" (RSV).  

     Next we have the word "good" which means clear.  The 
conscience is clear because it knows it has obeyed the comm-
ands of God.  Let me give you a couple of illustrations:

     1. When the people on the Day of Pentecost called on the
name of the Lord, what were they doing? -- I believe they were doing the same 
thing Paul was doing!  Making an appeal
to God for a good, clear, clean conscience.  For a moment 
let's reflect on that day in Acts 2.  Peter and the other apostles had just 
preached the gospel of Christ for the first
time in the history of the world.  The gospel's power pricked
some of the people's hearts when they heard it.  They then
cried out to Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do?"  My question 
is this, "What were they wanting this infor-
mation for?"  The answer is simple, to get rid of the pricking
in their conscience.  In other words, they wanted a good, clear, clean 
conscience.  Now watch, because Peter is going
to tell them how to achieve this.  Here is Peter's response:
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of 
Jesus Christ for the remission fo sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).  What were they doing
when they obeyed the gospel and were baptized?  Making an
appeal to God for a clean conscience the same thing the 
apostle Paul did later.  So, if one has never obeyed the gospel
never been immersed in water for the remission of sins, then
not only is one still in his sins, but he cannot have a good,
clear, clean conscience.  They have yet to taste of the true
peace that Christ has left us (Jno. 14:27).

     2. When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans he said, "But
God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was deliver-
ed you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the serva-
nts of righteousness" (Rom. 6:17,18).

     Here we find that the Romans had obeyed the gospel from 
the mind (heart).  The conscience is located in the mind, but 
it tells the mind what is right or wrong based upon what it has 
been taught.  When we hear the Word of God and if our cons-
cience has not been taught properly in prior time, it will be
pricked.  The conscience must be taught the Word of God and then comply with 
it and conform to it.  One's conscience
toward God cannot be clear without compliance to His Will.
The command must be obeyed from the heart (Matt. 7:21).
Once one obeys the command of God to be baptized for the
remission of sins, then and only then will he have a good con-
science!  One's conscience toward God cannot be clear with-
out compliance with His Will.  The command to be baptized
must be obeyed from the heart.

     The word "toward" means "into, toward; to..designate the
person or thing with regard to which or for which something
occurs (an emphatic way of stating purpose/goal" (Balz &
Schneider 1:398).  It is with regard (careful thought, attention
heed, respect) to God that a person is baptized (that is the
occurrence).  Baptism is an appeal to God for a good conscie-
nce.

     In speaking about his conversion, Paul said that Ananias
told him, "And now why tarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized,
and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord"
(Acts 22:16).  The word "call" means appeal.  This means to 
make an appeal to a higher authority for help.  An appeal is
an earnest or urgent request.  We understand why this appeal is urgent, 
because one's soul is at stake!  (Rom. 6:23).
Paul was making an appeal to a higher authority -- for what?
"The answer of a good conscience toward God!"  

     We too must "arise and be baptized calling on the name of
the Lord."  Then, God washes away our sins; He gives us a
clear conscience.  Washing is what God does!  Appeal is what
we do through the authority of Christ.  The act of being bapt-
ized in obedience to the command of God is the basis of the
cleansing.

     In Acts 2:38 Peter said that Christ commanded everyone
to be baptized for the remission of sins.  When we do what
Christ commands, then we have forgiveness of sin or a clear
conscience because we have done what God said!  So, when
one is baptized, the act is for the purpose of an appeal to ob-
tain a clean conscience with regard to God.

Through The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: -- The resurrect-
ion of Christ allows one to be begotten to a living hope.  Peter
said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which 
according to His abundant mercy hath begotten
us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 
dead" (1 Pet. 1:3; cf. 1 Cor. 15:12-20; Rom. 1:
4; 4:25; Phil. 3:10).  The resurrection of Christ is as essential
to the remission of sins, as are His life, death, and burial.  So,
then, baptism saves through or by the means of the resurrect-
ion of Christ.

Conclusion: -- Baptism doth also now save us (1 Pet. 3:21; 
Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38).  Baptism is necessary, a must, in order
to receive the remission of sins through the blood of Christ.
There is power in the blood of Christ, cleansing power.  But 
the blood of Christ is powerless to save until one reaches it
through obedience to the gospel (Rom. 1:16).  How is it that I
can enjoy the blessing of forgiveness of sins?  "Arise and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the
Lord" (Acts 22:16).   ------- John Henry, Sr. in Truth Magazine,
Vol. 51, No. 9, Sept. 2007.
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