The Webster Bible Church Podcast

Ephesians: A Letter That Sings - Ephesians 1:1-2

Transformative Truth:
Being set apart by God for God puts believers in a good place!

The Author (v. 1a)

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.  - Galatians 1:13-14

Paul, an apostle – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead…. - Galatians 1:1

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone…. - Galatians 1:15-16

The Addressees (v. 1b)

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, not now you have received mercy. - 1 Peter 2:9-10

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” - John 17:15-18

The Assurance (v. 2)

Spiritual Wisdom And Knowledge - Colossians 1:9-14

Transformative Truth:
God’s Word tells us we can KNOW God’s will so that we can LIVE God’s will

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.  -Deuteronomy 29:29

We believe the counsel of God given to us by the Spirit of God in the Word of God is the means by which the people of God KNOW the will of God

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding... -Proverbs 2:6

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. -John 8:23

Live in God’s will by BEARING fruit in every good work

Live in God’s will by INCREASING in the Knowledge of God

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ -Colossians 2:8  

… continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard… -Colossians 1:23

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. -Colossians 3:12

Giving thanks joyfully to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, -Colossians 1:21-22

 

The Neglected Conscience - Part 4b: How Should I Relate To Fellow Christians Whose Consciences Disagree With Mine?

Scripture: Romans 14:13–15:7

Transformative Truth:
Christian liberty is to be governed by love.

How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. - Hebrews 9:14

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. - 1 Timothy 1:5

Christian liberty is to be governed by love.

1. For the sake of your brother

2. For the sake of Christ’s body

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” - Matthew 5:6

“I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” - Paul the Apostle (Philippians 3:9-10 NLT)

Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. - Colossians 3:15 NLT

Christian liberty is to be governed by love. 

3. For the sake of God’s blessing

Conclusion
1. Our mandate (v. 1)
2. Our mission (v. 2)
3. Our model (v. 3)
4. Our manual (v. 4)
5. Our mantra (v. 7) 

The Neglected Conscience - Part 4a: How Should I Relate To Fellow Christians Whose Consciences Disagree With Mine?

Scripture: Romans 14:1-12

Transformative Truth:
Since the Lord welcomes us, we should welcome one another.

 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
- Romans 15:7

How should I relate to fellow Christians whose consciences disagree with mine?

The Problem

Feel as I feel, think only as I think;
Eat what I eat, drink what I drink,
Look as I look, do always as I do,
Then and only then will I fellowship with you.

The Prescription

To the strong:

1. Welcome your weaker brother (v. 1).

2. Do not despise him (vv. 3a, 10b)

To the weak:

Stop passing judgment (vv. 3b, 4a, 10a)

Should a man not lay his hand upon his mouth before he criticizes his brethren? When we pass swift, uninformed, unloving and ungenerous judgments, surely we have forgotten that if we speak evil of them, at the same time we speak evil of the Lord whose name they bear.

The Principles

1. God welcomes all believers (v. 3)

2. The Lord upholds every believer (v. 4)

3. The Lord is sovereign over every believer (vv. 5-9)

“To deny the lordship of Jesus Christ in the life of any believer is to subvert the full work, power, and purpose of His crucifixion and resurrection.”

4. The Lord alone will judge each believer (vv. 10-12).

 

The Neglected Conscience - Part 3: How Do I Get My Conscience To Function Properly?

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

Transformative Truth:
For the conscience to function properly, it must be calibrated to Scripture.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 
- Hebrews 10:22

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
- 1 Peter 3:21-22

For the conscience to function properly, it must be calibrated to Scripture.

The Calibration of the Conscience

Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their power of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
- Hebrews 5:14

1. Education
2. Application

The Conditions of the Conscience

1. Those who have a guilty conscience and know it.
2. Those who have a guilty conscience and don’t know it.
3. Those who have a purified conscience and know it.
4. Those who have a purified conscience and don’t know it.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our hearts before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
- 1 John 3:20

The Cross and the Conscience

The Neglected Conscience - Part 2: How Do I Deal With A Guilty Conscience?

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-21, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 3:21-22

Transformative Truth:
Guilt and shame lose their power at the cross of Christ.

 

The conscience is your awareness of what you believe is right and wrong.

Modern-Day Fig Leaves (Self-Atoning, Self-Protective Measures)

• The blame game

• Perfectionism and overachievement

• Busyness and distractions

• Religious duties and good works

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [seed] and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
- Genesis 3:15

How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
- Hebrews 9:14

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
- 1 Peter 3:21-22

Guilt and shame lose their power at the cross of Christ.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness...
-Isaiah 61:10

The Neglected Conscience - Part 1: What Is The Conscience?

Scripture Text: various

Transformative Truth:
Thank God for the precious gift of conscience!

“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
- 1 Timothy 1:5

“I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.”
- Acts 24:16

THE NEGLECTED CONSCIENCE
Part One: What Is the Conscience?

They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them [tell them they are doing right].
- Romans 2:15 CSB

To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
- Titus 1:15 ESV

The conscience is your awareness
of what you believe is right and wrong.

The Call To Reclaim Our Responsibility - James 1:26-2:13

Bearing Gospel Fruit - Colossians 1:1-9

Transformative Truth:
Trust the Transforming Power of the Gospel to Produce Fruit

1. The fruit of faith

2. The fruit of love

3. The fruit of hope

Blessed Be The Name - Part 4: "Prince Of Peace" - Isaiah 9:6-7

Transformative Truth:
Jesus Christ provides the rule that real peace requires.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6

Jesus Christ provides the rule that real peace requires.

Peace in a Person

“Children ought to love the Lord Jesus Christ above all things in the world.” 

There is no love so great and so wonderful as that which is in the heart of Christ.

Peace through his Provision

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:1

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…. - Ephesians 2:14

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. - Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. - Isaiah 26:3-4

Peace that is Perpetual

Jesus Christ provides the rule that real peace requires.