The Secret to a Clear Conscience
How Christians Can Avoid Compromise and Fanaticism
Without the Holy Spirit no one is immune to addictions. We choose instant gratification at the cost of long-term suffering. This is at the core of addictive thinking that keeps millions of people enslaved to alcohol and other drugs, unhealthy foods, pornography, gambling, video games, and other highly stimulating behaviors.
Habitually choosing to satisfy the desires of the flesh weakens anyone's ability to make good decisions and sentences them to a life of shame. The Apostle Paul described it this way:
"And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t," (Romans 7:18 NLT).
In contrast, Paul describes the victory received in Jesus when we receive the Holy Spirit:
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." (Romans 8:1-2 NLT).
The Bible reveals that some victories are received immediately, and some victories require prayer and fasting. The best victories are those we receive when we resist temptation before it overcomes us.
Refusing to Despair
In the Bible, the Old Testament Book of Daniel begins by dropping readers into the lives of young Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as they are enslaved to the Babylonian Empire. At a pivotal point in their experience, we see the Holy Spirit giving them power to resist temptation and stand by their convictions.
Daniel and his three friends were part of a larger group of Judeans captured by King Nebuchadnezzar's army and marched in shackles to Babylon. The king's chief of staff chose Daniel and his three friends to join a select group of young men in whom there was no blemish, and who were good-looking, wise, and gifted with knowledge. These young men were promptly castrated and conscripted into a special training program designed to prepare them for service in the king's palace.
The experience of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah shows us that people who are living righteously can have bad things happen to them. When bad things happen, good people often turn to addictions to relieve their disappointment. But instead of falling into despair, these young men looked for an opportunity to glorify God.
Finding Purpose
Whatever circumstances we are in, God is merciful. Reflecting on God’s mercy, Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-2 (NLT):
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Long before their current crisis, Daniel and his friends had given themselves to God. They put their faith in Christ and committed themselves to obey His Word. Described as having "no blemish," they symbolized the spotless Lamb of God who became the Ultimate Sacrifice so that they could be a living sacrifice. They had allowed God's Word to form their characters and fill them with the faith of Jesus.
With their faith in Jesus these young men politely requested accommodations when the order came down that their training included nutritional guidelines that conflicted with their convictions. Standing by their convictions, they each purposed in their heart to obey God's command to not eat unclean meat and not drink fermented wine. They asked to be served vegetables at great risk to themselves and to the chief of staff overseeing their training.
Earning Respect
Led by the Spirit, these young men avoided two ditches well-meaning Christians often fall into: compromise and fanaticism.
To avoid conflict, many people compromise their convictions hoping to just get along and avoid trouble. Compromising one conviction makes it easier compromise other convictions until a person finds themselves chained to an abusive relationship with a substance, person or organization.
In the ditch of fanaticism, many people pursue conflict. Fanaticism is a highly stimulating behavior that destroys the fanatic and hurts people around them. Fanaticism is less about the position one takes on an issue, and more about the character of the person holding the position. Fanaticism often takes good things to extremes. Their extreme views make fanatics fearsome critics who consider themselves better than people who don't share their views. Fanatics also damage their own health and well-being by living an unbalanced life.
Compromising our convictions and fanaticism are fruits of a selfish nature.
Daniel and his friends weren't compromisers or fanatics. Their selfless attitudes earned the favor and love of the king's chief of staff. They were respectful in their request for a different diet. And, while the other Jewish captives in this program should have made the same request, Daniel and his friends didn't insist that their peers also ask for vegetables.
The Choices We Make Now and Then
In the Bible, the Book of Revelation warns of a future scenario where humanity is given a final opportunity to choose to worship the Lamb instead of the Beast. Those who worship the Lamb will not be compromisers, and they will not be fanatics. Following the example of Jesus, they will love their enemies and bless those who persecute them. They will make this choice at the risk of death.
We're faced with a similar choice today. When we choose to live by the desires of the Spirit, we choose to follow the Lamb, and His character is revealed in our conduct. When we choose to live by the desires of the flesh, we align with the Beast, and his character is revealed in our conduct. If we're blessed to be among God's remnant people, who we choose to worship in the future will be influenced by the choices we make now.
Many who want to be faithful in the future are putting themselves in future danger today. They make a habit of surrendering to the selfish desires of the flesh and ignore the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. Some are ignoring their convictions for a little bit of pleasure. Some are justifying selfish behavior by twisting biblical truth. Instead of standing by their convictions and growing stronger, they surrender to the lure of instant gratification.
What was possible for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah is possible for us today. Paul's appeal to, "eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God," (1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV) is a command for each of us, and is a command we are empowered to obey by the very Spirit who inspired Paul to write it.
"Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked," (1 Timothy 1:19 NLT)