Seared
I like to cook on the grill and I personally prefer using charcoal. Generally, I’ll cook hamburgers, hot dogs or chicken breast on the grill. But every now and then my wife will buy some steak. When I grill steak, I typically sear each side for a couple of minutes. Seared steaks tend to taste better than when you don’t sear them.
I’m bringing this up because sometimes it’s good when things are seared. Seared steaks are great, as well as salmon, scallops and shrimp. I guess food is sometimes good when it’s seared. But when I think of the word seared, in addition to seared steak I also think of a seared conscience. Unfortunately, we see this quite a bit while street witnessing. Some people have a seared conscience.
Seared Conscience
Having a seared conscience is obviously not a good thing. Your conscience is a gift from God. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel (Romans 2:14-16).
God’s Law Written In Our Hearts
God has written His law in our hearts. You know right from wrong and this knowledge comes from God. So tonight, your conscience will either accuse you or excuse you. What are you coming downtown for? What are you seeking tonight? Is your conscience going to accuse of your misdeeds that you are thinking about doing or that you actually do? We all have a God-given conscience. Do you listen to your conscience or is your conscience seared over?
If you are walking by tonight and you are an atheist – you say there is no God, then you most likely have a seared conscience. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:18-22).
Suppressing The Truth
When you say there is no God, you are suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. In other words, you love your sin, your unrighteousness. I guess to deal with your God-given conscience, you then pretend that God isn’t real. But you are just suppressing the truth. You are trying to fool yourself. Is this you tonight? Are you an atheist? Is your conscience seared over?
Please listen to 1 Timothy 4:1-3: Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
This sounds like our current times. People are being duped or seduced by the doctrines of demons. Anything goes. It’s all relative. Nothing can be known for sure. There are no absolutes. This is hogwash and absolute lies. These are the doctrines of demons and many people are being deceived by them.
Conscience Being Seared Over
There it is again about the conscience being seared over. In fact, the Bible specifically mentions the conscience being seared with a hot iron. Folks, if this is you tonight, you may be beyond help. You may have already been reprobated by God. I know some people don’t believe that God gives up on people, but I think the Bible is very clear that He does. God’s Spirit will not always strive with man (Genesis 6:3). When Herod questioned Jesus, He answered Herod not a word (Luke 23:9).
You can run so hard, so long, so far from God that God merely removes His hands of mercy from you. It’s you saying no to God and Him merely granting your wish. You make yourself an enemy to God. You continue in your rebellion to the point of no return. God allows you to sear your conscience. You are the one who hardens your heart.
If you have reprobated yourself, if your heart is hardened, if your conscience is seared over, I have nothing for you. You might as well eat, drink and be merry. This is as close to Heaven as you are ever going to get.
Do You Still Have A Conscience?
Oh, but if you still have a conscience. God still convicts you over your sins, your drunkenness, drugs, sexual immorality, DO NOT harden your heart. If God is convicting you through the power of the Holy Spirit, don’t fight against God. Yes we have all sinned against God, but don’t continue in your rebellion. Don’t continue in your wickedness.
Jesus said that all liars will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8). Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Do not be deceived, the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. You have no righteousness of your own that can get you to Heaven. Only the righteousness of Jesus saves. Oh, if your conscience is not seared over, come to Jesus tonight. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to King Jesus. Submit to His Lordship.
The Only Savior
Jesus is the only Savior. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). When the sinless Son of God died on the cross, He finished the work. He obeyed God the Father to the very end.
As soon as He died, the veil in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). The veil separated the Holy of Holies (the Holiest place where God in His glory showed up) from the Holy. This signifies that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.
Jesus was tempted in every way, just like we are tempted. Yet, He was without sin. He never gave in. Jesus never succumbed to temptation. He also endured God’s wrath over sin. Jesus did this that we might be in a right relationship with God. Salvation is freely offered by God, but it is a costly gift. Jesus paid the ultimate price for salvation. He came to save His people from their sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
If God Is Convicting You
Oh tonight, if God is convicting you over your sins and revealing His Holiness to you, repent and surrender your life to Jesus. Don’t continue rebelling against God. Do not continue rejecting such a great of salvation. Don’t continue in your sins until you die and go to Hell. Oh, don’t continue rejecting Jesus until you have a reprobate mind, until your conscience is completely seared over.
Come to Jesus tonight. Recognize that you are a sinner. Confess your sins to God, cry out for God to save you. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Be saved. Be saved today. Today is the day of salvation. Don’t put it off. You are not guaranteed tomorrow. You are not even guaranteed your next breath. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus.
Don’t die in your sins. Instead, repent and believe the Gospel. I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins (John 8:24). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31). He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).
Confess And Believe
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith,
Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9-13).
Oh, do not harden your heart. Don’t let your conscience be completely seared over. Call upon the name of Jesus and be saved. Confess that Jesus is Lord. Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Believe in the Lord Jesus. Believe in His finished work on the cross for your salvation. Repent from your sins and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus Christ the Lord.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on October 26, 2018)