Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience...

Before God opened my eyes to His salvation, I would go to church and hear some pastors say of some Christians: “They don’t come to church when things are rosy for them. It is only when they have problems that they remember God and come to church for help.” Also “How can you expect God to bless you when you are still sinning?”

Sometimes, we even say these things to ourselves and it affects our ability to relax in the presence of our Abba Father in Christ who held nothing back in saving us. Because of this kind of talk, our misdeeds and unfounded fear that God is SMH-ing at us loom large over His forgiveness of our sins and His lovingkindness that is our reality in Christ. Hence, we find ourselves making vows and promises that we cannot keep if only God would just save us from our troubles!

These preachers make you feel like you have to work to earn God’s freely given rest with various fasts and works of the law because you have sinned or “you are just coming,” just as it was with the prodigal son who thought he could earn his keep as a servant in his father’s house. They are misrepresenting God whose heart for us is the same as that of the prodigal son’s father; His heart was filled with love and compassion for his errant child so much that he ran to embrace and kiss him when he saw him from afar. That’s what our Abba Father in Christ does when we mess things up and turn to Him for help. He NEVER remembers our sins (Hebrew 10:17) or says “so it is only when you need Me that you show up” His goodness lead to repentance, so we do not continue in our sins.

What better time is there to run to Jesus for salvation than when one is in trouble? What better time than when one has messed things up or is sinning, since according to Matthew 1:21, He came to save us from our sins?

“And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus,for He will save His people from their sins.”

This kind of “you are just coming now” or “how can God bless you when you are sinning” talk makes a person wonder if God will save him from his sins or help him, seeing as there has been some distance between he and God lately. It is borne of the (wrong) belief that there are times when a Christian is off God’s radar and bereft of His loving embrace, either because he sinned or whatever. This is wrong believing. Hebrews 5:13 says “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

With Christ as our righteousness, even during those times when we have really messed things up and are feeling distant from Him because we sinned or for whatever reason, He is with us. He came to save us from those very sins and will never condemn anyone that believes. Don’t let anyone deceive you into believing differently. Our access into God’s presence isn’t dependent on our own ability to do right. We boldly enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus and nothing else. See Hebrews 10:

19 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,

22 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.”

God wants us to draw near to Him anytime and anywhere with a true heart that is “sprinkled from an evil conscience.” An evil conscience is one that toils over the guilt of sin. The one with an evil conscience does not believe that Christ’s obedience has made him righteous (Romans 5:19) so his heart is constantly in turmoil from the burden of guilt. Such still bear the condemnation that Christ gave Himself to free us from (Romans 8:1.)

The “you are just coming now” and “how can God bless you when you are sinning” preachers reinforce this evil conscience. Their words condemn but Christ saves. By God’s grace, don’t let any “anyone rob you of this blessing of drawing near to God without an evil conscience. See the MSG version of Hebrews 10:

19-21”So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of His sacrifice, acting as our Priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is His body.

22-25 So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His word.”

Believers, we can rest in the assurance of Christ’s love for us 24/7. He says in Matthew 7-

9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.”

He loves us so.