Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna | Thursday, April 26, 2018 | Topic: Conscience 3
Scripture: And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus. Acts 9:8
Note: During the first half of Paul’s life when the old man in him was under the reign of Saul, he was very certain in his conscience that he was pleasing God with his life and his actions. That erroneous assurance goaded him on to arrest, torture and kill the believers, all in the name of satisfying God. His conversion from Saul to Paul brought a new lease of awareness and revelation of God through the power of His Son Jesus Christ to him. This new experience was to erase the knowledge, passion and aspirations of the old man. In comes in place of the old man a new man with a new conscience, new aspirations, new passion, new hope and purpose for Christ.
The old man that previously sought to obliterate the Church as an unwanted entity in the calendar and scheme of God, had now evolved as a new man with a new name, a new agenda, a new mission and a new purpose, powered by a new spirit in Christ with a renewed conscience that sought to correct the wrongs that he perpetuated under the canopy of the old conscience that was corrupt, self-centered, presumptuous, vengeful, inconsiderate, power drunk and self-serving.
Paul’s Damascus encounter that opened a new door of life with a different page and agenda, began in total blindness and darkness. Those three days of temporary blindness and darkness, depicted the old man with the old conscience that led him to the atrocities he was involved in. Paul had the opportunity during those dark and depressive moments to reflect on the untold damage and needless pain that he had brought to the Church. It was a humbling experience of revelation, reflection, repentance, realignment and rejuvenation for the next phase of his life.
Paul must have realised that it was possible for one to have a good motive and yet be wrong in one’s judgment and conscience. Paul previously worked assiduously and tirelessly for the religious ruling class of the day. He was convinced that the religious authorities who masterminded the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, were actually doing the bidding of God as the representation of Yahweh on earth. Yet, what Paul didn’t know was that he was actually working against the same God that his conscience convinced him that he was right in working for, all along.
Food for thought: Dark hearts and conscience are more blinding, grievous and tragic than actual blindness in the eye.
Declaration: And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Acts 9:7
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
