Sometimes we can do wrong so long that we begin to believe we are right. Our conscience, as the Word of God teaches us, can be seared so that it no longer convicts us of certain things. For example, have you ever been searching the internet for something and ran across a site that contains pornography? Well, when you first see it, it's like, "Dang! that is a shame before God!" Then when you try to click out of it, it seems like the pages keep coming back. They do that for a reason. Let me explain. Porn site developers know the power of searing your conscience. They know if they keep the pages coming, you will keep seeing the porn. They are desensitizing you and lowering your shock factor. And if you don't shut the thing down quickly, those pages become interesting and your investigative mind begins to look the pages over. After a while, you will find yourself clicking on the pages to view the "free samples" and your curiosity begins to override your convictions. And after a long period of time, you stop hearing the conviction of God about it and you become addicted to pornography! That's the way sin is. We can practice sin for a long period of time, and cause our conviction about that sin to be minimized. We can actually program our minds and our spirit to accept it and block the conviction of God. This is what the reprobate experiences. When God gives you over to your own lusts, there is no more conviction. The seed of righteousness will no longer operate in you to convict you of sin. This is a sad state, but this is were many of us are in the body of Christ today.
You see, any time you continually practice something, you will eventually master it. Sin is the same way. If you practice sin constantly you will become immune to the truth. The truth about your sin will no longer convict you. This is how someone can live in sin so long, and not desire to change. Even when the Word of God comes through a preacher or another saint, you get mad and defensive towards them. The sin in you makes you angry at the very one that is trying to help you. Remember when King David sinned with Bathsheba? Well, when he was first approached by Nathan, he was angry at what Nathan told him. He was like, "tell me who this evil person is and I'll punish him!" He did not see his own sin at first because he had been in a relationship with this woman and had practiced his sin too long. How many times have you talked about people that are doing the same things you are doing? How many times have you sat through a message that was suppose to convict you, but instead, you got angry at the messenger for talking about your sin? We cannot live in this state as true believers. We must not continue to practice sin because it leads to reprobacy and at that point, the conviction of the Holy Ghost is not effective. You will then begin to enjoy the sin more than you enjoy the things of God. Sin separates you from God and causes you to rely on your own judgment which changes the course of your life from his will to yours. Please my brothers and sisters, take a good look at where you are and what you are doing. Are there things in your life that you should not be enjoying even though you are? Are there things in your life that are sinful, yet you have lost your conviction towards them? Well, just as David had a change of heart and was restored to his "right" spirit, which means his conscience was operational again, you can be restored and renewed. Pray what David prayed in Psalms. "Renew a right spirit in me and don't take your Spirit from me! Ask God to give you his heart and his convictions. He will restore you to your rightful place again.
Suggested Reading: Titus 1:15, Heb. 9:14, 1Pet. 3:16, Psa. 51
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