Messiah Baptist Church of Baesa, Inc.

Every Wednesday Bible Study

December 11, 18, 25, 2024

THE DISPENSATION OF CONSCIENCE

(Covered: Beginning from the Fall of man up to the Flood)

     In our last dispensation that we discussed (dispensation of innocence) we learned about the fall of man into sin. God gave a very simple command to the innocent Adam but Adam disobeyed. Adam choose to disobey God and brings a greatest bad effect into the whole human race and it was stated in Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s _________ many were made sinners.”

Romans 5:19 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

This is a powerful reminder of the impact of Adam's sin. In the previous verses, Paul reflects on the impact of Adam's sin on all of humanity, leading to the reign of death and condemnation. Adam is symbolic of the fallen, sinful nature of humanity, representing the origin of sin and its pervasive effects. Adam’s disobedience serves as a cautionary tale of the consequences of rebellion against God.

     Give some of the results of Adam’s fall into sin? (Refer to the last lesson about the dispensation of innocence)

Here are some of the consequences of Adam’s fall into sin:

1. Many were made sinners – Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners”
2. Sin entered the world and death passed upon all men – Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men" 
3. Pain and sorrow in bringing forth children – Genesis 3:16 “in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;”
4. All men condemned – Romans 5:18 “judgment came upon all men to condemnation”
5. Difficulties in toiling in order to eat. Each man must face physical death – Genesis 3:19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;”
6. The ground is cursed – Genesis 3:17-18 “cursed is the ground for thy sake”

     The dispensation of conscience is the second dispensation in the Bible. As we begin our study of the first dispensation, men are innocent but as we begin our study in this second dispensation mean are no longer innocent. Men are fallen, sinful creatures with sinful nature who are greatly need of God’s grace (Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”). The dispensation of conscience covered from fall to the flood. (From Adam to Noah)

This takes place during a time when the world had become corrupt and filled with violence, and God decided to flood the earth to start over. However, God chose to spare Noah and his family because of Noah's righteousness. We see that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, which means that God chose to show favor to Noah despite the wickedness of the world around him. 

I – THE BEGINNING STATE OF MAN

     Can you give the name of the tree in the midst of the garden whose fruit God commanded Adam not to eat? _____ (Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”). It marks the moment when God gives Adam a commandment regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. In chapter 2, God creates Adam, the first man, and places him in the Garden of Eden, a paradise full of lush vegetation and abundant fruit. In this idyllic setting, God gives Adam a specific commandment: he is forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree also speaks to the theme of free will and the consequences of our choices. God gives Adam the freedom to choose whether to obey or disobey. The tree represents the choice between obedience and disobedience, and the knowledge of good and evil represents the moral and spiritual consequences of that choice. By eating from this tree, Adam and Eve seek to gain knowledge and insight outside of God's will. 

     We read in Genesis 3 that Satan, the subtle serpent came to tempt Eve. The crafty Satan wanted the woman to think that God was not really good to them and that they were really missing out on something, and the Devil wanted to put a doubt on the mind of Eve about God’s Word, Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”. The question "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" serves as a tool to create doubt and confusion in Eve's mind, setting the stage for the temptation that follows. They were given dominion over all the creatures, including the serpent, and were allowed to eat of the fruit from any tree in the garden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent's manipulation of Eve's trust and faith in God's command sets the stage for the original sin, which leads to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.   

     Find out three things that the devil told Eve would happen to them on the day when Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit: (Reference Genesis 3:5)

Genesis 3:5 “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

     What are the three deceitful promises of Satan?

1. “Your ______ shall be ________” (“your eyes shall be opened”)
2. “ye shall be as _______ “ (“ye shall be as gods”)

Note: Regarding the phrase “ye shall be as gods”. The word “gods” here should be translated as “God.” The word God is the word “Elohim” like in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God.” 

     Satan wanted to make Adam and Eve think that they would gain if they disobey God’s simple command by eating the forbidden fruit, but God warns that if they would disobey and eat the forbidden fruit they would become losers (Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”). 

     Temptation is likened to a bait inside the mousetrap where it looks appealing, enticing, and good to the mouse. Temptation is likened to a worm on the fishing hook where it looks appealing, enticing, and good to the fish.

As the mouse took the bait and the fish took the worm, both think they are going to gain something but in reality, the mouse and the fish end up big losers. The same is true with Eve who got trapped and ended up a loser.

     The tree represents the boundary set by God for Adam, and by extension, for all of humanity. By disobeying this commandment, Adam and Eve succumb to temptation and sin, leading to their expulsion from the Garden and the introduction of suffering and death into the world. The phrase "Thou shalt surely die" speaks to both spiritual and physical death. In choosing to disobey, Adam and Eve separate themselves from the source of life, both in this world and the next. The death spoken of here is not just physical death, but also the spiritual separation from God that results from sin. 

     Open your bible in Genesis 3 and learn some truth:

1. Give the verse that tells us that Adam and Eve disobeyed God as they ate the forbidden fruit? __________
2. There are some facts stated Immediately after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, complete the missing words in Genesis 3:7 “And the _______of them both were _________, and they ________ that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Compare Genesis 2:25)

Genesis 3:7 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Dispensation of Conscience)

Genesis 2:25 “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” (Dispensation of Innocence) 

     Did Adam and Eve know themselves that they sinned or did God need to tell Adam and Eve that they had sinned?

     Genesis 3:7, describes the immediate aftermath of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God in eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We have the concept of knowledge and its consequences. The phrase "the eyes of them both were opened" signifies the moment of enlightenment for Adam and Eve, as they gained an understanding of their own nakedness and vulnerability. This newfound awareness is accompanied by a sense of shame and the need to cover themselves, as indicated by the sewing of fig leaves together to make aprons. This symbolizes the awareness of their own sinfulness and the desire to hide their nakedness from God and each other. This shows us that Adam and Eve were aware of their sinful and shameful condition in eyes of a Holy God. Adam and Eve were conscious that they were failure and fall into sin. It is clear for them about their sinful condition. Notice that Adam and Eve eyes were opened and knew concerning that they sinned against God. They immediately knew something was wrong.

     Another important theme in Genesis 3:7 is the loss of innocence and the introduction of shame. Their disobedience led to a sudden awareness of their own vulnerability and the need to cover themselves. This represents the loss of innocence and the introduction of shame and guilt into the human experience, as well as the breakdown of the intimate relationship between humanity and God.

     We see in Genesis 2:25, that before Adam disobeyed the simple command and sinned against God, he never really knew evil. Before their disobedience, Adam and Eve lived in a state of perfect harmony with each other and with God, without any sense of shame or self-consciousness about their nakedness. However, Adam and Eve saw the folly immediately after they sinned. Adam saw the happiness they had fallen from. Adam and Eve saw the misery they had fallen into. Adam and Eve saw the good they had missed. Adam and Eve saw the evil they had committed.

     Even though God has never experienced evil, God knows all about evil, but since Adam and Eve experienced evil, so they learned about evil (Dispensation of Conscious).  

ILLUSTRATION: A young child who is warned by parents not to touch a hot iron. In spite of the strong forbiddance not to touch the hot iron, the child chose to disobey and touch the hot iron that causes the hands of the child burned. After the child disobeyed the parents, the child knows and learned something immediately that he never knew before he touches the forbidden hot iron. The child now knows how good the hot iron untouched and how terribly bad it feels when the hot iron touched. The child never really knew this until the child touched the hot iron and experienced the pain. The same is true with Adam and Eve, they both never really knew good and evil until the moment they disobeyed God’s simple command and sinned against God, in spite of God’s warning.

Genesis 3:22 “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”

     God is acknowledging the new state of humanity after the Fall (Dispensation of Conscience). God observes that Adam and Eve have now become like Him in knowing good and evil, a characteristic that was previously exclusive to God. This newfound knowledge of good and evil comes with the awareness of sin and its consequences, which separates humanity from God's original plan of unfettered fellowship with Him.

     Let us know and learn what conscience is.

     God has given Adam and Eve also to every man the ability to know when he or she has sinned or when he or she has done right.

     All men have a sense of what is right and what is wrong and certainly aware of what is good and what is evil. God built into man the basic knowledge of what is good and evil for the good of man. God wants every man knows when there is something wrong in his life so that man could fix it. God wants man to feel bad and feel guilty when a man has done wrong or committed sin. However, if a man felt good even when he done wrong and sins, it indicates that man have no desire to get the problem in his life to be fixed. 

     God wants man to know when things are not right with the body.

     God given man physical body with certain indicators called “nerves” that tell us when something is not right with our body. We should be grateful that God built into our body nerves that are helpful. Imagine if we did not feel any pain, without knowing something is damaging our body. But this will not happen because the nerves send a message to our brain that instructs us to do the right thing since the nerves responded, for it feels pain and hurts. 

     God wants man to know when things are not right with the soul.

     God given man a conscience. The conscience is to the soul and the nerves are to the body. The conscience lets know when have done wrong or when things are not right and feel guilty about it. God given not a man conscience that is why animals don’t have knowledge of good and evil. But although animals don’t have conscience, God has built into them instinctive patterns so animals can be trained to do what men want them to do. That is difference between man and animals. Man have conscience but animals don’t have. Animals still did what is wrong and does not feel guilty about it in spite animals have been trained to fear punishment once they do things that they should not.

     Because of God given conscience, so man is able to make self-judgment. God did not want Adam to know and told him, that he sinned against God. Adam judged himself and knew that he is guilty, he had sinned and disobeyed God. That is why Adam was very much aware of his sins. Man has that guilt, a conscience.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Genesis 3:7 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Dispensation of Conscience) 

     God has built to a man a warning system that alerts us when something is wrong that needs to be fixed, this is called conscience. 

Illustration: The car has a warning light system to inform the driver of the over heating of the motor, brakes problem or engine trouble, etc. The car warning light tells the driver there is a problem needs to be fixed. So, the driver will do something or bring the car into auto repair shop. But when a driver who foolishly decided to smashes the car by a hammer because the car red light keeps flashing and it bothers him. But it does not help the driver or the car. The driver was glad for the annoying light stop, but he made a big mistake because he did not follow or heed to that light warning system so he finds out his car is no longer functioning at all. The driver did not realize that the warning light system could help him to avoid wrong action. The same is true with man’s conscience it serves as a warning light. 

     Instead of giving attention to the conscience that serves as a light warning to fix life problems, man try to get rid of the bad feelings which the conscience has triggered. The same is true with some people they try fixing their problems in life by using prohibited drugs, or drunk with alcohol, etc. which none of those things help or solve the problem. The same is true if Adam had a sin problem and gotten drunk, may not have felt so bad, but the truth he still has the same problem. 

     We must be aware that the Scriptures tells us that the people can have the kind of conscience that no longer works as it should. Likewise, if an unwise driver keeps of hitting the red light with his fist, there will be a moment when the red-light warning device of the car does not give message at all. Why? Because the red warning light is broken and no longer sensitive even it has over hot motor, broken fan belt. 

     The Bible tells us in I Timothy 4:2 “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”

Notice the word “Seared” in Greek “kausteriazo”, (English “cauterize”) only used here in Scripture. It is a verb the means to mark made by burning with a hot iron. If the conscience is seared literally cauterized, then it has been rendered insensitive or that kind of conscience does not work properly. It dulled the sense of right and wrong. Paul identifies those who have a seared conscience in (I Timothy 4:1-2).

     Notice the words “Speaking lies” This explains why false teachers (slave of satan) lie with no shame and spread deception with no compunction, it is because they have seared consciences. They are past feeling that lying is wrong.

It also described the marking of a slave with the owner’s brand. These men who speaking lies with hypocrisy are slaves of darkness in this passage are branded indicating ownership by Satan (II Timothy 2:26). In contrast with Paul who bore on his body the marks of the Lord Jesus (Galatians 6:17 “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”). The point is that the conscience is so destroyed that is why these false teachers refuse to listen any longer to their conscience. 

Example: Lepers who have their sensory nerve endings destroyed by the leprae bacilli and as a result can no longer feel pain which results in frequent injury including burns which they cannot feel.

Pain is a protective mechanism and a “pained” conscience is also a moral, ethically protective mechanism. The fact that their consciences were seared allowed them to teach the falsehoods without any hesitation, reservation or regret.  

     As opposed to seared conscience, Paul talks earlier in his epistle about the good conscience.

1. A person with a good conscience has a sincere faith and purity love (I Timothy 1:4-5)
2. A person with a good conscience maintains his integrity, enjoys fellowship with those who walk in the light as Christ is in the light (I John 1:7). Able to tell right from wrong, free from guilt.
3. A person with a good conscience fights the lies but follow the right and holding on to faith (I Timothy 1:18-9)

     A wise person listens to his conscience, but foolish person refuses to listen to the voice of conscience when it warns them against doing the wrong thing.

Example: Story of a man sleeping but his dog barking loudly that the noise disturbs the man who woke up and try to go back to sleep but the dog keeps on barking. The half sleep dog’s owner annoyed by non-stop barking finally took a gun and shot his dog. The following day, the owner discovered that robbery happened in the lower level of his residence. That night his dog was kept on barking and was trying to warn the owner about the robber but the owner did not receive well the message of the dog but instead killed the messenger. The same is true with many people who refuse to listen to the voice of conscience when it warns them against doing the wrong thing. 

     Man’s conscience can be compared to a weighing scale of self-judgment. How? Men need to make a judgment to weigh what we have to do before doing it, to weigh the words before speaking those words. We are weighing by saying to ourselves “am I right or am I wrong? Is this pleasing or unpleasing to God? Is this biblical or sinful? Is this spiritual or worldly? Should I or should I not?” And we notice that after we have done or spoke a word, there will be self-judgment, that is our conscience saying “What I have done was right or wrong?” “Should I have done this or should not?” How could we answer this? We have the accurate scale to get the right answer.

     Conscience is like a scale. In order for a conscience to weight accurately it needs an accurate knowledge of good and evil and have right information of it. However, when something may be wrong that is judged right or something may be right that is judged wrong, the conscience will not weight things properly. Why? Because man’s conscience can only work depending with the information which it has. A scale can only function well if it weighs accurately. The self-judgment or conscience scale will be more accurate, the more a person learns and understands God’s Word, the accurate God’s truth.

     God gives man a basic knowledge to discern what is right and what is wrong.  That is why man must judge his acts, thoughts and behavior according to that basic knowledge that he has.  The conscience of man is only as good depends on man’s own knowledge of good and evil.

     In order for Children of Israel would know what is right and what is wrong, God gave them the Ten Commandments and other God’s law. (Exodus 20). Since the written laws clearly teaches against sinful evil things against God, such as it was wrong to murder, to steal and to covet, to bear false witness, to have adultery, etc. therefore the children of Israel knew those things are wrong. So, man knew what and why it was wrong through conscience. 

     Do the people who never had the written law of God know what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil?

To know the answer. read Romans 2:14-15 as Paul writes about the Gentiles who never have the law of God and never seen the Ten Commandments because God never give them the written law of God. Put the missing words.

Romans 2:14 “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:”

      This raises several important themes and questions, including the relationship between the Mosaic Law and the conscience, the nature of sin and accountability, and the inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan of redemption.  

      We have the idea of the law written on the hearts of Gentiles. Paul is suggesting that the Gentiles, even though they do not have the written Mosaic Law, still have a sense of right and wrong.    

      Paul is arguing that Gentiles who do not have the Mosaic Law are still accountable for their actions because they have a basic understanding of right and wrong through their conscience.

witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”

Romans 2:15 “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;)”

     Paul mentions that those who do not have the law but still do what the law requires. This refers to the Gentiles, who may not have the Mosaic law but still have a sense of right and wrong. They are able to show the work of the law written on their hearts, indicating that they have an innate understanding of moral and ethical principles. This demonstrates that even without the specific knowledge of the law, individuals still have the ability to discern good from evil.

     Then next part of the verse emphasizes the role of conscience. Paul highlights that their conscience bears witness to the work of the law written in their hearts. The conscience, in this context, refers to the inner sense of what is right or wrong that guides one's actions. Conscience serves as a moral compass, convicting or excusing an individual based on their thoughts and actions.

It means their thoughts accusing one another “you are guilty, what you did is wrong” or their thoughts are excusing one another “you are not guilty, what you did is right.”

The point is men have the basic knowledge about what is right and what is wrong. Man has the conscience.

     We learn in Romans 2:14-15 that God has put knowledge of right and wrong even in the hearts of those people who do not have the written law. The conscience of people who do not have and seen the written law of God applauds them when they do right and their conscience condemns them when they do wrong. Their conscience as the nerves of man’s soul and works very well. 

      Examples of people who knew right and wrong but did not have God’s written law.

     The story of Isaac and Abimelech is found in Genesis 26:6-16. Abimelech was a Philistine Gentile king who did not have a Scriptures and have no copy of the 10 commandments.

     Rebekah was Isaac’s real wife; Isaac lied to Abimelech.  But Isaac told Abimelech that Rebekah was his ___ (v.7).

Genesis 26:7 “And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.”

     Isaac is traveling to Gerar, and he tells the people there that his wife, Rebekah, is actually his sister. He does this out of fear for his own life, as he believes that the people of Gerar may kill him in order to take Rebekah for themselves. Isaac's fear for his own safety leads him to lie about his relationship with his wife, Rebekah, claiming that she was his sister.

     However, Abimelech soon discovered the truth that Rebekah was married to Isaac. Abimelech questioned Isaac about his deceit, expressing his concern that one of his people might have slept with Rebekah, there will be an adultery case if one of the men of King Abimelech had taken Rebekah a wife, thereby bringing guilt upon them.

      A man was forbidden to take a woman who is already married. Although King Abimelech did not a copy of 10 Commandments, did he know that Adultery was wrong? _________ (verses 10-11).

Genesis 26:10-11 “And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. ¹¹ And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

     Abimelech, despite being deceived, still recognizes the integrity of Isaac's relationship with Rebekah, and he warns his people not to harm the couple under penalty of death. We see in verse 11 that the integrity and honoring marriage vows. Despite Isaac's deception, Abimelech recognizes the sanctity of marriage and extends protection to the couple.      

     Abimelech was not a believer, was not saved but knew that adultery was wrong even though he did not have the 10 commandments. Abimelech had the works of the law written in his heart and the conscience of Abimelech condemned the taking of a woman who was already married (Adultery).  Man has a conscience.

     This group of foreigners or barbarians who live on the island of Melita (or Malta) is found in Acts 28:1-6.

Like Abimelech, these group of foreigners were unsaved and had no Bible themselves and had no copy of the Ten Commandments. These barbarians had the works of the law written in their hearts in spite that they do not have the Bible and were ignorant of the written law of God. 

Acts 28:3 “And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand."

     Paul is depicted as gathering sticks to add to a fire. However, as he is doing so, a viper comes out from the heat of the fire and fastens onto his hand.

Acts 28:4 “And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live."

     The people of Malta, referred to as "barbarians", saw that Paul’s hand was bit by venomous snake, interpret this as a sign that Paul is a murderer, and thought that Paul was getting just what he deserved, and carried out the penalty, as they thought that it was evil and wrong to murder, and as they believe that though Paul survived the sea, he will not escape divine vengeance, and Paul as murderer deserve to die. 

Acts 28:5-6 “And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. ⁶ Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.”

     However, when Paul does not die from the snakebite, the people's perception of him changes, and they begin to regard him as a god.

     With that kind of thoughts, it shows that these barbarians were right in their knowledge of good and evil. The works of the law was written in the hearts of these barbarians so they knew that murder was wrong. Besides, these barbarians of Melita knew also that capital punishment of death penalty was to be carried out by the murderers (Genesis 9:6).

     All men are responsible for their actions before God, whether Jews who directly have the written Old Testament law or Gentiles who do not have the written Old Testament law. Why? Because God has put knowledge to man, and conscience the nerves of soul revealed to all men what is right and what is wrong. 

     As we have learned that conscience is like a warning red light device system in the car. That red light was made to work well and to warn the driver when the car has a problem. However, that light is possible to give the driver a wrong signal. Example: There is some kind electrical problem in a car even it still running and the driver using it. The signal light says “there is something wrong”, but when the driver opens the hood, he sees that everything is fine, there is nothing wrong with the car. The problem is not with the car and the problem was with the light that give the wrong signal.

     The same is true when a man conscience sometimes does not work quite right. 

     There are some believers in Paul’s day who thought it was wrong if they eat things that were offered to idols (I Corinthians 8:1-8).

These people in Corinthians needed more knowledge and their conscience being _______ (verse 7).

I Corinthians 8:7 “Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.”

     Actually, what these people in Corinthians were doing was not wrong, but they thought what they were doing was wrong, and when they did it, they were condemned by their conscience and feel that they were condemned guilty.

     Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about those who have knowledge about the fact that idols are nothing, and that there is only one God, and yet they still struggle with the concept of eating meat that has been offered to idols. Paul acknowledges that not everyone has this knowledge, and some still have a weak conscience when it comes to this issue. Paul emphasizes the importance of considering the weaker conscience of others and not causing them to stumble, even if one has the freedom to do something.

     In our days, some people even in some countries, feel and believed that to kill animals is wrong. This should not give them problem concerning this but they feel it is wrong, because their conscience is weak specifically in this belief. But on the other hand, some people do not feel bad to slaughter pig because according to them they have the right reason, since they were not cruel to animals and just do it for the right occasions. 

     Saul of the New Testament, before he became the Apostle Paul had a conscience that he was sending signals based on wrong information. In Acts 26:9-11, Saul thought the it is right to persecute Christians.

Acts 26:9-11 “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰ Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. ¹¹ And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

     Here we see that the apostle Paul addressed King Agrippa during his defense before the Roman governor, Festus, When Paul says, "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth," This signifies the conviction and zeal with which Saul now Paul had once pursued persecution against the followers of Jesus. Saul listened to his conscience with the wrong information.  

     Saul thought that he was serving God by persecuting, punishing, hurting, killing Christians. Compare it to what the Lord Jesus said in John 16:2 “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”

     Jesus is speaking to his disciples, telling them that they will face great persecution and opposition from the religious leaders of the time. The "they" refers to the religious leaders who will put the disciples out of the synagogues, or excommunicate them from the Jewish religious community. The phrase "whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service" is particularly chilling. Jesus is warning his disciples that they will face such intense opposition that their lives will be in danger. These religious zealots who will seek to harm or kill the disciples will believe that they are doing God's will by eliminating these followers of Jesus. They would believe that they were serving God by eliminating those who followed Jesus and Saul was one of them. 

Later, Saul encountered the Lord Jesus personally and received some needed right information (Acts 9) and by then, the Apostle Paul realized that he been wrong for the conscience that send him wrong information to him before he got saved.

     But, men in most cases, men both know what is right and know what is wrong because their conscience sends the right signal. The first man Adam and his wife Eve with their children had a conscience that worked very well. They know what is right and what is wrong. Since the fall of man when disobeyed the simple God’s command, they clearly aware of the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Men are in dispensation of conscience.

II – THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAN TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.

     After the innocent man disobey God’s simple command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that man now had a conscience, man had a knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:22).

Genesis 3:22 “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”

     Man had once known only the goodness of God; but now he had come to know experimentally the evil inherent in rejecting God’s Word, as well as the necessary spiritual and physical suffering resulting from such action, so that he did, indeed, “know good and evil.”

     Adam and Eve already knew, intellectually, the difference between good and evil because of God’s command to not eat of the tree’s fruit. They knew it was right to eat of those trees and wrong to eat of that tree. However, after the fall of man. when they chose to disobey, they knew evil experientially because they themselves had sinned against God. At that point, they fully understood both right and wrong. When Adam and Eve lost their innocence, they, too, understood the nature of evil because of its very real presence within them (dispensation of conscience).

     Since God put the basic knowledge of good and evil into a man, responsibility also comes. The responsibility of man is to live according to the knowledge which he had. Because of responsibility that God has given to man, it is man’s obligation to do what was good and obligation to abstain from doing what was evil. Whatever man’s conscience would approve, he had to do but whatever man’s conscience would condemn, he had to avoid.

     Open and read Genesis 4:2-5. God had respect Abel’s offering and God did not respect Cain’s offering.

Genesis 4:2-5 “And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

³ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. ⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: ⁵ But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.”

     Why did God accept Abel's offering? It was because of Abel's faith. The writer of Hebrews explains about the offering of Abel (Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”). So, what does it mean that Abel offered by faith? The implication is that he faithfully followed divine directions for bringing offerings to God (even though Scripture is silent on how Abel and Cain knew they were to bring offerings to God). Abel obeyed God. Faith that is genuine is faith that obeys.

The New Testament says that faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. The writer of Hebrews adds that 

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Now, since Abel's offering pleased the LORD, he had genuine faith. Note that in Hebrews 11:4 we read "he was righteous," and we know that the only way to be righteous before God, is by genuine faith. We see this portrayed in the life of Abraham, the father of faith, Moses recording that about Abraham (Genesis 15:6 “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”).

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

God accepted Abel’s offering. The offering of Abel is better and acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s offering, through which Abel was commended by as righteous, because Abel offered to God by faith.

I John 3:12 “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.”

     John had just explained that the devil had sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8), so one reason Cain practiced evil is because Satan, the "sin stimulator," was prowling around like a roaring lion and he pounced on Cain in a moment of anger, tempting him to extract revenge on his brother Abel. (1 Peter 5:8) Cain was vulnerable because he did not master the evil desire. And what was the root cause of Cain's hatred that led to murder? Hebrews says that (Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”). Cain's basic problem was a defective, deficient faith which led to a disastrous disobedience. Genuine faith is always linked closely with obedience (see the phrase "obedience of faith" in Romans 1:5, Romans 16:26) Beloved, faith that does not obey (as this case the commandment to love one another) is not a saving faith!

     Cain's deeds clearly demonstrated his "spiritual family", specifically identifying him not as a child of God but as a child of the devil (1 John 3:9).

Genesis 4:5 “But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.”

     God looked favorably on Abel's offering but did not regard Cain's offering. This rejection led to Cain's feelings of anger and jealousy towards his brother, which ultimately led to the tragic events that followed.

     Cain had bad feelings which were triggered by Cain’s conscience and Cain should have recognized those bad feelings as a signal to warn him. The conscience of Cain signaling that there was something wrong that needed to be fixed in his life.

Genesis 4:6-7 “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? ⁷ If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”

     Notice how the LORD phrases these two facts as questions (rhetorical questions), in an attempt to give Cain an opportunity to acknowledge his sin. Despite Cain's sinful feelings and actions, God addresses him directly and gives him an opportunity to acknowledge and reconcile his emotions.

• What are the two choices of Cain: (Genesis 4:7).
  1. Cain could “doest ________”
  2. Cain could “doest not _____ “

Genesis 4:7 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”

     God speaks to Cain, asking him why he is angry and encouraging him to do what is right so that he will be accepted.

     Notice the conditional statement: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" This suggests that acceptance and approval from God are contingent upon doing what is right Can was responsible to do well (do what is right and good). The verse then continues, "and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." This is a powerful warning about the dangers of sin, indicating that if Cain fails to do well or failure to what is right, he will be susceptible to sin, this would mean that sin (his old sin nature) would be lying at the door like a wild animal ready to pounce on him and destroy him. We see here the concept of free will and the responsibility to choose between doing what is right and giving in to sin.

     Cain would soon learn the difficult lesson that if he did not control his anger, his anger would control him. God is not condemning him (which He might have done because of the unacceptable offering), but is encouraging him to do well, warning him of dire consequences if he did not do well. 

Genesis 4:8-9 “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. ⁹ And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?”

     Cain's offering of the fruits of the ground is rejected by God. This rejection sparks a feeling of resentment and anger in Cain, leading to the tragic murder of his brother.

     Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." This was the ultimate "small talk," for it was deliberate deceit and evidence that Cain had pre-meditated (“in the field”presumably would be away from where Adam and Eve were so they could not intervene or so no witness to the crime) that he would kill his brother, his anger finally culminating in a slaying of his own (and only) brother! Cain lost sight of the fact that God has all sight, all the time (Proverbs 15:3). It also worth noting how quickly Adam's sin spread, even resulting in one of the most heinous sins of taking the life of another person in the image of God! 

     The more you think about Cain’s sin, the more heinous it becomes. The murder wasn’t motivated by sudden passion; it was carefully premeditated. Cain didn’t kill a stranger in defense; he murdered his own brother out of envy and hatred. Furthermore, Cain did it after being at the altar to worship God and in spite of God’s warning and promise. Finally, once the horrible deed was done, Cain took it all very lightly and tried to lie his way out of it. 

      God give the warning information to fix up wrong things he has done (verse 6-7), but Cain refused to heed the warning of God as a red-light warning device of his own conscience (verse 8-9). So Cain did the evil things.

III – THE FAILURE OF MAN IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE FLOOD.

     Before the flood the Bible recorded the days about the sad failure of man (Genesis 6).

• What is that God saw that was great in the earth? ________ (verse 5)
• What kind of thoughts of the heart of man’s that was continually evil? _______ (verse 5)

Genesis 6:5 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

     God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil—evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart.

     Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart...only evil continually is a sad all-inclusive phrase! Don't miss the emphasis brought out by the words "every", "only" and "continually!" This is mankind as God sees it. This is the human race wholly apart from God’s grace. This is man at his worst! His corruption was inward, continual and habitual.

Genesis 6:11 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.”

     Complete the mission words in Genesis 6:12 “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for ______ flesh had ________ his way upon the earth.”

Genesis 6:12 “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

     God looked on the earth, and behold, (hinneh) it was corrupt (shachath; Lxx = kataphtheiro = "rotten"!) - God saw how corrupt the earth was.

     On that day, the effect of man’s failure was the corruption of the earth which was the rule and not the exception. That kind of corruption had spread to all men living in this earth. 

     The Earth was corrupt because it was filled with corrupt people. All flesh indicates that Noah's preaching of righteousness had absolutely no effect on the people of the world. 

     Not only this earth was very corrupt and filled with violence but these were days that were very dark and the humanity were full of evil doers. However, there were few people who were doing well and who believed God.

Give the names of three men who pleases God during the dark days. (Hebrews 11:4-7).

1. By faith offered unto God and obtained witness that he was righteous. ________ (verse 4)
2. By faith translated and see death, and had a testimony that pleases God. ________ (verse 5)
3. By faith and fear of God prepared and ark and became heir of rightesouness________ (verse 6-7)

Hebrews 11:4-7 “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. ⁷ By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

     Notice that in Abel we have way of faith, Enoch we have the walk of faith and in Noah we have the witness of faith.

     Abel offered by faith. In other words, Abel believed the Lord's word regarding what was to be sacrificed and by giving a blood sacrifice proved that he followed God. We see the genuine Faith that that believes God and obeys God’s Word.

    Enoch for many years had been walking with God so his relocation to heaven was not even an interruption. Enoch was taken (metatithemi) up so that he would not see (experience) death (thanatos). Enoch teaches us that if we walk by faith, God will reward us a unbroken fellowship with our Creator. Enoch recognized the failure of man’s trying to live apart from and His will, so by faith Noah walked with God when sin and corruption on days was rampant all around in this wicked earth. The Apostle Paul charges believers today to "Walk by faith not sight." (II Corinthians 5:7)

     When God instructed Noah what he is going to do, Noah’s response of faith involved the whole person: his mind was warned of God; his heart was moved with fear; and his will acted on. By walking with God, Noah’s conduct is described as being “a righteous man, without defect in his generations. (Genesis 6:9). Noah represents as the Lord’s witness during evil days on his times and lives faithfully, enduring unto the end.

    There were not many but few godly men in these dark and evil days of Enoch (Jude 14-15).

    How many times the word “ungodly” was mentioned? __________ (verse 15).

Jude 14-15 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, ¹⁵ To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

     Enoch was very godly man who lived in a very ungodly, corrupt and dark world. Enoch preached to the people of his day with a message that many ungodly people doing ungodly deeds in that ungodly world.

     The repeatedly used of the term ungodly shows us the depravity and wickedness of those people who oppose the will of God on those evil days. The world that is full of wickedness is a symbol of the spiritual and moral corruption that separates individuals from God and His righteousness.

     The repeated used of the term ungodly describes that the people are ungodly, their deeds are ungodly, the manner in which they perform these deeds is ungodly, and that their total ungodliness were shown by their blasphemies against the Lord. Their punishment comes because of their ungodly actions and their ungodly speech; both their works and their words betray the wickedness of their hearts. 

IV – THE JUDGMENT OF GOD TO THE VERY CORRUPT WORLD.

Answer several questions:

Genesis 7:11, 12, 23 “In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

¹² And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. ²³ And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.” 

     Notice the word “destroyed” in Hebrew “machah”. The emphasis on death in verse 23, was added to the words “all flesh died” in Genesis 7:21 “And all flesh died” and to the words mentioned in Genesis 7:22 “all that was in the dry land, died”, so totally destroyed (verse 23). So, to speak God exterminated all the vermin from the earth, and all animals in whose nostrils were the breath of life died and to sums it destroyed every living thing from the land from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky.

     How many people were left at the end of this dispensation of conscience? _________

I Peter 3:20 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”   

II Peter 2:5 “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

      Notice again the last phrase in Genesis 7:23 “Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”

The word “remained” (in Hebrew “sha’ar) means left behind. The word “only” refers to those who were in Ark were saved from the righteous wrath of God and only those who are in the Ark of Jesus Christ will be saved from the righteous wrath of God and eternal punishment. This reminds us of I Thessalonians 1:10 “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” What is this God’s wrath refer to? Could it be in some ways compared to the global flood, it is the Seventieth week of Daniel, often called the Tribulation, the last 3 years known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15, 21; Daniel 12:1) or the so called “time of Jacob’s trouble.” We have the picture that all true believers of Jesus Christ who are alive when the day of Jesus return will be caught up into the air to be with Christ and like Noah and his family will be saved from this righteous wrath before the Great Tribulation comes on earth. Those who are in Christ shall live, shall rise, and reign with him for ever but none of those who are outside of Christ shall so live. 

     The verb “remained” (in Hebrew “sha’ar) can be rendered “remnant.” “Sha’ar means “to be left over; to survive” in the Niphal verb stem. It is the word used in later biblical texts for the remnant that escapes judgment. God left a remnant of mankind by preserving Noah and family as a manifestation of God’s boundless mercy. God’s preservation of Noah was not based on worthiness of Noah but fully based on God’s amazing grace. The remnant of righteous people is very important concerning the Nation of Israel. However, most of Israelites was not a righteous remnant but perished over the millennia, but God has remained faithful to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in order He may preserve a faithful remnant of the nation of Israel.  

Genesis 9: 11, 15-16 “And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. ¹⁵ And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶ And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”

     Notice the word “I will establish my covenant” (in Hebrew “berit” or “berith”) This is a covenant between God and Noah, but now God adds with the earth, so that the covenant includes all life on the earth. Notice the emphasis of the promised covenant, that God says He never again and then neither again. But notice that God adds a third “”no more” or never again in verse 15 “the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Although this seem not a great promise to us, just imagine living in the day of Noah and you wonder every time the heavy rain pour. Without this covenant promise to Noah, people in the world might begin to fear and possibly says to themselves that how can they be save of the catastrophic flood if they don’t have an ark prepared. So, this Noahic covenant relieves any fears of men might have today when the heaven rain begins to pour.

     If you notice this repeated covenant applies to “all flesh,” which occurs 5 times in verses in Genesis 9:11, 15, 16, 17. This truth serves a reminder to Noah and even to all of us of God’s special concern for animal life.

     This study covered after the fall of man they have now their conscience knowing good and bad, right and wrong, but the earth become evil and full of wickedness that stir up the divine wrath and resulted to a worldwide flood.  

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