Gold Nugget 231 - Fruits of a Disturbed Conscience
We may be sure that the crime of delivering Jesus to the Romans to be crucified had not been accomplished without many and sore rebukes of conscience. They knew of Christ’s blameless life of active goodness and beneficence; they must have heard from many lips of his healing and his kindness to the sick and poor; they had heard his teaching themselves, or had heard of it from others, how wise, how instructive, how Divine it was. And yet, in their envy and malice, they had given him over to death.
At least they hoped that no voice could come from the grave to rebuke them, and that their Victim was silenced for ever. But now they were told that he whom they had slain was alive again; that he whom they had seen hanging on the cross was at he right hand of God; that he whose head had drooped helplessly in death was in possession of all power in heaven; that he had sent his Holy Spirit with extraordinary gifts to rest upon his disciples; that he healed and made alive; that the marvelous power which they saw in the poor fishermen of Galilee was his power; and that he would come again in glory to reign as the Lord’s Christ.
Can we doubt that their slumbering conscience was aroused to a very troublesome activity, that guilt awakened fear and alarm, and that most unwelcome anticipations crowded upon their minds? “Ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us,” was their angry expostulation and the expression of their fears. Clearly, unless these fears brought them to repentance, they would rouse them to hatred and indignation. They did the latter, and this persecution was the result. And beyond a doubt this disturbed but not converted conscience lies at the bottom of much of the world’s hatred of the truth of Christ.
Men have sense enough to know that if the word of God is true they are condemned. The doctrines of the gospel are at variance with a heart full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin. The same word which shows the grace and love of God shows the foulness and hatefulness of sin.
Men who have settled down into a course of sin and willful ungodliness do not wish to be disturbed. They wish to sin on in peace. They have no thoughts of renouncing all their old ways of thinking and feeling and acting. Whoever disturbs them, and breaks in upon their security, is an enemy. The disturbing doctrines are hateful, and all the more so if reason or conscience sides with them. And so anger and contempt and vengeance cry down the feeble voice of conscience and prompt the hand to violence and persecution.
The Pulpit Commentary, Acts p. 127-128, Acts 4:1-31, (A. C. Hervey)
Gold Nugget 231 – Fruits of a Disturbed Conscience
