Conditioning Our Conscious for Christian Conduct
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2 (KJV)
What comes to your mind at the mention of the word conditioning? For the professional hairstylist that styles my wife’s hair, she would be concerned with the conditioning of her clients’ hair. From her experience and expertise, she would educate and encourage her clients to take steps essential for helping them enjoy beautiful, shiny, and healthy hair. For those professionals with a psychological or therapeutic background they would be familiar with the phrase “classical conditioning” (also known as Pavlovian conditioning).
Classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus. For example, did you ever give any consideration to why we want popcorn in a movie theater? Someone was brilliant enough to believe that people would want popcorn when they watch a movie as opposed to celery sticks (although celery sticks are a pretty healthy alternative with a little peanut butter). The bottom line is that all of us who have frequently attended a movie theater have been conditioned to eat popcorn. And whenever or if ever the theaters open again, we will make a beeline to the concession stand for some of that buttery, salted popcorn. I am sure that just by reading buttery, salted popcorn you are now poised to make some and park yourself on the couch to watch a movie.
In my personal experience with collegiate and professional football, strength and conditioning training was an essential component that was unequivocally connected with a strong performance and success. Strength and conditioning involves a wide range of exercises developed to build a variety of skills with a focus on the mind, mobility, stability, strength, endurance, power, speed, and agility. Conventional thinking points us to two primary objectives of strength and conditioning: performance and prevention. Strength and conditioning training allows us to perform well while also helping to prevent injury.
However, are you aware that as Christians we are personally responsible to condition our conscience for Christian conduct? I implore you to consider with me the essentiality and the implementation of conscience-conditioning. Conditioning our conscience is critical to the cause of Christ and success and sanctified living as Christian. If we do not commit ourselves to a Christ-like conscience, an antichrist culture will condition our conscience to cement itself in carnality. Consequently, we will have a conscience of compromise and comfort with the world. Remember, Christ our Lord and King has given us His decree to be salt (a preservative to protect and position us in the plans and purpose of God) and light (illumination to show those in the world the way out of ignorance and iniquity) in this life.
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 (KJV, emphasis mine)
Therefore, we cannot be salt and light if we are not committed to conditioning our consciences for Christian conduct. Join me next time as we continue to turn our attention to training and conditioning of our consciences for Christian living.
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR