During a 1923 maneuvering exercise, Lieutenant Commander Donald T. Hunter, an experienced navigator and instructor at the Naval Academy, navigated the USS Delphy. The Delphy was the flagship among several naval destroyers. During the exercise, a thick cloak of fog descended on the ships. After several communication attempts, Hunter could not get an accurate read on his location.
Contrary to his calculations, the Delphy was headed for trouble. Known for his confidence, skepticism of new navigational gadgets, and “magic infallibility” in guiding his ships, Hunter ignored the RDF (radio-direction finding) bearings and kept going. Traveling at 20 knots, the USS Delphy rammed into the rocky Point Arguello shoreline. The shipwreck resulted in 23 men losing their lives and the loss of several ships.
For the apostle Paul, something more lasting and important than perishable ships was at stake—faith in Jesus. Paul encouraged Timothy to continue to fight the good fight and maintain a clear conscience (1 Timothy 1:18-19). To hold tightly to the Christian faith and to live by it would result in a clear and good conscience. Having a conscience programmed with the will of God would help Timothy be a good Christian soldier. If he or others deliberately violated their conscience, however, and ignored DDF (divine-direction finding), as some had already done, they would be spiritually and morally shipwrecked (1 Timothy 1:20).
Though our conscience is not an infallible guide, we can have it trained by the Word of God and cleansed by the death of Jesus (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:14). We can then navigate away from the crags of immorality and heresy to the safe shores of faith.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Judges 13:1-25
More:
See Acts 23:1 and Acts 24:16 to read what Paul said about his own conscience.
Next:
Why do we tend to violate our conscience? What are some ways you can learn to keep it clear before God and people?
Tom Felten on March 10, 2014 at 9:44 am
Marvin, it’s great to know that God has given us His Word, the Holy Spirit, our consciences, and the counsel from godly friends to avoid the “crags” of life. The sad reality is that—due to the following of sinful desires—we can choose to mute these four vital sources of real life. Instead, may we turn up their volume today and live out a pure faith in Jesus.
Roxanne Robbins on March 10, 2014 at 11:27 am
Good reminder that our fallible consciences can provide us with good guidance when trained by the Word of God.
Ruth O'reilly-smith on March 11, 2014 at 2:26 am
and the fallout when we refuse to follow our God-given conscience – our DDF system – can be devastating to us and to those around us. ‘Lord, that we would stay close to your heart and respond quickly to your prompting by the Holy Spirit.’