The Three Levels of Following the Spirit (Part 1)

LEVEL 1:  CONSCIENCE
"So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man."  Acts 24:16

I'm Orion.  My story begins like yours, but it's up to you if yours ends like mine.

I tried to do the right thing by my conscience.  I followed the Golden Rule in everything.  Before I made a decision, I checked with the Golden Rule in my conscience.  If it felt right, I did it...sometimes.  There were times I didn't consider the rule at all.  Sometimes I either ignored my conscience, or started right and ended wrong.

No matter what, even when I was ok conscience wise, something felt wrong about me.

But I didn't know what, until I  went to church with my girlfriend.

Going to church was ok, as far as my conscience told me.

The preacher was talking about real love.  He said that God is love and that all real love is measured by His love.  Then it happened.  He quoted a verse that destroyed everything I thought about myself:

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."  1 John 4:10

Real love is self-sacrificing!  God loved me even though I wasn't even thinking about Him.  He not only loved me, but showed His love through the ultimate self-sacrifice!

That's what was wrong with me!  Whether I was sinful or "sinless," I was selfish!  I wasn't following my conscience or the Golden Rule for God or anyone else!  Only myself!  To feel good about myself.  I kept failing because I was selfish!  Wow!  It actually made sense, even though I was realizing I that was evil!

I followed the Golden Rule when it benefited me!  But when I had two conflicting selfish desires, one to feel righteous by a good conscience, the other to have sex with my girlfriend, the strongest selfish desire would win!  Sometimes the rule.  Sometimes my girlfriend.

I was in sin.

"God, I don't love you with all of my heart, and I don't love people like I love myself.  Please forgive me because Jesus died for me.  Thank You."

I felt it.
I felt peace cover me like a blanket.
I felt a new power and presence in my conscience.

I told my girlfriend what happened.  She cried, and gave herself to the Lord with me.
Our relationship changed...at first.
(READ PART 2. CLICK HERE!)