Dave Rich begins a critical examination of the Christian conscience in this first installment of Fire in the Hole. Drawing from both Old and New Testament texts, Rich explores the biblical foundation of conscience as a God-given human faculty that judges our actions and thoughts. Fire in the Hole examines how conscience functions differently in believers and unbelievers, examining passages in which the Old Testament uses phrases like "heart struck" and "integrity of heart" to convey what the New Testament explicitly calls conscience. Through careful analysis of Genesis, 1 Samuel, Romans, Hebrews, and 1 Corinthians, Rich demonstrates that while conscience is a grace from God to all image bearers, it remains fallible and requires illumination by Scripture and the Holy Spirit. The teaching reveals how conscience can be natural or spiritual, good or defiled, correct or incorrect, strong or weak, confident or uncertain—establishing the foundation for understanding how Christians should train their conscience according to biblical standards rather than mere personal conviction.

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Dave Rich continues exploring the believer's work in sanctification through five essential spiritual practices. Understanding God's fatherly discipline transforms trials from sorrowful experiences into opportunities for sanctification, yielding the peaceful fruit of righteousness. The believer's work in sanctification requires embracing various trials as necessary means God uses to refine faith and shape character. Believers participate in their sanctification through fasting, stewardship, and acting virtuously, training themselves in godliness as athletes train their bodies. This believer's work in sanctification is spirit-empowered yet demands intentional effort, as doing good leads to being good through trained behavioral dispositions that result in habitual moral goodness.

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Dave Rich examines essential elements of the believer's work in sanctification, demonstrating how Christians actively cooperate with God's transforming power. Understanding the believer's work in sanctification requires recognizing both divine sovereignty and human responsibility, as Philippians 2:12-13 reveals. This practical teaching explores six vital practices that cultivate holiness: Bible intake through reading and study, devoted prayer during temptation, meaningful fellowship with other believers, worshipful living that glorifies God, sacrificial service using spiritual gifts, and bold evangelism that proclaims the gospel. Each practice represents the believer's work in sanctification, developing Christlike character while depending on the Holy Spirit's enabling grace for lasting transformation.

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Dave Rich delivers a comprehensive examination of Christian ethics by exploring the biblical lists of virtues and vices found throughout Scripture. This message focuses on the attribute dimension of Christian ethics, demonstrating how virtues like faith, love, and the fear of God shape godly character while vices such as sexual immorality, selfish ambition, and jealousy must be actively resisted.

Rich emphasizes the inseparable connection between Christian ethics and sanctification, showing that both righteous deeds and godly character flow from the Holy Spirit's work in believers. The teaching reveals that pursuing Christian ethics requires understanding sanctification as God's ongoing work—never reaching perfection in this life, yet always moving toward Christlikeness. Dave challenges believers to recognize that cultivating biblical virtues and avoiding destructive vices is fundamentally the Spirit's work accomplished through surrendered, obedient effort. This comprehensive approach to Christian ethics demonstrates the centrality of the gospel in ethical living.

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The Fear of God stands as a foundational virtue in Christian ethics, appearing throughout Scripture as the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Dave Rich examines this essential attribute in lesson 10 of his Christian ethics series, demonstrating how The Fear of God shapes believers' lives through faith, obedience, and trust.

This biblical virtue appears in over 300 verses commanding believers to fear God while rejecting the fear of man or circumstances. The Fear of God leads to life, produces humility, and turns believers away from evil. Rich explores the profound connection between this virtue and anxiety, showing that worry reveals misplaced fear and denigrates God's providence.

Therefore, believers must cultivate The Fear of God as the soul of wisdom, casting all anxiety on him who cares for them. This teaching illuminates how proper fear of God eliminates improper fear of everything else, grounding Christian living in eternal perspective rather than temporal concerns.

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Dave Rich explores love as a Christian virtue that pervades all moral decisions and relationships. This comprehensive virtue extends to believers and the lost, demonstrated through obedience, gratitude, and sacrificial service modeled after Christ's atoning love. Love as a Christian virtue means imitating God, who first loved us, fulfilling the law through neighbor love, and speaking truth lovingly. Paul declares that without love as a Christian virtue, even extraordinary spiritual gifts become meaningless, making it essential for Christian living.

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Dave Rich explores love as a Christian virtue flowing from God's eternal nature within the Trinity. This love extends from the Father's love for the Son before creation, and it reaches believers through union with Christ. Christian love toward God manifests primarily through obedience to His commandments and covenant loyalty. Love as a Christian virtue includes profound gratitude for redemption from spiritual slavery. The biblical word "yada" connects thanksgiving with worship, demonstrating how love as a Christian virtue expresses itself through constant thankfulness and joyful recognition of God's providence.

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Dave Rich examines faith as a Christian virtue rooted in knowledge, assent, and trust in God's promises. Beyond justifying faith that receives salvation through Christ's righteousness, believers cultivate faith as a Christian virtue throughout sanctification. This active faith demonstrates itself through obedient works, as illustrated by Abraham and Rahab. Without faith as a Christian virtue, pleasing God remains impossible, making this essential for Christian ethics and daily obedience.

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