Romans 9:1 “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.” Conscience is subjected to God’s Word; as the Individual walks in the Light of God’s Word; the Blood of Christ purges his conscience from dead work (Hebrews 9:14). Romans 9:1, Paul links conscience with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works with the Person’s Conscience, as he does not resist the Holy Spirit’s conviction on his conscience; he submits his conscience to the Holy Spirit and allows the Blood of Christ to cleanse and purge him. The Holy Spirit brings the Person’s Conscience in line with God’s Word as the Conscience is fallible, but the Word of God is Infallible. To maintain a Good Conscience, the Person needs to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit’s Voice. The Holy Spirit works on and through the Conscience; Spirit comes to convict and to convince to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgement (John 16:7-11). Conscience must be subjected to God’s Word and God’s Spirit, and continuously cleansed by Christ’s Blood (Hebrews 9:14).
1.1 Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness is Conscience governed by God’s Word and God’s Spirit and cleanses by the Blood of Christ; whereas unbelieve and evil Conscience goes together – Titus 1:15 (NKJV) “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience.” Faith (“body of truth – sound {healthy} teaching”) and Good Conscience goes together 1Timothy 1:5 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith (body of truth).” The Person should be conscientious in “little things”so that he can graduated to “bigger things” in God (Luke 16:10-13). The Person’s Conscience adjusts itself to the “standard” the Person holds; thus, Paul speaks of:
Purged Conscience (Hebrews 9:14).
“Conscience void of offense toward God and toward men” (Acts 24:16). Conscience needs to be exercised; being conscientious about “little things.”
Jeremiah 6:15; Jeremiah 8:12; Ezra 9:6 – Jeremiah 6:15, after describing the sins at the house of Judah:
Jeremiah 6:15 (KJV) “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush; therefore, they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.”
Ezra 9:6(KJV) “And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
Webster’s Dictionary
Defines “Blush” = To redden in the cheeks or over the face as from a sense of guilt, shame, confusion, modesty, or embarrassment. When the Person’s Conscience is at work and is loaded with guilt, it makes the Person blushes. The cause of blushing is the blood. The blood relates to the Person’s Conscience and causes blushing. However, NOT all blushing is the result of the guilty conscience.
Christ’s Blood
Hebrews 9:14“How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” – The Blood of Jesus purges the Person’s Conscience, getting rid of guilt. Human blood reveals the Guilty Conscience; but the Blood of Christ purges the Person’s Guilty Conscience so that he can serve God with a Good Conscience.
Walking in the Light
1John 1:7 “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – The opposite is true, if the Person does not walk in the light as Jesus is in the Light, the Blood of Christ does not cleanse the Person from his sin, or guilty conscience. The Blood of Christ works with the Light. The Blood is rendered inoperative if the Person intentionally walks in darkness. He cannot use the Blood of Christ as an excuse for continuous sinning. To maintain Good Conscience and Faith (“body of truth – sound {healthy} teaching”), he should continue to walk in the Light of God’s Word. Paul declares: “And in this do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16).
(John 8:3-11) – The Scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery – John 8:3a (NKJV) “Then the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Him (Jesus) a woman caught in adultery.” They brought the adulterous woman without the male adulterer (which is against the Law – Leviticus 20:10) to Jesus as He was teaching in the Temple precincts – John 8:2, 3b (NKJV) “Now early in the morning He (Jesus) came again into the temple, and all the people came to him; and He sat down and taught them…….And they had set her (the adulterous woman) in the midst.”
The Confrontation
The Scribes and the Pharisees represented the Law of Moses – they uphold Moses by presenting the adulterous woman to Jesus (“Grace and Truth” Personified – John 1:17) and wanted to know what Jesus has to say: John 8:4, 5 (NKJV) “They said to Him (Jesus), ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the Law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” The Scribes and the Pharisees set out “to trap” and to accuse Jesus of not fully upholding the Mosaic Law – John 8:6a (NKJV) “This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.” The Scribes and Pharisees professed to uphold the Law of Moses and used it against Jesus (“Grace and Truth” Personified – John 1:17). Jesus stooped down and began to write on the ground (John 8:6b); He made as though He did not hear them, as He (Jesus) knew their motives, as He knew the heart of them (John 2:24, 25). The Scribes and Pharisees kept at Jesus – John 8:7a (NKJV) “So when they continued asking Him.” Jesus stood up and challenged them: John 8:7b (NKJV) “He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘he who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Jesus stood again and continued writing on the ground (John 8:8).
The Conviction
Jesus now gave the challenge depended on God’s Word (Jesus is God’s Word Personified – Revelation 19:13; John 1:1; 1John 1:1) to bring conviction of sin on the Scribes and Pharisees (John 16:8-11). The Scribes and the Pharisees, after hearing Jesus’ challenge, were convicted in their conscience left one by one from the oldest to the last – John 8:9a (NKJV) “Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last” (Romans 2:12-16, 22a). Jesus was left with the adulterous woman, none of the Scribes and the Pharisees picked up the stone to stone her – John 8:9b (NKJV) “And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
Grace and Truth
The Scribes and the Pharisees were convicted in their conscience by Jesus’ Word (Jesus is God’s Word Personified – Revelation 19:13; John 1:1; 1John 1:1) and the Law of Conscience (Romans 2:14-15; John 8:9b); then, Jesus stood up and saw that the Scribes and the Pharisees have all left and asked the woman: “Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10). Although the woman was guilty of the adulterous affair, nevertheless, the Law cannot condemn her alone without the adulterous man – Leviticus 20:10b (NKJV) “The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” The woman answered Jesus: “No one Lord!” (John 8:11a). The grand climax of this episode; here we see “Grace and Truth” Personified in Jesus – Jesus said to her: “Neither do I condemn you” (John 8:11b) – Jesus did not condemn her because she has already been judged by the Law of Moses, when the Scribes and Pharisees brought her before a Rabbi (Jesus) – Jesus spoke His forgiveness, that is Grace; but Jesus added: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11c) – that is Truth. Grace and Truth met together in perfect balance in the Person of Jesus Christ: John 1:17b (NKJV) “But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Psalm 85:10). This principle is also found in the Pauline Romans Epistle: “Moreover, the Law entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more; so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…….What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! (God forbids! KJV). How shall we who have died to sin live any longer therein” (Romans 5:20, 21; 6:1, 2, 15, NKJV); if Jesus had only said, “Neither do I condemn you,” without adding “Go and sin no more” – the woman could have taken Jesus’ statement as saying that Jesus did not condemn her for her adulterous act, and that she could go on living an adulterous lifestyle. Jesus applied both “Grace and Truth” to the woman, because Jesus is “Grace and Truth” (1John 1:17b). Grace always reigns through righteousness but is joined to Truth; Grace is never divorced from Truth – this is sound theology!!
2Timothy 1:2-3 “To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: grace, mercy and peace, from God, the Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with Pure Conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.” When an Individual received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, and is washed by the Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, his Conscience is purified and he has “a Pure Conscience” – Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, Cleanse your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?”
Pure Conscience is maintained by good relationship with all People – 2Timothy 1:2-3 “To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: grace, mercy and peace, from God, the Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.”
The Person with a Pure Conscience is aware of himself in all the relationship of life, especially ethical relationships. Paul could thank God for the opportunity to serve. Paul also declares that:
Paul has lived all his life in all good conscience before God – Acts 23:1 “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.’”
Paul has always exercised himself to have a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men – Acts 24:16 “This being so, I myself always exercise (strive – NKJV) to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”
A person, to be effective, must maintain “a pure-conscience,” in all relationship, without hidden motives – Cleanse (Pure) Conscience – Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?”
3. Guilty Conscience
For the born-again Christian, there are two things that bring about “guilty conscience” – (a) Violation of the Law of God – God’s Written Word; (b) Violation of God’s Principles in His Written Word (1Timothy 5:17-25). For example: Prophet Samuel’s Ministry represents God’s Word and the Spirit (1Samuel 2:35 c/f 1Samuel 2:1,3); he (Samuel) confronted both King Saul and King David on their sins; but each respond to the conviction of guilt, differently:
King Saul – Saul failed because of: (1) Violation of God’s Word (1Samuel 10:8; 1Samuel 13:9) – King Saul assigned the blame to the People and Samuel’s late coming (1Samuel 13:11); (2) King Saul rebelled against God’s Commandment when he failed to totally destroy the Amalekites (1Samuel 15:1-33); when confronted with it, he expresses remorse rather than repentance – 1Samuel 15:30 “Then he said, ‘I have sinned; yet honour me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.” King Saul was more interested in his honour than true repentance.
King David (2Samuel 11-12) – David has violated two Commandments of the Ten-Commandment: (1) Committing adultery with Bathsheba; (2) Murder Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. When David was confronted by Prophet Nathan, he repented and sought God’s forgiveness – Psalm 51:1-4 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.”
4. Defiled Conscience
Conscience is not infallible, it can be perverted – defiled – 1Corinthians 8:7b “Their conscience, being weak, is defiled.” And Titus 1:15 “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscienceare defiled.” A Defiled Conscience has the following characteristics:
A resistance to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
A suppression of feeling of guilt, with Scripture.
Lowering of moral standard; however NOT all the lowering of moral standard is the result of defiled Conscience.
Confusion of mind – rationalization, finding Scripture to justify one’s actions. However, NOT all confusion of mind is the result of defiled Conscience.
Guilty conscience leads to “the law of works” – Romans 3:27b “By what law? Of works?…..”– Adam and his wife made “fig-leaves” covering to make themselves presentable to God (“self-righteous” – Genesis 3:7).
Depression, fear, and grief; however, NOT all depression, fear and grief are the result of defiled Conscience.
Bad behaviour – erratic behaviour. However, NOT all bad behaviour – erratic behaviour are the result of defiled Conscience.
Rejection of Authority. However, NOT all rejection of Authority is the result of defiled Conscience.
Rejection of God’s truth, rejection of excellence. However, NOT all rejection of God’s truth and rejection of excellence are the result of defiled Conscience.
Rejection of self, cannot believe oneself. However, NOT all rejection of self, cannot believe oneself are the result of defiled Conscience.
Rejection of God. However, NOT all rejection of God is the result of defiled Conscience.
Self-deception – There is nothing worse than being self-deceived. However, NOT all self-deception is the result of defiled Conscience.
5. Seared Conscience
Constant violation of Conscience results in “Seared Conscience” – 1Timothy 4:2 “Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own Conscience Seared with a hot iron.” It is not that Conscience is dead, but Conscience ceased to function in the effective/normal way, because Conscience’s Voice is constantly silenced, refused and hardened against. If the Person with a Guilty Conscience consistently rejects Conscience’s Voice, and stubbornly acts against the Conviction of Conscience and Conscience’s better knowledge, hardening himself with his own reasons, the Voice of Conscience is smothered, and all restraints of sound-reasoning is removed. This brings about “a deadening” of the Conscience an utter stifling of the Voice of self-condemnation, and a complete surrendering to the dominion of self-justification. The downward steps are:
Guilty Conscience – John 8:9 “Being convicted by their own conscience.”
Defiled Conscience – Titus 1:15 “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.” (1Corinthians 8:7b).
Seared Conscience – 1Timothy 4:2 “Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” Sear (Gk: “kausteriazo”) = To burn in with a branding iron, branded, cauterised, resulting in loss of sensitivity, because of the constant violation.
6. Evil Conscience
Hebrews10:22 “An evil conscience.” An evil Conscience is the conscience that is burdened with “unpardoned guilt” within the Individual. This can only be purged by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ – Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?”
B. Conscience Judgement
Conscience’s Judgement is unbiased because Conscience applies “the standard” (norm) that is in the Person’s heart:
1. Final and Unbiased
Conscience applies “the standard” (norm) within the Person’s heart and the judgement is final.
Conscience is a faculty given by God and it receives the information given to it and pronounces the judgement – It is unbiased.
Conscience’s judgement may not always be right, but it is final in a given situation at any particular point in time.
Because Conscience is not “the standard,” but it applies “the standard” within the Person; its judgement is Personal from Person to Person.
2. Irrefutable, Absolute & Unappealable:
Once having spoken, Conscience cannot be convinced, coaxed, or commanded to change its ruling; but it can be overruled by the Person.
Conscience may grow stronger or be argued with, defiled (1Corinthians 8:7; Titus1:15), or hardened (1Timothy 4:2), but at the moment Conscience speaks, it is unappealable. The Voice of Conscience may be altered at a later stage.
3. Unconditional, Absolute, & Explicitly:
Conscience gives its judgement but supplies no reasons – It tells us whether our actions are right or wrong.
Conscience does not explain why it judges an action in a particular way.
To the Christian, the Voice of Conscience should be brought in line with God’s Word (the Scripture – the Bible).
The Conscience of Adam and Eve was inoperative until Adam’s Sin (Genesis 3:1-6), as evidenced – Adam, when questioned by God (Genesis 3:11), excuses himself and accuses God and his wife (Eve) for the Fall – Genesis 3:12 “Then the man (Adam) said, ‘the woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” The woman (Eve), when questioned by God (Genesis 3:13a), excuses herself and accuses the Serpent – Genesis 3:13b “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Thus, because of Adam’s Fall, the Conscience in humanity was set in motion. Conscience is the faculty that God has given to every Person to help him in his life. The New Testament speaks of different types of Conscience:
1. Good Conscience
When an Individual received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, and water-baptised, according to the Bible, it is an answer of a Good Conscience towards God – 1Peter 3:20-21 “Who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that is, eight souls were saved. There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (Romans 6:3-4 – Water-Baptism is the Union with Christ in His Death, Burial and Resurrection). Good-Conscience is maintained through God’s Written Word (Scripture) and Sound {Healthy} Biblical Teaching – Faith(“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) and Good Conscience, are three times conjoined in First Timothy (1Timothy 1:5; 1:19; 3:9); showing the inseparable connection between Faith(“sound {healthy} doctrine—teaching”) and Good Conscience.
1Timothy 1:5 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith (sound {healthy} biblical doctrine {teaching}).
1Timothy 1:19 “Having faith (sound {healthy}biblical doctrine {teaching}) and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith (sound {healthy} biblical doctrine {teaching}) have suffered shipwrecked.”
1Timothy 3:9 “Holding the mystery of the faith (sound {healthy} biblical doctrine {teaching}) with a pure conscience.”
If the Individual desires to have a continuous Good Conscience, the Individual needs to continue to walk in God’s Written Word (Scripture) and “Faith” (sound {healthy} biblical doctrine {teaching}), to “Pilot” his course, otherwise there is a danger of shipwreck (1Timothy 1:19). Good Conscience has Seven Basic Characteristics:
a. Effective
Good Conscience effects the Person’s relationship with God and others; Good Conscience keeps the Individual effectively on course – 1Timothy 1:5-6 (KJV) “Now the end (object) of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and of faith (body of truth) unfeigned (sincere), from which some, having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling (idle talk).” Paul exhorts us to stick to the teaching (Sound {Healthy} Doctrines {Teachings}) of God’s Word (Scripture). This helps us to develop a Good Conscience. Good Conscience keeps us on course in our Christian walk. The phrase “have turned aside” (1Timothy 3:6) means the Person has missed the mark; he has swerved, he has gone off course.
b. Victorious
Good Conscience helps the Person in spiritual warfare –1Timothy 1:19 (KJV) “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which pointed to thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare, holding faith (body of truth), and a good conscience, which some, having put away concerning faith (body of truth), have made shipwreck.” Spiritual Warfare involves “Faith” (Sound {(body of truth) and a Good Conscience; nothing gives the Person greater courage as he faces the battles of life, than having God’s Word (Faith) and a Good Conscience.
c. Beauty & Honesty
Good Conscience also helps the Person to be “beautiful,” within – Hebrews 13:18 (KJV) “Pray for us; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.” The word translated “honestly” means “beautifully, seemingly, fittingly.” The Christian life is to be “a life of beauty,” solving problems instead of being the “problems.” The Person with a Good Conscience will be able to live an honest & beautiful life. People will look at him and say: “There is something about him/her that is really lovely.”
d. Testimony
The Person with a Good Conscience is effective in testimony: – 1Peter 3:14-17 (KJV)“But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good manner of life (behaviour) in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.” Peter wrote to People who were falsely accused, that was a hard thing to experience; the Person was accused of saying and doing things that he/she has not said and done.
e. Opportunity
Obstacles can become opportunities; when People create trouble, it is an opportunity to bear testimony of Christ’s Love with our Good Conscience – 1John 3:21 “Beloved, if our heart (Conscience) does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” If the Person has not done any evil, his Conscience will not accuse him but strengthen him (1John 3:21). There is nothing like a Good Conscience to keep him strong.
f. Knowledge
Good Conscience has Knowledge -1Corinthians chapter 8, concerning foods offered to idols – Paul makes it clear that knowledge and Conscience (1Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12) go together. The Conscience of some People does not bother them because they have the knowledge that enlightened their Conscience, whereas some People who do not have knowledge are superstitious and ignorance. When John Knox preached the Gospel in Scotland and seeking to reform the Church, Queen Mary, who has a different belief, opposed him. She said to him one day, “my Conscience is not so.” John Knox replied to Queen Mary: “Conscience, Madam, requires knowledge, and I fear that right knowledge you have none.”
g. Exercised
For Good Conscience to be effective, it needs to be exercised. Paul tells Felix: “And in this do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). The Person’s Conscience, like his muscles, must be exercised. – Hebrews 5:13-14 (KJV) describes this: “For everyone that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” The Person’s Conscience can be exercised to an amazing degree of goodness. The Person exercises his Conscience when he responds in obedience to God’s Word and His Spirit. A Good Conscience is the one that is constantly exercised and exercised – Good Conscience prevents shipwrecked of life.
Thus, a Good Conscience is an effective Conscience; it keeps the Person on course; keeps him victorious; keeps him honest & beautiful; and keeps him as a testimony, when the going is tough. Good Conscience and Knowledge go together and needs to be exercised. The Person who abandons a Good Conscience begins to swerve off course and moves toward the dangerous areas of life; before long he is shipwrecked (1Timothy 1:19).
1Timothy 3:9, Paul writes that the Deacon should hold “the mystery of the Faith (body of truth) in a Pure Conscience.” So, Conscience is connected to the Body of Truth (Faith). Deacon’s moral orthodoxy is seen in the descriptive “a Pure (Clean) Conscience.” Deacon is the man/woman who is grounded in God’s Word (the Bible), which is basis of his/her behaviour; so, that he/she has a Pure Conscience. To hold the mystery of the Faith (“Body of Truth”), in a Pure Conscience is to live in the light of God’s Word (the Bible) that illuminates his/her Conscience; and he/she does not feel condemned (1John 3:21). Deacon is a man/woman who combines Pure Conscience with a firm hold on the Truth of God’s Word (the Bible).
6. Handling God’s Word
2Corinthians 4:1-2 “Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” God’s People are not the Quitters (2Corinthians 4:1); they have nothing to hide; either in their Personal lives: “not walking in craftiness” or in the Ministry of God’s Word: “nor handling the word of God deceitfully.” Everything is opened and honest; there is no deception or distortion of God’s Word (the Bible); the resultant life is described:
Means – “By the manifestation of the truth.”
Method – “Commending ourselves to every man’s Conscience.”
Measure – “In the sight of God.”
The Person who teaches/preaches presents God’s Word (the Bible) directly and faithfully; thus, commends God’s Word (the Bible) to the Hearers’ Conscience, in God’s sight. By this the Person teaches/preaches wins, the day, and over the false teacher.
7. Motivation
2Corinthians 5:11 “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences” – Out of the respect and exalting Awe of God and not for financial gain, His (God’s) People persuades others to the truth of God’s Word (the Bible); God’s People’s success is gauged in the Conscience of those they ministered.
8. Strengthens Fellowship
Conscience also strengthens the Christian Fellowship. Romans chapters 14 & 15 and 1Corinthians chapters 8, 9 & 10 teaches that some People have Strong Conscience; while some people have Weak Conscience. Those with the Strong Conscience often create problems in the Fellowship. Some in the Roman Assemblies has Weak Conscience, and they would not eat meat. Some in the Corinthian Church has a Strong Conscience; they not only eat meat, but they also eat it at the temples and participated in feasts. Paul writes to those People and explained what it meant to have Weak Conscience and what it meant to have Strong Conscience.
The Person with Strong Conscience does not have the privilege of doing things that would cause the brother to stumble. The Person with the Strong Conscience can exercise his privileges and the freedoms that he has in God’s Word (the Bible), but he must not cause others to stumble. The Person with Strong Conscience must help the Person with Weak Conscience to grow in the Lord Jesus.
9. Encourages Witnessing
Good Conscience encourages Witnessing as it gives the Person courage to face problems and difficulties. He sees opportunities to demonstrate God’s Love – 1Peter 2:19 “For this is thanks worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.” Anybody can endure suffering when he has done wrong – that does not take much grace. But when the Person has done everything right and suffers for it; that is something else.
What takes the Person through that suffering? A Good Conscience; when his Conscience is right between him and God, it makes little difference what people say about him or do to him, as God’s Word states – 1Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good manner of life (behaviour) in Christ” A Good Conscience encourages the Person to Witness.
10. Helps Prayer
Good Conscience helps the Person in his prayer: 1John 3:19-22 “And by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart (conscience) condemns us, God is greater than our heart (conscience), and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart (conscience) condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” When the Person prays, and his Conscience convicts him; he needs to get it straightened out before God; because it is a wonderful feeling to be able to pray in the Will of God and not be accused by Conscience. The Psalmist said: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me.” (Psalm 66:18). Conscience helps the Person in his praying, because a Conscience void of offense toward God and others help him to pray more effectively (Matthew 5:23-24).
11. Enhances Citizenship
Conscience encourages the Person to be a Good Citizen as shown in Romans chapter 13:1-7. When the Person received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and personal Saviour, it not only produces a life of transformation but also a life of subjection to authority. Romans 13:1-2 states: “Obedience to the State is an ordinance of God;” the opening words: “Let every person subject himself to the governing authorities,” defines the obligation of the Christian. And the reason why he has this obligation: “There is no human authority except by God and those who exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1b); both the Officeholder and the Office; God’s Word (the Bible) stresses that the Government and its Administrators are from God; to resist Governmental Authority is to resist the Ordinance of God; those who resist will receive condemnation.
Romans 13:3-4
Christians should picture the Governmental Authority in the rightful exercise of their prerogatives. Since Governmental in the proper function brings terror to the evil Worker: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.” (Romans 13:3a) – not to the good – the man who Fear (respect) Governmental Authority, constantly practices good work: “Wilt thou, then, not be afraid of the power (authority)?” (Romans 13:3b).The Person who acts thus will receive Praise from the Authority: “Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same” (Romans 13:3c). Governmental Authority is the Helper and God’s Agent: “For he is the minister of God to thee for good” (Romans 13:4a).
The Person who does wrong ought to fear: “But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid” (Romans 13:4b). Governmental Authority does not carry out punishment without a cause. Here it is clear that God has ordained punishment to be used by the Authority to prevent anarchy and the tyranny of evil in human society: “For he beareth not the sword (punishment) in vain” (Romans 13:4c). The reason is against reinforced, Governmental Authority is God’s Agent; an Avenger that brings God wrath upon the Evildoer: “For he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (Romans 13:4d). Romans 13: 5-7 – Two Reasons for obedience to Governmental Authority, with results:
God’s Wrath administered by the Governmental Authority will fall upon those who disobey: “Wherefore, ye must needs to be subject, not only for wrath” (Romans 13:5a).
The Christian’s Conscience declares that he must obey the Ordinances of God through submission to the Governmental Authority: “But also for Conscience sake” (Romans 13:5b).
Submission to Governmental Authority is one of these Ordinances involve the paying of one’s taxes, paying customs duties, showing respect to those entitled to respect, showing honour to those entitled honour, etc., etc. These are obligations of Christians to the Governmental Authority: “For, for this cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render, therefore, to all their due: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour” (Romans 13:6-7).
12. The Consequence
The Person cannot afford to fool around with, or toy with his Conscience, because Conscience is God’s Gift to him. Conscience can be used to Guide the Person Conduct, strengthen his Service for God, strengthen in him in his Christian Fellowship, encourage his witnessing, helps him in his praying, enhance his Citizenship. That is why Charles Wesley wrote in that hymn: “I want a principle within/of watchful, godly fear.” – That Principle is Conscience!
Conscience is important to every Person; and he should be careful what he does to it or with it. The Person should exercise and develop a Good Conscience (1Timothy 1:5), a Pure Conscience (2Timothy 1:2-3), a Conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men (Acts 24:16). Twelve Reasons of Conscience’s Important:
1 God’s Gift
Saint Augustine says: “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and the heart of man is restless until it finds it rest in Thee.” Romans 2:14-15 shows Conscience’s important, because it is God’s Gift to us – we are made in God’s Image (Genesis1:27); and our basic nature is spiritual; we are made up of spirit, soul and body (1Thessalonians 5:23). Being made in God’s Image means that:
We have a mind to think.
We have a heart to feel.
We have a will to decide.
We have a conscience to guide.
One aspect of this Image of God in us is our ability to distinguish the right and the wrong with our Conscience (Romans 2:14-15). Conscience is the Faculty that responds to the “moral standard” within us. Conscience is a universal phenomenon, found in every Person; God puts within our heart this wonderful Faculty, called Conscience and we must be careful how we treat our Conscience, as it is God’s Gift (Romans 2:14-15).
False Concept – Some Scientists claimed that Conscience come from behind us; it is part of the evolution. As man evolved over the centuries, Conscience evolved within him. Darwin in his book “The Descent of Man” said this: “Of all the differences between man and the lower animals, the moral sense, or conscience, is by far the most important.” Even Darwin could not explain where Conscience comes from; Conscience is not the by-product of evolution; it does not come from behind us.
Some viewed that Conscience is merely the total of all the standards of the society around the Person. Philosopher Schopenhauer said that Conscience consisted of “one-fifth the fear of man, one- fifth superstition, one-fifth prejudice, one-fifth custom.” In other words, the Person’s Conscience is a sort of “tossed salad” that he puts together from the society around him.
Some Psychiatrists and Psychologists believed that the Person manufactured his own Conscience – it is the by-product of the way his mother raised him, and his father disciplined him.
2 Guides Behaviour
Paul states in Acts 24:16 “In this do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.” Paul admits that his Conscience needs to be exercised in order that it can be used as a guide for his conduct. When our Conscience is not functioning properly; it is no longer “void of offense toward God, and toward men.” God’s Spirit uses God’s Word (the Bible) to guide our Conscience into God’s Will – Romans 9:1 “My conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.” If our Conscience is functioning properly then:
Conscience is a Compass to direct us.
Conscience is a Light to guide us.
Conscience is a Law to give us Wisdom in our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Strengthens for Service
Conscience is important because it strengthens us in our Christian Service (Ministry). The Standard of Christian Ministry is shown in, 1Timothy 1:5“Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned (sincere faith, not hypocritical faith).” The term “faith” is not personal believe but “sound{healthy} doctrine {teaching}.” God’s People have God’s Word (Bible), the Perfect Standard from which our Conscience operates. When our Conscience operates based on God’s Word (the Bible); we do not feel condemned – 1John 3:21 “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” God’s People can have “a sincere-faith (sound {healthy}doctrine–teaching)” or unhypocritical (anupokritou) Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”). This Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) needs no mask to hide; it is not mere lip Faith (“sound {healthy}-doctrine-teaching”) but a sincere trust of the heart. “Heart, Conscience, Faith (sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching)” marked the progression; it is sound theology!
4 Warfare
A Good Conscience is important in spiritual warfare; it is the warfare fought throughout the lifetime, not just an isolated battle – 1Timothy 1:18b-19“That thou mightest war a good warfare. Holding faith (body of truth), and a good conscience, which some, having put away concerning faith (body of truth), have made shipwreck.” For us to fight a good warfare, we need to hold “Faith” (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) and have “a Good Conscience.” A bad Conscience brings forth the corrupt teaching that is congenial (friendly) to it (Matthew 7:15-20). Someone has said that Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) is pure liquid and a Good Conscience is the glass that holds it. All Ministries must be done without reproach in order not to be made a shipwreck of their life (1Timothy 1:18b-19). If we desire to have a Good Conscience, we should make Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) the Pilot of our course, otherwise there is a danger of shipwreck. “Hymenaeus and Alexander” – 1Timothy 1:19-20; “Hymenaeus and Philetus” – 2Timothy 2:17, “made shipwreck” of their Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) because they manipulate their Conscience.
Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine-teaching”) and the Good Conscience are three times conjoined in First Timothy (1Timothy 1:5; 1:19; 3:9); showing the inseparable connection between Faith (“sound {healthy} doctrine—teaching”) and the Good Conscience.
1Timothy 1:5b “From a good conscience and from sincere faith.”
1Timothy 1:19a “Having faith and a good conscience.”
1Timothy 3:9 “Holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.”
Romans 2:15 “bearing witness…….accusing or else excusing one another.” Conscience does not function legislatively, but judicially.
Applies the Law – Conscience is not the law; Conscience applies the law, i.e., judicial. Conscience is not the “moral standard.”
Bears Witness – Conscience bears witness to the “moral standard” within the Person. In different parts of the world, there are different “moral standards.”
Court-Room – Conscience is man’s “inner courtroom;” Conscience sits at the bench as a Judge, Witness and Jury.
Testifies – Conscience testifies to the good and the bad in the Person – this is often missed from view; usually Conscience is thought of as concerned only with the evil; and its power and witness are dreaded. Conscience ought to be the cheer of life; a man knows when he has done right; appraising his life, he sometimes approves. “Conscience makes cowards of us all;” but it is equally true that “Conscience can make brave men of us all.”
Faculty – Conscience testifies to the bad in the good – And that is the real ground of a Person’s fear. Self-esteem see only good; Conscience never does. It finds the sinister mark everywhere, and always qualifies its approval and praise. “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee.”
Assurance – Conscience testifies to the good in the bad – And this keeps fear from becoming hopeless and despairing. The irretrievably has is a conception that can only be associated with demons, not with man. And it is not a genuine Conscience that judges in a blind, sectarian way, and makes a man accuse himself as hopelessly bad.
Illumination – Conscience puts both bad and good out of the self-light into the Divine light – Based on the sense a man has of God, will be his Conscience – judgment of his own conduct. Right sense of God brings a reverent and humble fear; the Conscience of evil brings a humiliating and anxious fear. The self-estimate of iniquities is painful enough but what shall he says of the Divine estimate of those same iniquities?
When he does something right, his Conscience approves and commends him, “that’s good!” When he does something wrong, his Conscience accuses him, “that’s wrong!” Therefore, it hurts. The Others has “the work (requirement) of the Law (of God’s Word) written in his hearts” and not the Law of God’s (God’s Word) – Romans 2:15 “The work of the law written in their hearts.” Whereas, we has “the Law of God (God’s Word)” written in his heart – Jeremiah 31:33 “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Hebrews 8:10).
5. Standard
Conscience does not create the “moral standard;” it assumes the presence of a valid “moral standard” and acts upon that “moral-standard” of the Person (Romans 2:15). The “moral standard” used differs from Person to Person. Conscience functions based on the “moral standard” the Person holds.
6. Umpire
Conscience acts as an Umpire and it does not make the rules but decides in the light of the existing rules (“moral-standard”) the Person holds. Conscience refuses to have no “moral standard.”
7. Can be manipulated
Conscience can be manipulated or changed by the introduction of new “moral standard” (norms) – for better for worse.
It is important to know how Conscience is pictured in God’s Word. If the Person understands what Conscience is and how it functions, it will change his life. God’s Word reveals in Romans 2:14-15 the Seven Characters of Conscience:
1. Born With
Conscience is born in every Human Being since the Creation of Adam. Adam’s Conscience was inoperative until Adam sinned – Adam, when questioned by God (Genesis 3:11), excuses himself and accuses God and his wife (Eve) for the Fall – Genesis 3:12 “Then the man (Adam) said, ‘the woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” The woman (Eve), when questioned by God (Genesis 3:13a), excuses herself and accuses the Serpent – Genesis 3:13b “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.
2. Bears Witness
Romans 2:15a “Their conscience also bearing witness.” Conscience is the inner faculty that indicates to the Person whether his action is right or wrong, based on the “standard” within his heart. The phrase “bearing witness” is in the present tense, indicates that Conscience is active all the times:
Conscience is not the Law but it bears witness of the Law.
Conscience is not the “moral standard” but it bears witness to whatever “moral standard” the Person has in him – Conscience functions is based on “moral standard” that the Person holds! The highest “moral standard” is God’s Word, to the Christians.
Oswald Chambers gives a good definition of Conscience: “The Conscience is that innate faculty in a man’s spirit that attaches itself to the highest that the man knows.”
3. Accuses or Excuses
Romans 2:15b “And their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.” Conscience accuses or excuses. Conscience is that inner faculty given by God that indicates to the Person whether his actions, motives, thoughts, behaviour, or attitudes are right or wrong; based on the “moral standard” within his heart. Conscience guides him aright if he has the right “moral standard.” Everyone has experienced this. If he does something wrong, his Conscience will bother him. Something down inside keeps reminding him that he should not have done that; this is the “Work” of Conscience. However, if the Person abuses his Conscience, repeatedly; his Conscience begins to be less effective in guiding him:
When David cut off part of King Saul’s skirt, while King Saul was asleep, David’s heart smote him (1Samuel 4:1-6). David knew that what he has done to King Saul was wrong, because he (Saul) is the King of Israel. David’s Conscience bothered him.
Proverbs 28:1 says: “The wicked flee when no man pursueth.” That’s Conscience at work.
We read that Herod, when he heard about the miracles Jesus is doing, though that John the Baptist has come back to life; his Conscience bothers him: “John, whom I have beheaded; he is raised from the dead” (Mark 6:16).
Every human being on earth is born with a conscience – “something within the heart of every person approves when he does right and accuses when he does wrong; and that something is conscience” – Romans 2:14-15 “For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” No person can get rid of or escape from his conscience. A person can cause his conscience to malfunction (breakdown) when he:
Argues with his conscience
Defiles his conscience
Hardens his conscience
Charles Wesley wrote these words to express a truth concerning conscience: “I want a principle within/of watchful, godly fear.”
Immanuel Kant a German philosopher wrote: “Two things fill the mind with ever-increasing wonder and awe…….the starry heavens above me and the moral lawwithin me.
American Indian – An American Indian who was a Christian said: “In my heart there is an arrowhead with three points to it. If I do wrong, the arrowhead turns, and it cuts me. It I do wrong too much, I wear out the points and it does not hurt me quite so much. “But when the pain is gone, watch out!”
The word “conscience” is used 32 times in the New Testament (KJV). It is used 21 times by the Apostle Paul in the Epistles. If a born-again Christian is going to be successful in his walk, he must understand what conscience is and how it functions.
The Definition
The word conscience in our English Language comes from two Latin words: “com” = “with or together,” “scio” = “I know.” From the Latin, our English word conscience means “to know with” or “to know together.”“To know with ourselves and to know within ourselves.” Conscience is that inner knowledge that helps us to know ourselves
Greek – The Greek word used in the New Testament is “suneidesis” (“sun” = with; “oida” = to know). “To know;” “knowing of oneself” – the moral sense of what is right and wrong in-built in a human being. In the New Testament, the word “conscience” is not a strange word. It is used by the Greek in their everyday conversations. It meant “the pain that you feel when you do wrong.”
Oxford Dictionary – Moral sense of right and wrong; consciousness of moral quality of one’s actions or motives.
Webster’s Dictionary – Consciousness of the moral right and wrong of one’s own acts or motives.
Scriptural – Romans 2:14-15 “For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, having not the law, are a law unto themselves. Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.”
The Description
Romans 2:14-15“For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, having not the law, are a law unto themselves. Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.”
Conscience is man’s moral intuition, his moral self in the act of passing judgment upon his own state, emotions, and thoughts, and upon his own words and actions, whether there be viewed as past, present, or future.
Conscience is man’s moral self-echoing his cognitive (reasoning) self. It both approves or condemns (Romans 2:14-15).
Conscience is man’s inner voice repeating God’s voice, his own judgement endorsing God’s judgement, his own spirit bearing witness with God’s Spirit.
Conscience is the response of man’s moral consciousness to the Divine Revelation concerning himself, his attitudes, his words and actions.
The Gentiles are not given the Law; the Law is given to the Jews. But the Gentiles have the work of the Law written in their hearts. Paul does not say that the Gentiles have the Law written in their hearts. When a person received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit begins to write God’s Law (Word) in his heart; the right and wrong is defined from God’s Word, God’s Principles and conscience. Whereas, an unbeliever knows the right or wrong as his conscience bears witness (Romans 2:15). It is important to know how conscience is pictured in God’s Word. If the person understands what conscience is and how it functions, it will change his life. God’s Word reveals in Romans 2:14-15 the Seven Characteristics of conscience:
Morning Dew . Life 