A few notes on Conscience
John 8:9
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Our conscience is a place of conviction and we can all live in various states of conviction.
2Co 1:12
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
Good conscience leads to … Simplicity, sincerity and grace
Act 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Our conscience is the place we are AWARE of our offence towards God and men. What is of utmost importance is what comes next… What do we believe? … What is our doctrine/faith? Should we be condemned?… Or are we reminded of what God has done, repent and give thanks.
Rom 7
18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. 20And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. 23But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Rom 8. 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
In 2 Corinthians 4:2 we read …
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.
Conscience is closely linked to honesty. We all know this if the Spirit is within us. (See also Heb 13:18)
We should especially check ourselves that we never use the Word of God dishonestly. For example to manipulate someone to our agenda. We should be realistic about what we actually know and be careful not to claim to have understanding we do not actually have. Humility and honesty are closely linked.
In 1Timothy 1:5 we read …
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
This verse shows the importance of good conscience and links it to love and faith. These things are the actual purpose of Paul’s instruction.
Some more verses to give us an idea of 1 Timothy Chapter 1 …
3 to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines 4 or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
5 The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith. 6 Some have strayed from these ways and turned aside to empty talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.
14 And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
18… fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
In First Timothy Ch 1 above we notice some things go together …
The importance of correct Doctrine and sticking to what you understand … To avoid myths and speculation and empty talk. Faith and grace and love and conscience go together. There is a warning that without stability in these things, shipwrecked faith is possible. A shipwreck was one of the worst imaginable disasters imaginable at the time. Though shipwrecked faith is still faith, it is of reduced use to the Master.
In 1Timothy 4:2 we read …
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
In 1 Timothy Chapter 4 we see again that good doctrine and conscience are linked. And without it we can tend towards profane and old wives tales. We need to beware of any who have seared consciences and are unable to receive the Word in Truth. These people have been seduced by spirits and doctrines of devils. They like to create rules and teach obedience to things that are not scriptural. Their conscience is defiled and they would defile yours also. Beware of the “rule makers” those who would bind you with “hidden knowledge” and take your freedom of conscience in Christ. They might say things like … you must not use certain words and worship in a certain way or read a certain version of the Bible.
In Titus 1:15 we read…
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Again a comparison is made between false doctrine myths and carnality and a defiled conscience. This is in comparison to faith and purity which speaks of freedom. This truth cannot be overstated … See the Romans 14 Passage below Conscience and freedom are directly linked and Scripture tells us to not only to be careful of our own conscience but also to be careful of the conscience of others. Scripture even tells us if our conscience is weak we are better not to know some things! I would point out both true and false things can weaken our conscience if we are not careful. The health of our faith is dependent on how we desire and cleave to Gods every Word in truth.
Rom 14. 14 I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15 If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
16 Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19 So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
22 Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
1 Cor 10. 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience 29 the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
In Hebrews 9:14 we read …
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?
I would simply point out here that we need our conscience to be purged from dead works. From works salvation. This was the freedom that Christ bought to us. And it is essential to Service in Truth. Conscience is essential to the true worth of our service to God! … From a thankful heart. Likewise our Worship is to be in Spirit and Truth. (John 4. 24)
In 1Peter 3:21 we read…
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
We are given conscience by God. Conscience bears witness (Rom 2.15). However we are fallen and without Him in this world until we die and are raised up to a new relationship with God based on what He has done through His Son. This is the symbol of Baptism. We are now to be conscious of being raised with Him and walk so with a new conscience!
Romans 6. …4 We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.
As a summary I would point out with correct doctrine comes true faith of Salvation and the availability of a good conscience and standing towards God (and man) which results in freedom and correct Worship and service. Good Conscience desires righteousness and is honest, humble and quick to repent.
Bad doctrine and a bad conscience will stop you from approaching God. When we sin there is a fight for the conscience. A very real examination of our faith results ……. What do you believe about Salvation? What has Jesus done for you? Do you have the Helmet on??? Does the Lord love you? The Lord would convict and even rebuke to correct and bless us, while the enemy would condemn and tell us God is angry and rejects us.
I am reminded of a verse …
Hebrews 4. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
What kind of throne do we approach … a throne of GRACE! Our conscience should be fixed on the Grace given us through the Work of God through His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross.
We are forgiven and restored to relationship … so approach.
Do not waste time. Do not waste opportunity.
We are forgiven so rise up and walk.
Acts 24.16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. (ESV)
May God help us in Jesus Name.
