Let your conscience be your guide!

[Artizan007]

1 John 3:19-20

“This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence, whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and God knows everything.”

I was chatting to my dad today and he mentioned in decision making to “let your conscience be your guide”. I got to thinking about how we use this term and wonder if it has lost its meaning – what does it mean because it seems to vary from person to person and author to author. I find it interesting because so many times we use this expression as if it is God's inner voice bringing awareness or a “check in our spirit” when a lot of the time it is due to a culture, or a way of being brought up, our denominational expectations, various religious or governmental rules, and customary regulations etc. I have heard of it spoken as the word of God written upon our hearts but not to sure that is what conscience means.

For eg: In Zimbabwe where I grew up, I could not drink as a Christian – that was wrong, of the devil, and I judged those who did it because of what I was told. I looked down on those who drank as being evil doers. However, when I did have a drink one day, I felt guilt and shame because of what I had been taught to believe about drink. Books like “Sipping Saints” and Charles Finney's book on Ethical issues come to mind. I felt rotten because of one glass of wine. I never got drunk, did not hurt anyone, neither did I cuss or sleep with anyone, but I felt bad. Now I live in another culture where drinking among christains is fine but getting drunk it still wrong. In fact they serve Wine in church to the new people and at the discovery courses wine flows freely! I don't mind it but i will limit my wine to one or two glasses. In this culture and seeing what God's word says about wine or alcohol, i realise that it was not my conscience that struck me but my religious culture and the religious expectations placed on me by others. So I look back and have to say – in the time I was in Zimbabwe, I dare not drink because my conscience said no, but now I am out of Zimbabwe and have grown up my conscience does not smite me when I have a glass of wine with my family or with friends, which was right – the Old or New Conscience.

Is either really conscience or purely human rules and expectations, our thoughts and feelings are part of our own system of awareness which may be misinformed and misguided seeing as we are fallen creatures.

We as Christians may well at times have to struggle with unresolved tensions within our personalities which have their origin somewhere other than God. But this can be seen to wrestling with our conscience and leads many to depression, guilt and shame. For me, there is a profound comfort in the assurance that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things (3.20), because he is God and he is love. Yet, sometimes I feel guilty for something small and can't sleep at night till I have dealt with my guilt, and yet a serial murderer can sleep at night without his conscience being troubled. I guess christian views to this would be the conscience is seared and so it does not affect the sinner as it does the saved. To that I say then what is conscience… if it is unable to reach the sinner then is it is the inner voice of God or the eternal workings of something else like perception, culture, upbrining.

So do you think it is enough to say let your conscience be your guide or must we rely on something more than this?

[NickHassan]

Hi A7,
The conscience of the natural man, unless he is a rare breed as shown in Rom 2,14 as below
is not reliable as a guide.

” 14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do (Y)instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,

15in that they show (Z)the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”

It needs to be cleansed.
1Peter 3
” 21(AT)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you–(AU)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a (AV)good conscience–through (AW)the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

[NickHassan]

Hi A7
'1 John 3:19-20

“This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence, whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and God knows everything.”

Many people are troubled by scruples
and this verse is a comfort as is Ecc 7
” 16Do not be excessively (Z)righteous and do not (AA)be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

17Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you (AB)die before your time?”

[seekingtruth]

I believe the answer is both yes and no. We can sin by violating our conscience Romans 14 states “23But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. But using only our conscience would be a problem as Paul pointed out 1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

As per your example I do not believe that scripture teaches it is a sin to drink, only to get drunk. When I was first saved I helped my best friend to find the Lord in a bar over a beer. Later I was told by the church I began attending that drinking was a sin so I went many years without any alcohol until after having read the scriptures through many times I found no such teaching.

The point I'm trying to make is once I accepted into my belief that drinking was a sin and if I had drunk even a small amount during that time I would have been sinning, but now I have a clear conscience about drinking, of course “that does not make me innocent” but the fact I no longer am violating my conscience.

So to answer your question “do you think it is enough to say let your conscience be your guide or must we rely on something more than this? ” in my opinion we can let it tell us what not to do, but need to add knowledge scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us with what we can do (and to defend ourselves against those who want to weigh us down with traditions of man).

Hope this helped

[NickHassan]

Hi,
In Christ we are under inspired conscience. The positive Law of the Spirit is written on our hearts.

[Oxy]

Hi, I believe that our conscience is our “spirit” as if followed, will eventually bear witness to the truth of God. But it is not enough to just have our spirit. We need to be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit!

[NickHassan]

Hi Oxy,
Not every conscience is aligned with truth.
Some are seared.
Some are scrupulous.
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 16:2
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
1Jn 3
“20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. “

Is not the knowledge of good and evil related to our conscience?

[Oxy]

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Nov. 16 2006,08:57)

Hi Oxy, Not every conscience is aligned with truth. Some are seared. Some are scrupulous. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. 1Jn 3 “20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. “ Is not the knowledge of good and evil related to our conscience?

Yep, that's true Nick. The point I made was that if one follows one's conscience they would eventually find God. The searing of the conscience comes through disobedience according to my understanding.

[NickHassan]

Hi Oxy,
Hmmm.
Rom 2
” 14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) “

Do all gentiles show purity of conscience or is this a minority?

[Oxy]

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Nov. 16 2006,19:46)

Hi Oxy, Hmmm. Rom 2 ” 14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) “ Do all gentiles show purity of conscience or is this a minority?

At some point in life we all get to make that choice Nick.

[NickHassan]

Hi Oxy,
Do men respond because of conscience or faith ?

[chicano4571]

OK LOKK TO KNOW OR NOT TO KNOW. PASTOR TODAY DO NOT KNOW BETWEEN the spirit or the heart . it says that enoch WALKED WITH GOD AND HE WAS NO MORE CAUSE GOD TOOK HIM .U ALL MIGHT SAY HE DIED HE THIS AND THAT BUT WHAT HAPPEN TO ENOCH WAS THAT GUY OR SHOULD I SAY BROTHE R HE KNEW HOW TO WALK “LIVE “IN THE SPIRIT. HE PLEASED GOD SO HE TOOK HIM HE WAS SIN LESS FOR 300 HUNDRED YRS. GEN.5:23 HE KNEW WAY MORE AND IM TALKING ABOUT THE DEPTHS OF THE MIND OF GOD NOT THE MERE SO CALLED DEPTH OF SO CALLED PASTORS AND SO ON AND ON ON . LOOK AT THE PASTORS THAT FALL TODAY IN SIN GIVING A BLACK EYE TO CHRISTIANANITY ASK YOUR SELF WHY THE REASON IS AND MAYBE JUST MAYBE U MIGHT TAKE THIS THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE THE CHURCH AND THAT INCLUDES THE CHURCH IS WORSHIPING GOD IN THE FLESH AND HAS NO IDEA HOW TO WALK IN AND LIVE IN THE SPIRT YES IN THE SPIRIT ..JESUS HIM SELF SAID AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP GOD MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH BECAUSE HE IS SPIRIT PEOPLE………BUT THE THE CHURCH IS IN THE HEART WORSHIPING HIM THE HUMAN HEART AND THATS WHY THE CHRISTAINS OF TODAY ARE IN SINNNNNNNNNN NOT KNOWING BETEEW THE SPIT AND THA FLESHHHHHHHHHH.

[942767]

Hi all:

Your conscience is the inner sense of a person which distinguishes between what is morally good or evil or one's knowledge of good and evil.

For a Christian the Word of God should be our guide.  Psalm 119:11 states: “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee”.

When Adam and Eve sinned they then had knowledge of good and evil.  Good being obedience to God and evil being disobedience to Him.

[NickHassan]

Hi 94,
Things changed after they rebelled and served the serpent as their god. Why did they hide their nakedness? Did that show proper appreciation of good and evil?

[Oxy]

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Nov. 17 2006,00:25)

Hi Oxy, Do men respond because of conscience or faith ?

Nick, my thoughts are that the conscience is the beginning of faith.

2Co 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the Word of God (Jesus), but by the revelation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

So to answer your question Nick, when most people hear the Gospel an inner battle commences. This battle is between the conscience and the will. When we (who have ears) hear the truth and believe it, that is faith. The conscience (unseared) demands a right response, but the will often says but….. Hence the battle.

[NickHassan]

Good stuff Oxy,
All natural men are under the power of the god of this world from the rebellion of our father Adam.
Only grace can allow us to respond and repent.

2 Timothy 2:25
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Ephesians 2
1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: “

[942767]

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Nov. 17 2006,02:22)

Hi 94, Things changed after they rebelled and served the serpent as their god. Why did they hide their nakedness? Did that show proper appreciation of good and evil?

They hid their nakedness because because they were guilty of sin, and so they had knowledge of evil, and they feared the consequence.  They obeyed the serpent rather than God.  

“And the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.  Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the grden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life”. (Genesis 3:22-24)

[NickHassan]

Hi 94,
That explains their hiding from God but not covering their nakedness surely.

[942767]

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Nov. 17 2006,04:39)

Hi 94, That explains their hiding from God but not covering their nakedness surely.

They were in innocence before they sinned.  They were naked before God but they did not know that they were naked.  When they sinned Genesis 3:7 states: “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”.  Verse 10 states: “And he(Adam) said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself”.

[Oxy]

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Nov. 17 2006,04:04)

Good stuff Oxy, All natural men are under the power of the god of this world from the rebellion of our father Adam. Only grace can allow us to respond and repent. 2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; Ephesians 2 1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: “

Thanks Nick..

[Author]

Posts