Helping or Hindering? The Conscience

The Conscience The conscience is an inner voice that determines the rightness or wrongness of actions It is a moral compass; it SHOULD tell you what is right or wrong We can use it to make morally right decisions without having to analyze every action Everyone has a conscience Some are under-developed Others are over-developed

Romans 2:14-16 ESV For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

The Conscience Do NOT always let your conscience be your guide… It should be checked Some go on the premise people always desire to do right People desire not to be wrong Your conscience can fail you! The conscience is a tool, and needs to be honed Your conscience can have affects beyond just yourself Feel

Under-developed Conscience The Under-developed Conscience

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

Under-developed Conscience A conscience will not work if: You do not know what is right or wrong You ignore it A conscience is not a magical tool that will point you in the right direction without fail It is a working of the mind, and thus needs to be honed A conscience will fail you if not properly developed!

Under-developed Conscience A person can commit an evil action without bothering their conscience at all Joseph Stalin, Saul of Tarsus, the Murderers of Jesus, Israel, some of Joseph’s brothers, etc Their conscience was clear! Acts 23:1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." Paul always felt he was doing right, even as he had Christians put to death!

Under-developed Conscience Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! If a person cannot recognize good from evil, how can their conscience? A conscience can just as easily ease the mind of one committing evil if their conscience does not bother them about it It can either push us from evil or lull us into accepting evil

Over-developed Conscience The Over-developed Conscience

1st Timothy 4:1-4 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Over-developed Conscience To some, too many things defy their conscience Food, clothing, marriage, ANY celebration, fun, etc To some “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." Mark 7:8 = No celebrations at all (4th of July, Thanksgiving, Birthday Parties, etc) Their conscience will tell them these things are wrong Some think a matter of opinion is sin where there is no sin! They may push opinion on others because something harmless defies their conscience

Romans 14:1-12 1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Over-developed Conscience We need to understand there is an acceptable difference of opinions amongst Christians Especially newer Christians. IE don’t invite a new ex-Muslim convert to a Bacon bar. We cannot force our conscience on matters of opinion; as long as there is no sin All things must be done in good conscience, do not make your fellow workers defy theirs!

Romans 14:13- 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Over-developed Conscience We are bound by our conscience! “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” We can put ourselves in sin by defying the conscience By the same token, we cannot make others defy theirs “For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love” We need to be mindful of others! If your modest shorts offend your grandma, don’t wear them in front of grandma! If meat offends someone, don’t invite them to BBQ

The Mature Conscience

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Mature Conscience If properly developed, a conscience should: Give us warning or approval before we take action Help us stay true to God Not trip up others or ourselves Help us abstain from sin 1st Timothy 1:19 …Holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, Without a good conscience, we can find ourselves adrift from God!

Mature Conscience A mature conscience will be derived from God’s word Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Philippines 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. We can have a part, but without God, not the whole

Mature Conscience A mature conscience can cement us in our faith, in doing right 1st Peter 3:16 Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Romans 9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— It is easier to stay the right path when you feel vindicated. If by nothing more than a clear conscience

Mature Conscience A mature conscience will prevent conversion to perverse ways Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. It is hard to feel comfortable doing something with guilt

What must I do to be saved? Hear (Romans 10:17) Believe (Mark 16:16) Repent (Acts 17:30) Confess (Romans 10:9) Be Baptized (Galatians 3:27) Remain Faithful (John 8:31)