2. The Conscience Romans 2:15

3. What Is The Conscience? English word – Comes from a Latin word. A combination – “ Con ” means “ with. ” “ Science ” means “ to know ”

4. Greek word (SUNEIDESIS) – Thayer says, “ The soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former, and shunning the latter, commending the one, condemning the other ” (p. 602) – Vine says, “ Lit. a knowing with … that process of thought which distinguishes what it considers morally good or bad, commending the good, condemning the bad, and so prompting to do the former, and avoid the latter ” (p. 230)

5. Something is needed to know. This makes the conscience work. There has to be some standard of right and wrong – Or else the standard of humanism, philosophy, worldliness, etc. – There should be a determined effort to set God ’ s word as such a standard (Jn. 17:17; 2 Peter 1:3)

6. The Conscience Must Be Undefiled Necessity of good conscience (1 Tim. 1:5; 19) If one violates the conscience, hardness of heart is likely (1 Tim. 4:2; Eph. 4:17-19; Titus 1:15)

7. A Clear Conscience Is No Guarantee Paul is an example of this – Paul spoke the truth of himself (Acts 24:16) – Yet, look at what he did: He describes himself as one time being a “ blasphemer, persecutor, and, a violent aggressor ” (1 Tim. 1:13) He did this with a “ perfectly clear conscience ” (Acts 23:1) We may commit sins in ignorance. We may feel no guilt. However, God holds even these accountable (Lk. 12:47-48)

8. How To Have A Good Conscience Many desire to have a clear conscience and try to obtain it only to fail – Judas threw back the blood money (Matt. 27:5a) – However, he still felt the guilt of his actions and hung himself (Matt. 27:5b)

9. The conscience can only be cleansed by the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:14) – Blood of Christ brings forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14) Knowing sins are forgiven removes guilt and clears the conscience This is the reason for so many references to being justified (Rom. 5:9). A legal term meaning “ declared not guilty ” (see Whiteside, p. 114)

10. Must obtain this clear conscience – Obey the will of God wholeheartedly (Rom. 6:17, NIV) – Baptism brings forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). It is “… an appeal to God for a good conscience …” (1 Peter 3:21)