God Speaks Through Our Conscience
"Conscience" is sometimes defined as the faculty, or inward principle, that helps us decide between right and wrong. Even those who do not believe in God usually possess some insight into what is morally acceptable and what must be rejected (Rom. 2:14, 15). The Christian believes that God is the supreme Lawgiver and that He has placed in humanity a conscience, even though sin has blunted this God-given tool for moral decision-making. In most Bible translations we do not find the word conscience in the Old Testament, though it occurs numerous times in the New Testament. But whether or not the term is used, the concept is present throughout Scripture.
Name a few stories in which we can see the impact of conscience on the lives of people. (See, for instance, Gen. 42:18-23, John 8:1-9, Matt. 27:3-5, Daniel 5).
Important though our conscience is, it is not always totally trustworthy. We notice that people in good conscience often come to very diverse conclusions about what to do in particular circumstances. The apostle Paul was aware of this, as his remarkable statement in 1 Corinthians 4:4 shows: "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me" (NIV). The same apostle also warns that we can resist the pull of our conscience. In fact, some people appear to have seared their consciences with a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:2) or have corrupted them (Titus 1:15). On the other hand, there are ways of sharpening one's conscience. Being in tune with God by a regular reading of His Word and by frequent communion with Him in prayer will make us more sensitive to the voice of the Spirit, who can speak to us through our conscience.
| When was the last time you let your conscience be your guide and ended up making a wrong moral decision? What did you learn from that experience that could help you from repeating it? |
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