THE HUMAN CONSCIENCE

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:14-18 ESV)

            As a little boy I often heard said, “Let your conscience by your guide.” Seems good on the surface but is that sound advice? Is the conscience a reliable measurement tool for determining conduct? Do cannibals feel remorse killing and eating humans? Probably not, unless of course they did a lousy job preparing a tasty meal! (I know, a bad joke! J)

            The human conscience is groomed by the home of origin, the education received, the books read, the movies watched, the people associated with (both good and bad), the personal desires, and the choices made that drive actions.

            Those who have read my book TEN Words, Reflections from the Ten Commandments know how Christ became a meaningful part of my life in my teen years. Immediately I sensed the three destructive habitual acts of vulgarity, lying and stealing needed to end if there was going to be special empowerment and abundant life in Him.

            My mind-set about deception and stealing before making a decision to follow Jesus was not guilt. My feelings about lying and pilfering were more in line with ecstasy for getting away with a clever tale and not being caught in a creative shoplifting effort.

            In a rebellious world recalibration is necessary before the conscience can aid conduct. Paul mentions a weak conscience, seared conscience, clean conscience, and good conscience. Peter also writes of a good conscience. What is the condition of your conscience?

            The word conscience is used 32 times in the New Testament and not once in the Old Testament. The term is defined as a knowledge or feeling of right and wrong, with a compulsion to do right.

            The first recorded illustration of conscience is when God required the first man to refrain from eating from a certain tree. As soon as Adam recognized his disobedience he felt shame, a form of guilt. When God’s directives are followed there is a sense of completeness and orderliness. Yet when His plans are not followed a conscience awareness of reproach and rejection is experienced.

            Since the rebellion in the Garden of Eden everyone is dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) The entire make-up of the original creation has become disoriented, darkened, and depraved. Through transgression the human conscience has become untrustworthy and unreliable.

            Scripture describes the present condition: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12 ESV)

            On account of the rebellious, proud, and sinful nature the conscience is perverse, which causes people to excuse themselves for their actions while accusing others for similar actions. Guilty people often feel better by watching others fail. A poor or weak conscience often manifests itself in a judgmental attitude. The shamefaced gossip attacks others for doing what he or she would like to do, or may possibly be doing clandestinely.

            What makes the conscience usable for achieving meaning and purpose, fulfillment and satisfaction? Only by placing faith in God does the conscience revert into a reliable source for impacting behavior.

            Scripture reveals how the conscience becomes reshaped to do what it was designed to do, how it becomes able to fulfill its intended purpose.

A purified conscience

            “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14 ESV)

            The Spirit of God applies the atoning blood of Calvary and purifies the conscience of those following Jesus. The conscience once filled with erroneous values, wrong judgments, and inaccurate concepts is cleansed and corrected. The blood of Jesus cancels the past, wipes the present clean, and starts a person in a righteous direction toward a perfect future.

A renewed conscience

            “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 ESV) Attitudes and actions become synchronized with God. The inward character experiences divine conformity.

            Faithfully and repeatedly reading the Bible is the leading component in the process. What does God say about life? Knowing accurately and perfectly the insight of Scripture causes an intuitive knowledge of right and wrong.

A Spirit-led conscience

            The Holy Spirit raises the follower of Jesus to greater heights.

            “And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16 ESV)

            “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.’” (Isaiah 48:17-18 ESV

            “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14 ESV)

            His directives and directions restore peace and cancels guilt. The heartfelt desire to make decisions solely by the promptings of the Spirit causes an inward drive to keep the conscience lucid before God and clear before others.

            “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 ESV) Where there is guilt there is no peace and where there is peace there is no guilt.

Usable conscience

            Paul does emphasize doing and abstaining from things “for conscience sake.” (1 Corinthians 10:25, 27) Yet this is only possible when the conscience is pure, having been renewed and made steadfast by presence of the Holy Spirit.

            Ask the Lord to reshape your conscience. Give the daily reading of Scripture your highest priority. Make this divinely given element of the inward nature an effective tool. He wants to use your conscience to steer you on right paths.