Conscience: December 20, 2011

CONSCIENCE

DEFINITION:

One’s moral sense of right or wrong.

SCRIPTURE:

This charge I commit to you – having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. I Timothy 1:18-20.

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. I Timothy 1: 5

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

God gave everyone a conscience. It is an inner sense which is like a radar system meant to send warnings when a behavior or decision might be harmful. This alarm system that God has given us allows people to clearly distinguish what is morally right and morally wrong, especially as it applies to one’s own life.

Any action that is morally wrong will prick our conscience and produce an inner feeling of guilt and shame. If one ignores his or her conscience he or she does it at their own peril. Continually ignoring one’s conscience hardens a person’s heart and they become numb to guilt or shame. Many non-believers just say, “let your conscience be your guide” but can they really trust their conscience?

In a believer the conscience is a tool of the Holy Spirit. He programs our conscience with principles from God’s Word so we can respond quickly. It is important to note that this alarm system we have serves as just a warning. How we respond is up to us. Either we ignore the warning or we stop to hear what the Holy Spirit has to say about the situation we are facing. The Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s principles so we can make wise decisions about the warning bell that is ringing in our conscience.

The apostle Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy (I Timothy 1:19) that, “having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.” Paul was very concerned about some in the church who had rejected their good conscience and as a result they had shipwrecked their lives. A good conscience steers us through the rocks and reefs of sin and error and keeps us on the right course. Hymanaeus and Alexander were two of those who had rejected their good consciences and as a result not only shipwrecked their own faith but were teaching false doctrine leading others on the wrong course.

Paul had to remove them from the fellowship of the church because they were being led by Satan. This is a danger we must all keep alert to daily. When our conscience warns us that we are doing wrong we must reject our sinful actions and let our God-given conscience steer us back on course. In other words when something appears on the radar system of a believer that speaks of disobedience toward God, we have to reject that action. If we do not the detection system becomes impaired and will not work right. If we do not listen and respond by doing what we know is right in God’s sight, soon the alarm in our life will go completely silent.

It is important for believers to remember that God has given us the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and offer guidance to us as we make decisions. But we must be careful not to harbor sin in our lives because sin will interfere with the way our morality sensor functions. A trustworthy conscience is programmed with scriptural teaching so when sinful thoughts or choices come our way it will deliver a sharp warning.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week helps to prepare us for Christmas and is found in Luke 2:13-14.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

PRAYER:

Help me to be alert so that when my spiritual alarm goes off that I will be quick to draw back and reject any unwise choices that I face. Help me to realize that my conscience is not designed to be my guide but it is a tool of the Holy Spirit dealing within me. Help me to be submissive to the Holy Spirit so I can conform to the likeness of Christ.