Can Your Conscience Be Your Guide? KeY PASSAGe: 1 timothy 1:18-20 Ι SUPPoRtinG ScRiPtURe: Acts 24:16 Ι Romans 1:18-28, 32; 6:23 1 Corinthians 8:7-12 Ι Galatians 6:7 Ι 1 Timothy 1:2-4; 4:1-2 Ι 2 Timothy 1:3 Ι Titus 1:15 Ι Hebrews 10:22 SUMMARY: People say, “Let your conscience be your guide,” but is that really a wise thing to do? The truth is that some people have made a mess of their lives by following damaged consciences that could not lead them in the right direction. That was the case for several men in the church at Ephesus who were teaching false doctrine and leading people astray. None had kept the faith or maintained a good conscience, and all “suffered shipwreck” as a result (1 Tim. 1:18-20). These men were no longer effective because they ignored the Lord’s warnings and went their own ways. Like them, any time we disobey, we are headed for disaster. God’s heavy hand of discipline will be upon us as He lovingly seeks to restore us to Himself, but if we follow His plan, this pain can be avoided. God’s way is best, and He’s even provided a warning system to help us stay on track. For each of us to truly benefit from having a conscience, we must understand both what it is designed to do and how our choices affect it. ScRiPtURAL PRinciPLeS: God has given every one of us the universal gift of a conscience. A conscience is an internal capacity to discern the difference between right and wrong, but that doesn’t mean that everyone’s works equally well. In fact, it operates according to how well it has been programmed: n individually. Your conscience began to form when you were a child and continues to develop with each choice you make. When your parents instructed you about appropriate behaviors, they were actually programming your conscience. Even if they offered no guidance or modeled sinful behavior, they were still shaping your ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Throughout your life, many people have influenced the development of your conscience, either positively or negatively. n corporately. Every society has a corporate conscience that determines what is acceptable. That is why, if the leaders and citizens of a country turn away from God’s standards, the nation will suffer shipwreck unless they change direction. Believers are called to stand up and be a strong influence in their cultures. If they give up this responsibility, they will adopt the values and ideals the world promotes instead. Just consider how things like television, movies, and music have numbed our sensitivities and led us to accept practices once clearly understood to be sinful. n Divinely. When God created Adam and Eve, He designed them to obey Him. That was the value system meant to govern their behavior. When they sinned, an internal alarm went off, and they tried to hide from Him because they felt guilty. Everyone possesses this same warning system. According to Romans 1:19, “That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” This means that no one has an excuse for sin because the Lord has given us each a conscience He designed. the purpose of your conscience is not to guide you. Scripture never tells a believer to follow his or her conscience alone because its condition and reliability vary. In fact, it’s defi ned both positively and negatively throughout the Bible. It can be “Good” (1 Tim. 1:19), “Clean” (2 Tim. 1:3), and “Blameless” (Acts 24:16). However, it can also be “Weak” (1 Cor. 8:7-12), “Defi led” (Titus 1:15), “Evil” (Heb. 10:22), or “Seared” (1 Tim. 4:1-2). The true trustworthiness of your conscience is determined by its programming and your choice to heed its warnings. Paul cautioned believers to guard against an insensitive one, which is seared “as with a branding iron” (1 Tim. 4:2). After you have repeatedly said “yes” to sin, you will no longer feel conviction because the warning bell has been muffl ed. Your conscience is no longer reliable and will not accurately guide you. Even your friends can aid in deadening your sensitivity to sin. When you take their unwise advice and ignore what you know is right, you’re always headed for trouble. A good conscience protects you. The unsettling alarm that sounds within you when you’re contemplating a bad decision is the Lord’s way of keeping you from making foolish choices. But many people silence this internal warning so they can “enjoy life” and do what they want. They even go so far as to pick and choose what they believe about God and the Bible. However, your greatest protection is found in the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They work with the conscience to guide you in the right direction. You can trust your conscience under certain conditions. Though it is unreliable for the most part, there are certain conditions that help you know it is trustworthy. This is the case when: n Christ is your Savior and Lord. n The Bible is the basis for your conduct. n You have a strong desire to obey the Lord. n You prayerfully consider your decisions. n Your conscience instantly sounds an alarm when you consider a wrong thought or action. n You feel guilty after being disobedient. n You’re compelled to repent of your sin. If these qualities are present, you can trust the messages sent by your conscience because it has been transformed and is aligned with God’s will. Whenever you sense its warnings, you will know the Holy Spirit is giving clear direction concerning what the Lord is saying. He will help you apply scriptural principles and provide the strength to do the right thing. And if you’ve already made a poor choice, He will convict you to change course. concLUSion: When the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and the conscience work together, we have a powerful protection and guidance system. To ignore or silence it is the same as abandoning the helm of a ship during a storm and letting it crash on the rocks. God wants to protect His children from wrecking their lives, but we must learn to listen to His warnings and allow Him to lead us away from anything that doesn’t fi t who we are in Christ. What kind of conscience do you have? Is it one that is sensitive to the Lord and His Word, or do you no longer hear the warnings? Although you may want to rationalize, defend, or excuse your sins, that is a sure recipe for disaster because no one escapes the consequences of disobedience. God wants us to be truthful, confess our sins, and let Him reprogram us—to make our consciences clean and strong. If they are, we can experience true peace, joy, and security.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 09:03:13 +0000
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