Me and my Conscience

Read: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Introduction: Although referring to the ancient custom of eating meat which had been offered in pagan temples to idols, this small chapter in the New Testament carries a very important message for today. Paul instructs the Christians that there is nothing wrong or spiritually harmful about eating this pagan meat. However, if there are those accompanying them who do believe it to be wrong, then for the sake of their consciences, they should not do it.either. To break your conscience is to sin, he says. This throws an incredible importance upon the development and training of our conscience, and in ensuring that we never do anything in our liberty that could cause another to stumble..

So what exactly is the conscience, and how does God use it? The Bible teaches the following:

1.The Conscience is a moral guide, imparted by God at birth to every person. Everyone has some sense of what is right and wrong and this comes from a conditioned conscience. The voice of the conscience is not the devil's torment but the Creator's help. Those who have had no encounter with the Gospel will be judged by their conscience - Paul's teaching in Romans is that the Jews will be judged by the Law, and the Gentiles will be judged by their own consciences.  Romans 2:14-15. Sadly, everyone fails to live up to what their consciences tell them and so "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). Consequently, the conscience can be a useful friend in bringing someone to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

2.  It must be instructed correctly and tuned in to God's Word: Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:15; and 1 Corinthians 4:4 that the conscience can be corrupted. Like a radio or TV receiver, we must develop our consciences so that they are tuned in to the moral code that God desires for us. Through ungodly nurture, many of the people we meet have a completely different moral compass to the Christian disciple. Of course, it isalso  possible for the believer to backslide and harden their hearts, searing their consciences to the Lord. Society tunes itself into the current moral climate which the Christian must avoid.

3.  It can be a torturer: This was King David's experience in 1 Samuel 24:5 and 2 Samuel 24:10. The Scripture says he was "conscience stricken" over his actions against Saul and also for ordering the number count. The power that killed Judas Iscariot was inside not outside of him - guilt in his conscience. Many claim the devil is pouring condemnation on them but the painful burden they feel comes from their own conscience. The believer should meditate on the mercy and forgiveness of God's grace. The conscience is designed as a friend not a foe of the person.

4. It can be cleansed by the sacrificial blood of Jesus: Hebrews 9:14 states that Jesus' blood cleanses the conscience - i.e. not just our sin, but the guilt effects of sin. What a wonderful salvation we have in Christ! Often, we do not always feel forgiven but, by faith, we can appropriate the cleansing of our own private conscience about our sin from Calvary's grace upon our repentance. Praise God! 

Conclusion

The Walt Disney character "Jiminy Cricket" teaches his friend the song "Always let your conscience be your guide". While this is hardly divine inspiration, it will serve us to follow this maxim just a little. However, the condition to let our conscience be our guide is dependant upon us to first "guide our conscience" to God's Word; both to the commandments and principles of the Lord, and to the character of God as shown in Jesus Christ and through His parables. This will inevitable answer the question "What would Jesus do?" and help us to become more like Him!