How can he say that? Why can they say that? Why do they do
that? What happened to their consciences? Conscience! Conscience? What is conscience?
What is so important about conscience? What role does it really play in
everyday life? What happens when conscience is applied? What happens when conscience
is abandoned? What happens when the consciences of people differ? To adequately
answer these questions requires us to understand what the conscience is?
The term “conscience” refers to one’s awareness of and
adherence to the moral value of ideas and situations, and actions. The concept
of a system of moral values demands a “source” independent of each individual’s
conscience upon which each individual is dependent. And since the moral values
of mankind seem to be innate, though basically consistent throughout all
cultures, ethnic groups, nations, and religious bodies since the dawn of time,
the obvious source of “conscience” for mankind must be the creator himself –
God. And, interestingly enough, the Bible affirms the transmission of
“conscience” in mankind in the Genesis creation account. Genesis 1:26-27
affirms the divine intent and process by which that transmission of
“conscience” occurred. The creation of man “in the image and likeness” of God
also involved the instilling of the moral nature and values of God into the
creature called man.
The Greek New Testament term used to convey the idea of the conscience
is suneidesis, which means “to know with.” This word indicates a “knowledge”
that man has that is harmonious with a “knowledge” from a source other than man.
Keep in mind that, in the creation, only man was given the Image and likeness
of God. Therefore, this suneidesis, this co-knowledge, this conscience that man
has, is a direct connection between the mind of man and the mind of God.
Conscience is God’s way of making sure that his word and his
will are consciously being taken in consideration every time that our thinking,
and our feelings, and our wills are exercised. Conscience is that process of
thought which distinguishes between that which is morally right or morally
wrong in the sight of God. It is that process of thinking that first, commends
the good and condemns the bad, and secondly, prompts the soul to choose the good
instead of the bad. The conscience is also that divine quality in man that
causes that sense of guiltiness before God, which we experience when we fail to
comply with God’s word and his will.
That’s what Adam and Eve experienced when they disobeyed God
and ate of the forbidden fruit. That’s why they sewed fig leaves together to
hide their awareness of the consequences of their disobedience of God’s word.
It is also why they tried to hide from God. Adam and Eve’s Crisis of
Conscience! That suneidesis, that co-knowledge – that ability to “know what God
wants at the same time that you and God knows what you want – is what the conscience
is all about.
That’s what your conscience does. It Informs you, it reminds
you, it convicts you of what is right and what is wrong. The conscience seeks
to guide you to obey God’s word and his will for you in whatever it is that you
are dealing with at that moment in time.
But sometimes our consciences may not always operate like
they ought. Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 4:1-2 that “in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy …” and “having their conscience seared with
a hot iron …” The word used to describe that “conscience searing” means to
“brand it, or to cauterize it, to burn it out or remove it from where it is.”
Like a red-hot iron pressed on the hip of a cow, that
portion of the body is desensitized. The nerve endings have been destroyed. The
feeling is no longer there. That portion or area of the body to no longer
functions as it was designed to do.
When that happens, a crisis of conscience results! The mind
of man no longer operates in harmony with the mind of God. That person – those
persons – no longer focuses or focus on what is morally right or morally wrong in
the sight of God.
He/she focuses on what pleases the self. The will and/or
benefit of others no longer becomes part of their priorities nor actions. The
satisfaction of self becomes the priority of the moment – even the future!
Their process of thinking no longer commends the good and
condemns the bad. Their process of thinking no longer prompts the soul to
choose the good instead of the bad. They no longer experience that sense of
guiltiness before God when they fail to comply with God’s word and his will. And
the real tragedy is that they could care less. Their consciences are seared.
The biblical concept of “searing” indicates that something
has been “burned” into the flesh. As a result the “mark” of the source of
“burning” becomes the mark of identification of the “burner.” Thus, when a
person’s conscience is “seared,” then their minds are no longer in submission
to the mind, nor will, of God. The ruler of your mind and heart is clear.
Jesus told those who would not accept nor follow his
teachings:
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of
his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” – John 8:44
Part of the divine function of the conscience is to perform
an inner search of one’s soul, commending the good and condemning the bad; and
prompting the soul to choose the good instead of the bad.
When the conscience discovers that which is wrong in God’s sight,
then it prompts the soul to confess that wrong and to make an immediate conscious
correction of that improper behavior.
Your failure to do so, results in a conscious rejection of
the conviction and guidance of the holy spirit operating in your soul. Your conscience
reflects and reveals the nature of your relationship with God. If your relationship
with God is not right, then your conscience will not operate right.
Paul declares in Acts 24:16:
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void of offence toward God, and toward men.”
I don’t worry about today nor tomorrow. Nor about what men
may say or do. My conscience is clear. There is no crisis of conscience between
me and God.
Is your conscience in compliance or in conflict with God?
Pastor Samuel W. Hale Jr. is the former pastor of Zion
Missionary Baptist Church and president of J.L. Powell Mission Ministries.