____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ June 9, 1991 ____________________________________________________ The Conscience by Tom Edwards Is the conscience a safe guide in religious matters? According to many people today, "as long as one's conscience is good, one's beliefs and practices must also be.'' In other words, ``something could not be wrong unless one's conscience caused one to realize it was.'' I can remember talking to one old friend who disagreed with the Bible's purpose for baptism, and then he concluded by saying that God would not have allowed him to have the great ``peace'' which he did if his belief were not true. He was, therefore, relying upon his personal feelings as to what is true and what is false in religious matters. Obviously, when two people disagree on a subject which can only have one answer, one is either wrong and the other is right or they are both wrong; but they can not both be right. I probably felt just as much at ``peace'' with my conviction as my friend did with his, though our beliefs had been in conflict. We must first note that the conscience can be deceived or instilled with that which is contrary to truth -- though one might still accept these false convictions as justifiably sound and without error. Therefore, that old clich‚, ``let your conscience be your guide,'' is not always a good instruction. A conscience that has not been properly developed can lead into many avenues of sin with the follower being unaware. For instance, the apostle Paul felt he was doing right when he persecuted the Christians. He was even present at the stoning of Stephen and was on his way to Damascus in order to oppress some more of the saints; and, all the while, he viewed this as a service he was rendering to God. In Acts 22:3,4, Paul speaks about his religious upbringing and his fervent devotion toward God that was exemplified in his persecuting of Christians even ``to the death.'' Though his conscience told him he was doing that which was right and pleasing to God in this matter, Paul had been terribly wrong. Years later (after his conversion), when he stood before the chief priests and the council in order to give his defense, Paul testified by saying, ``Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day'' (Acts 22:1). Here was a person who always strove to do what he believed to be right, but his statement also included that time in which he did things that were wrong, such as when he persecuted the saints. This, therefore, shows that there is sometimes a considerable difference between that which seems to be right and that which is. Feelings and emotions can often be irrelevant to fact. In the case of Jacob, whose name God later changed to Israel, anguish of soul had torn him apart over the grief of what he believed to be a deceased son. In actuality, however, Jacob's son Joseph, for whom he mourned, was very much alive. His feelings, therefore, were in direct opposition to the truth of the matter; but this certainly did not mitigate his emotions in any way. Jacob mourned for his son as if he really were dead. I remember a fellow student in Danville, Price McDonald, once relating the story of the person who knew she was saved on the basis of her feelings because she had felt as if she were as ``light as a feather, and floating on a cloud.'' The preacher then asked her, ``Well, were you as light as a feather?'' Obviously, the woman had to answer, ``No.'' He then continued with his questioning by asking, ``And were you floating on a cloud?'' Again the woman had to respond by saying she was not. The preacher then concluded by inquiring, ``If you thought you were saved because you had felt as `light as a feather' and as if you were `floating on a cloud,' but you know that you really were not, then how can you know that you have really been saved?'' God's plan of salvation is much more concrete than the often whimsical and ever-changing feelings of an individual. Sensations and dispositions do not always remain constant, but God's word never changes; it is to be our sure foundation -- or should I say our foundation for being sure -- and not just the emotional highs or the emotional lows that a person might experience from time to time. It is good to be as the apostle who said, ``I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men'' (Acts 24:16); but let us remember that the truly good conscience is one that has been developed by the moral and holy principles that are derived from the Scriptures. As Paul said to the Corinthians, ``My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me'' (1 Cor. 4:4). A person is not justified merely because he feels justified, but only by believing and obeying the gospel. If one has done so, then that one can rest assured by standing on the promises of God and leaning upon the facts of God's word, which is much more substantial than the mere feelings of an individual. Maintaining a proper conscience is not a trivial matter. With regard to our need to be law-abiding citizens, Paul points out that one reason why we should strive to be such is due to ``conscience' sake'' (Rom. 13:5). For if we cease striving to keep our conscience taintless, it will lead to a marring disruption in our relationship with God. In writing to Timothy, Paul spoke of those who had ``suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith'' because they had rejected ``faith and a good conscience'' (1 Tim. 1:19). According to this verse, Paul is putting the need for a good conscience on the same plane as the need for faith. In realizing this, how could one minimize the need for the proper scruples. The Spirit Himself had prophesied that in the latter times some would ``depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron'' (1 Tim. 4:1,2). What does Paul mean by this metaphor, a ``conscience seared with a hot iron''? Obviously, it is one that is no longer functioning as it should; it has been damaged. In writing to Titus, Paul spoke of this type of person by saying, ``To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled'' (Titus 1:15). In Romans 1:21, the apostle speaks of those who ``although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish thoughts were darkened.'' He then describes the degenerate condition these reverted to and shows that because ``they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting'' (Rom. 1:28). The inference seems to be that the farther one strays into sin, the more one looses his sensitivity toward transgression. Is this not why the Bible sometimes refers to the sinner as being ``blind?'' Often the transgressor is seen rushing headlong into the thick of iniquity and yet not really seeing the futility and danger of his plight because he has lost that still, small voice of his own conscience or has simply never been instilled with the correct scruples. An old Indian was once asked what a conscience was to him. He said, ``Conscience is a three-cornered thing in my heart that stands still when I am good, but when I am bad, it turns around and the corners hurt a lot. If I keep on doing wrong, the corners wear off and it does not hurt anymore.'' In a less colorful vernacular, this simply indicates that one's conscience can become desensitized by a continual involvement in sin until it no longer responds with even a tinge of remorse or compunction. What if we have allowed the ``corners'' of our conscience to wear down? How can we sharpen them once again? Has God provided a way? The commandments themselves are designed to help the Christian keep his conscience keen. 1 Timothy 1:5 states: ``Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.'' The King James Version uses the term ``end'' instead of ``purpose,'' but clearly this latter term helps us to understand the meaning of this phrase much better. God's word has been given to help us in these various areas of life. By it, our hearts can be made pure; our conscience, clean; and our faith, sincere. This is all part of the purpose or the goal of God's word. Let us end with an exhortation toward a new beginning: before we can become a Christian, our conscience must be purified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:14); and this occurs when we render obedience to the gospel (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9,10; 1 Pet. 3:21). Have you submitted to the Lord by your faith and obedience so that He may ``purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God''? This He longs to do in order that you may be cleansed from all spiritual defilements and enabled to walk in newness of life. Why carry the guilt of sin when you can carry the joy, freedom, and blessings of the Lord? ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________