A disturbing trend in American society can be observed in recent generations. It is the de-emphasizing of the positive benefits of the human conscience. Conscience is difficult to define because it is more of a spiritual component of man than a physical component. It is the inner awareness of good and evil or conforming to the will of the Creator or departing from it, resulting in either a great sense of approval or of condemnation. Someone has said that the human conscience is strong evidence that God exists for why would human species have such a keen sensitivity to the concepts of good and evil otherwise.
Everyone should agree that a clear conscience is an important element in strong personalities as well as living a productive and fulfilling life. It would seem very important for the institutions of society, parents, church and schools to give more attention in the development and training of conscience in our young people. Even more important would be a more serious inquiry into what God has to say in the Bible about this mysterious component of human spirituality.
First of all the Bible tells us that our conscience needs instruction and training in the ways and counsels of the God of Heaven. Otherwise it will most certainly condemn us in things God does not condemn us in and justifies us in things God condemns us in. This fact leads to the heart of the Christian Gospel for, because of the curse of sin, there is in all of us, a feeling of guilt and condemnation and we do not know why. This is the down side of human conscience and perhaps the reason why nobody wants to talk about conscience anymore, Jesus made it very clear that His mission had to do with the conscience by His words in the Gospels of St. John (3:17). He said, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world" and in verse 18 he says "whoever does not believe stands condemned already" The willing sacrifice of Christ's life on the cross for our sins and faults is God's designed plan to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and to restore it to a healthy friend rather than a destructive enemy. It is a conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ's cross that will qualify us for receiving untold blessings from God. If we will keep it clear by obedience to the principals of righteousness set forth in God's word, our conscience will release our faith and empower us to advance not only in the practical elements of a physical and material life but also in the joy and peace of a new spiritual life.
- Gene Holman is pastor at Living Word Fellowship.
