This week’s Truth Keepers for Truth Seekers column is about whether a human being has the willpower to choose what conscience they want to have.
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The hot question last week was: “What is true freedom really and who is responsible for that freedom?” Let me counter that with another question. Does a human being has the willpower to choose what conscience they want to have or is it a matter of what you are born with?
You have to go back to what worldview you have. If your worldview is that our origin was some protozoa from where we all evolved from, then when was conscience put in and by who? What is the definition of conscience under that view? If your worldview is that there is a Creator behind this world who was an intelligent being and who thoughtfully and carefully planned out this universe, galaxies, our planet and us, we have a good starting point.
If you mix those two worldviews that “God used evolution”, it becomes a bit complicated. Why would a powerful God that can put a universe together and this earth together, need billions of years or even millions of years to create something including us.
Did the first two human beings have a conscience and did they need it?
When everything was perfect -- which we should believe -- if we believe in a perfect God, then why would they need a conscience?
The conscience is the part of our soul that tells us if something is right or wrong. AKA as your inner compass. Your will is another part of your soul and with that you choose whether you will do the right or wrong thing. Then the third part is your emotions which we all know can vary dramatically.
Did those first two beings have it? Yes! Was it latent or was it active? The part that they did not need was the knowledge of evil and choosing to do evil. Because they had not been exposed to evil until their eyes were opened by touching the source of good and evil. They were told to stay away from it, not to eat from it. However the temptation became too big for them and the conscience of evil was awakened.
That was the end of their stay in the beautiful place God had created for them. Life became very different from then on and now we still have to live with the consequences of that choice. Where does that leave us? With a fully awakened conscience, knowing what is good and evil. And the power to choose what kind of conscience we want to have.
But also the grace of Christ to make it strong and pure.
Let’s touch on different kinds of conscience. See where you stand and then just choose where you want to be. No point in feeling bad if you see you have to work on a few things. Just get it more clean. Why? So you can help others better and will fulfil what you were born for.
1. Good Conscience (what we hopefully all want to have)
A good conscience is one which is free from guilt – we are doing what we believe to be right; -used in two different ways in the New Testament (of those who did right and those who did wrong).
Those who do right are to have a good conscience (1 Timothy 1:5) – keep a good conscience (1 Timothy 1:19); if we follow God, we can have confidence, not fear (1 John 3:21; 2:28-29)- (So one of the reasons of fear then is having a conscience that knows it is not following God’s standard of right)
However, it is possible to do wrong and have a good conscience (Acts 23:1) – Paul did many things against Christ (Acts 26:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:13-15); he believed he was right (Acts 24:16) (ignorantly wrong- You want to do right but you were taught wrong and did not understand)
Many have a good conscience because they do what “seems right” to them (Proverbs 14:12) – but this is not enough
2. Defiled Conscience (what we can rectify by correct teaching)
A defiled conscience is one which causes one to feel guilt for doing what is either right or innocent – right is something required by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17); innocent is not right or wrong in itself (Romans 14:2-3)
In Corinth, some had a defiled conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7) – much of the meat sold in the markets in Corinth had been used previously in idol worship; Paul explained that buying/eating it, did not constitute participation in idolatry (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)
However, those “accustomed to the idol” could not separate the idol worship from eating (1 Corinthians 8:7) – for them, to eat would violate their conscience and embolden them to sin (1 Corinthians 8:10-11; cf. Romans 14:23)
If one has a defiled conscience, they need to be patiently taught the truth (Romans 14:1; cf. Acts 18:26)
3. Seared Conscience (prevented by laying aside sin)
A seared conscience is one that no longer feels guilt for sin – whether one followed the right or wrong standard, it is a conscience that has been violated so many times that it no longer works
The Spirit warned of those who would fall away due to a seared conscience (1 Timothy 4:1-2) – when one sins, godly sorrow leads him to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10); feels guilty, wants to be right. But when sin becomes persistent and habitual, guilt is no longer there (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 6:15)
A seared conscience is prevented by laying aside sin (Hebrews 12:1) rather than continuing in it (2 Timothy 3:13) – if one has a seared conscience, little can be done until they have a change of heart (Hebrews 6:4-6)
4. Weak Conscience( train it in the word of God)
A weak conscience is one that has simply not been trained in what is right – lacks knowledge from God that provides the right standard
In Corinth, a weak conscience led to a defiled conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7) – lacked knowledge; one can have a weak conscience and also have a good conscience (Acts 23:1; 1 Timothy 1:13)
The remedy for a weak conscience is training in the word of God (Hebrews 5:14)
5. Evil Conscience (Forgiveness needed)
An evil conscience is one that has not been forgiven of sin (Hebrews 10:22)
All have had an evil conscience at some point (Romans 3:23) – forgiveness is found in Christ (Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 1:7); this cleanses the evil conscience
6. Clear (Pure) Conscience (what we all should want)
A clear (pure, KJV) conscience is one that has been forgiven (1 Timothy 3:9) – cleansed by Christ; this is the good conscience of those who do right (1 Timothy 1:5, 19; 1 Peter 3:16)
We cannot purify our conscience on our own – must appeal to God who is the only one who can do that to do it (1 Peter 3:21)
God cleanses us when we obey the gospel (Romans 6:3-4) – continues to as we obey (1 John 1:7)
7. Conclusion
The goal of this instruction is a “good conscience” – but goodness is by God’s standard, not man. It is not enough for us to think we are doing what is right – we must actually be right; involves knowledge, obedience, and forgiveness
We can have “our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22) – done in baptism; appeal for a good conscience (1 Peter 3:21); receive forgiveness (Acts 22:16).
A final thought on making an excuse for an evil conscience and its consequent actions:
Romans 1:20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification] (AMPC).
Romans 1:20 From the very moment the earth was created, God’s true self has been constantly revealed: his eternal life-giving power, his loving nature, his respect for freedom, and his methods of gracious giving; his character is seen in everything he has made, so that humans are not left in darkness and have no excuse for remaining in their terminal state. (Remedy)
Know now which conscience you are operating with. And make necessary changes if need be. And as far as children, handicapped people, we will touch on that next week.
Have a good week, enjoying upright pure conscience which will result in true peace.
Akhrienuo