Conscience
Romans 2:15
Our conscience tells us right from wrong
and our thoughts either accuse or excuse us.
Definition:
1. Consciousness of anything
2. The soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad.
3. I understand the conscience to be like a wheel in your mind, which has sharp points (called pricks) sticking out of it. This wheel is constantly turning and the sharp points are rubbing against the situations of our daily life. Those pricks show us what we have done that is wrong, but they can wear out if we are constantly surrounded with bad things.
BEWARE: You can't always trust your conscience, but you can always trust the Word of God.
Example of thoughts accusing or excusing: whether the thought is right or wrong.
1. Acts 28:3,4 - The barbarians thinking Paul was a criminal that needed to die. They were wrong, of course.
2. I Tim. 4:2 - Conscience seared (like branding cattle) with a hot iron. They were in the faith, but after they leave the faith they can't come back, like hair doesn't grow on the place that is branded.
3. I Cor. 8:7,12 - A weak conscience is easily defiled.
4. Titus 1:15 - To the unbelieving, nothing is good - even their conscience is defiled.
I. To the lost.
A. John 8:9 - The accusers of the adulterous woman was convicted by their own conscience, not by the Word of God.
B. Heb. 9:9, 10:2 - The works of the law won't cleanse our conscience.
C. Heb. 9:14 - The blood of Jesus will cleanse the conscience.
II. To the saved.
A. I Peter 3:21 - Baptism is an answer of a good conscience toward God.
B. I Tim. 1:5-7 - The end of the commandment is love from:
1. A pure heart.
2. Good conscience.
3. Faith undisguised.
C. I Tim. 1:18-20 - Put away faith because of an evil conscience and you'll be shipwrecked.
III. To the Christian life.
A. I Peter 2:19 - Suffer in a good conscience.
B. I Peter 3:16 - Don't worry about what people say.
C. Heb. 13:18 - Live honestly in good conscience.
IV. Paul had a good conscience. Acts 24:16 - It was void of offense toward God and men.
A. II Cor. 1:12 - With simplicity and Godly sincerity.
B. II Cor. 4:2 - Paul could stand before any man and be judged
C. II Cor. 5:11 - Other people had a clear conscience toward Paul and the work he did.