Conscience
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Hebrews 9:1-15
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The Truth about Conscience
The Truth about Conscience
Conscience is self-awareness. 1 Cor. 8:1-12; 10:25-29
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?
The world says conscience is a voice “inside us” that can be “taught”.
Practically, this means a voice other than ourselves that informs us of right and wrong.
Jiminy Cricket in Pinnochio - an external voice that “guides” him in being good/evil.
However, that doesn’t seem to fit the Biblical mold.
These verses deal with “consciousness”, which is closer to the actual idea.
An awareness of the idol can keep the Christian from partaking in the meat sacrificed to idols. Not for the idol itself, but for the consciousness of others.
The Bible shows us that conscience is internal “self-awareness”.
Greek in the Bible literally means “joint-knowledge”. The root word has to do with “form”. Thus it seems to indicate an awareness of your idealized form vs your form in reality. For the believer, it is an awareness of self in the light of awareness of how God desires us to be.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament συν-είδησις
the consciousness of anything: with a gen of the obj., τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, a soul conscious of sins, Heb. 10:2 (τοῦ μύσους, Diod. 4, 65; συνείδησις εὐγενής, consciousness of nobility; a soul mindful of its noble origin
Lexham Theological Wordbook συνείδησις
Refers to a person’s internal witness to their own behavior, the guilt over wrongdoing and the satisfaction of choosing right over wrong.
co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness
The problem of a lack of conscience is really about being oblivious. Unthinking. Unheeding.
We have one aspect of ourselves that is our IDEAL self. This is who we WANT to be!
We also have another aspect of our REAL self. This is something we must contend with, to see accurately, and be willing to change!
Our conscience holds a testimony. 2 Cor. 1:12; 4:2; 5:11
For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
This has to do with our actions!
Our conscience can be bad or good.
Given our definition, this speaks of our ability to discern our lack between where we are in reality and where we need to be. We will either see this clearly or it will be obscured.
Good conscience: 1 Tim. 1:5,19; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; Heb. 13:18
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
A good conscience helps us to lovingly obey God’s commands from a pure heart and sincere faith.
having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
A good conscience helps us commit to our service to God and avoid shipwreck of our faith.
holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
Distinct word here, “katharos” makes us think of “cathartic”. It is a pure, CLEAN conscience mentioned here. This purity allows the deacon to hold onto salvation for himself and for others with a conscience not defiled. He must be able to see himself accurately and be willing to change if he finds defilement.
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,
In the same sense, Paul’s conscience was clean in his daily service to God. This informed his actions toward his brethren.
Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.
Being CONFIDENT in your good conscience shows that you are truly walking in a pleasing way before God.
Bad conscience: 1 Tim. 4:2; Tit. 1:15
speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
This is a “branded” lack of self-awareness. The following verse tells us what can occur from such a mindset.
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.
Their self-awareness is unclean, unfit for worship/service to God. Saints cannot accept any defilement, as it reduces our ability to be self-aware.
The Need for Conscience
The Need for Conscience
Conscience bears witness to our own deeds, and thus informs our status before a holy God. Rom. 2:12-16; 9:1; Jer. 31:33
For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
Note that their conscience either ACCUSES or EXCUSES them. Essentially, the same is true for us, though we have a distinct advantage in the revealed word of God.
We are indeed to have the law of God written in our hearts as well. Jeremiah 31:33
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
When we have this self-awareness, we can make statements like Paul does about the truth of our feelings.
I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
Conscience convicts us. Jn. 8:9; Rom. 2:12-16
Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Conscience convicts us when we do not want it to. So we don’t have to worry, right? Conscience will correct us and keep us from doing wrong.
No. It’s not that their consciences were GOOD, but rather the choice before them, the effort Jesus put into making the action of retribution in such a negative light, dissuaded them from acting upon the intents of their wicked hearts.
Conscience helps us know the thoughts of our hearts. Daniel 2:27-30; Acts 17:22-34
Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream so that he could know the thoughts of his own heart. Sadly he did not truly learn this lesson until ch. 4!
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
Note that it was GOD who provided this clarity for him. God wanted Neb to know this!
Paul later clarifies that God wants all mankind to know the thoughts of their hearts.
Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
“finding God” in terms of the conscience provides us all with the self-awareness we need to live a truly fulfilled life, with obedience and purpose in walking in His kingdom.
How to Perfect the Conscience
How to Perfect the Conscience
Worship without the heart will not perfect our conscience. Heb. 9:9-10; 10:1-4
I can do many things on the basis of ritual cleanliness, but none of it will complete my self-awareness.
It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
The Old Law could not resolve the problem of sin. Consciousness of sin continued with the observance of the sacrifices.
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
If we continue into Heb. 10:5-25, we note that the true core of our properly-functioning self-awareness, our conscience, is absolutely necessary for us to be pleasing to God.
Only the blood of Christ can cleanse the conscience. Heb. 9:11-15; 10:22
Our Mediator can cleanse our consciences.
But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
This is NOT by some process that we are unaware of or not a party to. We are DEEPLY involved in this process, as it involves our whole lifestyle change.
Sprinkled from an evil conscience. This occurs by drawing near to God in baptism, and continuing in drawing nearer to Him throughout our lives.
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Wrestle with the “real” and the “ideal”!
The reality - we fall short, and God calls us to improve. Matt. 5:48 ; 1 Pet 1:15; 2 Pet 1:4
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
An evil conscience addresses this in evil ways.
We replace obedience with sincerity. 1 Pet 2:21
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
We replace the divine pattern by arguing that it doesn’t exist. Heb 8:5; Mt 4:4; 1 Cor 4:6
who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.
We replace true unity by appealing to “attitude”. John 17:20-23; 1 Cor 1:10
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
In short, we abandon the ideal self God wants to cultivate within us. Rom. 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The answer of a good conscience can save us. 1 Pet. 3:21
There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Baptism is the answer of a good conscience. If you have the right self-awareness, you know how necessary it is for you. Not because of the water, not because of anyone else, but for your own eternal soul.
In doing this, you acknowledge the goal of true perfection in Christ! 2 Cor 10:5
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Giving up your bad/unclean conscience, you accept a good conscience that does good for your soul. Phil 3:13-15; 4:9
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.