Romans #10: 2:12-16 Judged through the Gospel

Considering Conscience Conscience Quiz Circle one True or False: Your conscience is an absolute (infallible) guide to right and wrong. True or False: It’s okay to go against your conscience (Compare Romans 14:23). True or False: Your conscience is a cricket on your shoulder that you summon by whistling. THINK ABOUT IT: What do you think of when you think of the conscience? Do you ever think of Pinnochio and his conscience, Jiminy Cricket? "When you get in trouble And you don't know right from wrong Give a little whistle! Give a little whistle! "When you meet temptation And the urge is very strong Give a little whistle! Give a little whistle! "Take the straight and narrow path And if you start to slide Give a little whistle! Give a little whistle! And always let your conscience be your guide." Old Testament There are a number of passages dealing with the concept of the conscience throughout Scripture. Interestingly, most of them fall in the New Testament. In fact, there wasn’t even a word for the “conscience” in Hebrew. When they spoke of what we know as the conscience, they used words like “heart, kidney, bowels, etc.” They saw it as the innermost part of a person. For example Job 27:6 says this: I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days. Or it could be translated “my heart does not rebuke me.” Considering Conscience 1 There may be another reason there is no Hebrew word that corresponds to the Greek for conscience (συνείδησις). Some believe that it’s because the Hebrew viewed himself as relating to God’s law corporately instead of individually. Individualism tends to be more of a Western view. Definition of the Conscience The conscience is an innate sense of what is right and wrong based upon God’s law that He implanted in the heart of every man and woman, and it bears witness to whether one’s conduct aligns with his or her value system. New Testament Good (ἀγαθός) Conscience Acts 23:1 1 Timothy 1:5 1 Timothy 1:19 1 Peter 3:16 Clear (ἀπρόσκοπος) Conscience Acts 24:16 Clear (purified; καθαρός) Conscience 1 Timothy 3:9 The Conscience as the Work (requirement) of the Law Romans 2:15 The Conscience as a Witness Romans 9:1 Notice the connection between the conscience and the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 1:12 2 Corinthians 4:2 “Commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience” 2 Corinthians 5:11 “Hope it is known also to your conscience” The Conscience and Christian Liberty Considering Conscience 2 Romans 13:5 1 Corinthians 8:7-12 1 Corinthians 10:25-29 Weak/Defiled Conscience 1 Corinthians 8:7-12 Titus 1:15 Seared Conscience 1 Timothy 4:1-3 The Conscience in Hebrews Hebrews 9:9, 14 Hebrews 10:2 Hebrews 10:22 Hebrews 13:18 Considering Conscience 3