Over the course of several months these articles have been focusing on the pursuit of truth, then branching out into how we discover the truths of God's Kingdom, gradually taking on the numerous ways God reveals His truths. We've learned that God also speaks through His Spirit of Truth in a variety of ways. Nonetheless, I believe one of the most crucial avenues that the Spirit uses to communicate truth to the inner man of the believer is seldom considered let alone understood: that being the human conscience. My last post described the various stages of development of conscience, but in this article I want to take a serious look at the types of consciences identified in Scripture and how they influence how we learn truth through His Spirit. So let's begin.
As we've already seen, every human being owns a conscience, even though the condition of that conscience will vary widely from person to person, saved to unsaved, nation-to-nation and generation-to-generation. In addition to that, these conditions of conscience are all generally discerned and function according to whether that people fears God or not. Furthermore, there are also corporate consciences, pertaining to nations, people groups, families, churches, ministries, businesses and cultures.
The Bible specifically identifies and names numerous godly and ungodly conditions of conscience. Consequently, if you can determine if the conscience that you're examining fears God, or not, you can generally discern which way that person or group will go or what they will decide. Furthermore, probably much to your surprise, the conscience of an unsaved individual, nation and generation can still possess a type of the fear of the Lord, although it won’t generally practice the proper perspective, since the fall of man still hinders a true understanding of the message. Its good to remember that Romans 2:15 specifically states that the laws of God have been inscribed in the conscience of humankind. This being that way helps us to understand the reason that sometimes the unsaved will behave more righteously than the saved, because their conscience, although fallen, has retained the spiritual principles necessary to right and wrong choices.
The human being was first and intentionally fashioned in the likeness of God, and even though that original semblance is horribly stained, spiritually dead, and principally forgotten, the human spirit still remembers God. The human spirit, or in this case, the conscience, must be awakened through the new birth and trained.
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (KJV)
The conditions of the conscience identified in the Bible are as follows. The Godly conditions I have listed below result according to the degree of the revelation of the Fear of the Lord. In most cases, this condition of conscience exists primarily in the believer, however, it may also exist to some extent in unsaved individuals who choose to live a life of forgiveness. In order to understand how God uses the fear of the Lord, we need to examine the condition of the conscience in a general overview.
LIST OF CONSCIENCE IN A GODLY CONDITION WITH BIBLCAL REFERENCES
1. Good conscience- Acts 23:1,1Tim 1:5, Heb 13:18,1 Pet 3:16,21
2. Conscience Void of offense- Acts 24:16
3. Pure conscience- 1 Tim 3:9; 2 Tim 1:3
4. Perfect conscience- Heb 9:9-10
5. Conscience cleansed by the Blood of Jesus- Heb 9:14
LIST OF TYPES OF THE UNGODLY CONSCIENCES WITH BIBLICAL REFERENCES AND STUDY
1. Weak
2. Defiled
3. Polluted by dead religious works
4. Wounded
5. Evil
6. Seared.
Each of these words identify types of consciences possessed by both saved and unsaved individuals. Let’s take a look at each type. A conscience is considered ungodly, or also unhealthy, when it is described as-
A CONSCIENCE AFFECTED BY DEAD WORKS
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (KJV)
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (KJV)
True spiritual service requires a right understanding of the fearing God and being able to hear what the Spirit of Truth desires for you to do. Without these principles, the acts are dead, no matter how religious or seemingly helpful. And, regrettably the conscience suffers damage by the lack of Spirit-led instruction and fearing God. There is nothing any one of us can do to earn God’s acceptance. Grace, therefore, is the only means whereby genuine approval comes. Therefore, every spiritually-lead action must originate from the Holy Spirit, and coordinately umpired by the motivation of fearing God. Individuals who do not possess these motivating factors operate from a performance basis and corrupt their conscience making it difficult for them to accurately hear the Spirit of truth. One of the reasons that Jesus shed His blood was for the purpose of purifying the conscience, so that life could be governed by the truths of His Kingdom according to the Fear of the Lord. Sadly, this type of conscience ought not to be present in the Church, and yet, it is by far one of the primary reasons so many believers have difficulty hearing the Lord and advancing in spiritual growth. Only an understanding of the message on fearing God and revelation on the power of the Blood can correct this disability.
The WEAK, DISABLED CONSCIENCE
The weak or disabled conscience is one that has no power or strength. (1 Cor.8: 11) This condition of weakness radically restrains and ultimately cripples the human will. A person with a weak or disabled conscience is unable to make godly choices and can’t sustain decisions when holiness is required. Therefore, if the Spirit of Truth witnesses to their inner man, concerning what is right, they will become double minded. In other words, they vacillate. In most cases, such persons have never heard the unadulterated Biblical truths, or they learned legalism, or even more commonly, a mixture of both so they don't know what to believe or do. Surrounded by morals contrary to godliness, their conscience often doesn’t develop in a healthy manner. So their will is passive and they fail in following the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
Various influences, such as parents who train or don’t train the fear of the Lord properly, as well as education, family, entertainment, friendships and twisted Christian doctrine influenced by humanism, all play a major role in the lack of the healthy development of conscience. The filters I described for interpreting truth earlier in the articles about truth take their residence in the conscience. Consequently, people possessing a weak conscience, tend to absorb a mixture of truths, philosophies and opinions, eventually resulting in some form of compromise. Additionally, in some situations, harmful physical stimuli or chemicals, such as the pre-birth reception of alcohol or dangerous drugs, damage the person’s physical ability to practically connect with their conscience, and the conscience is also disabled. For example: Fetuses exposed to crack, known as “crack babies,” or carried by alcoholic mothers, resulting in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, become defenseless victims and are generally owners of a weak conscience. Social workers dealing with such young ones say of them when trying to teach them appropriate and moral behaviors that, "they just “don’t get it” when they’ve done something wrong. If correction comes, they simply don’t understand, often taking the correction as condemnation or legalism.
A weak conscience is defined as literally, figuratively or morally feeble, impotent or sick. Individuals owning such a conscience demonstrate passivity in mind and will. Paul, the apostle, addressed the jumbled faith of the Corinthian believers when he attempted to alert them to use wisdom when interacting with individuals who demonstrated a weak conscience. Problems had evidently occurred and people were offended when the Corinthian believers shared meals with idolaters and had to decide whether to eat the meats, previously sacrificed to idols, served them. It would seem this was a significant problem. Corinth was a city dominated by the influence of immoral idolatry, tolerance for multiple religions and Hellenism. The conscience of the new believers and non-believers alike was sick. The fear of the Lord, as in respecting the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was an unheard of concept, and had yet to be developed. Furthermore, the compromising situations faced by the saints of Corinth were very similar to what is faced in society, family and Church today. So we in fact may be facing a weak conscience in our society and Church alike.
WOUNDED OR VIOLATED CONSCIENCE
1 Corinthians 8:6-12 goes on to say that a weak conscience may become wounded or abusively violated, if certain considerations are not taken when dealing with the weak conscience.
A wounded conscience, as defined by the Greek word translated for wound, means to thump or pummel something with repeated blows resulting in offence or unjust punishment. A weak conscience becomes wounded when stronger-willed people, or even Christian individuals, in the case of this Biblical passage, repetitively beat down the already weak will of another, by denying the weaker individual the right of standing up for what they believe to be true, or according to conscience. It generally occurs when someone is forced to do something, be something or yield to something that he or she feels is wrong, not being allowed the right to maintain personal choice and individuality. Persons who’ve experienced such abuse have difficulty in personally recognizing God’s voice. They often feel an unidentified anger or grief from the unresolved and buried conflict, and struggle with what they can't name. In most cases, the violated individual will deny that he or she has been hurt, in order to protect the person who broke them. This occurs in all sorts of situations and environments, even Christian circles. Revelations 2:6,15 cites the example of the Nicolatians, whose name is defined as “conquering the laity”. God hates the doctrine of the Nicolatians, because it ignores individuality in favor of the absolute command of the leadership. This condition occurs when strong individuals break down the will of those incapable of standing up for themselves, and affects persons whose conscience is weak, wounding them by causing unnecessary offenses through being restrained and broken. Bear in mind that some people will be offended no matter what condition their conscience is, and often, because they have no respect for decisions of the leadership. But this is not the case in connection with this condition of conscience. The roots for this doctrine originate in an ancient ruler named Nimrod, the founder of ancient Babylon and one whose influence affects dictatorial leaders throughout history. Nimrod, whose name means rebellion, was said to be a mighty hunter before the Lord in Gen. 10:6-14. Various theological scholars all state that the most accurate translation of this passage is that Nimrod was a mighty hunter of men. One of the points made in Matthew Henry’s commentary on Gen 10:6-14 state that Nimrod gathered men under his command, in order to make himself master of the country, and to bring the people into subjection by violently invading their properties and rights, persecuting the innocent, and taking everything before him by forceful hostility. The Septuagint states that he was a mighty hunter against the Lord. Therefore, the practice of wounding a conscience is not new.
The wounded conscience originates with an inconsiderate, dominating mindset, stemming from the ancient founder of Babylon. This condition of conscience is undoubtedly going to increasingly reappear as the Last Day's manifestation of Babylon reemerges in the earth. We need to take serious heed to this, lest we participate with it’s scheme and wound the conscience of those we encounter as weak in the faith.
1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. (KJV)
Revelation 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (KJV)
Revelation 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (KJV)Genesis 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. (KJV)
DEFILED CONSCIENCE
The defiled conscience, mentioned specifically twice in 1 Cor. 8:7 and Titus 1:15-16, is uniquely translated from two different Greek words. It essentially describes a conscience that has become contaminated, ceremonially or morally, and is tainted, by whatever has defiled it. It is therefore, virtually untrustworthy. This deceitful condition of conscience is the epitomised by denial. A defiled conscience says one thing, even attesting to great faith and fearing God, while living absolutely opposite of what it says it believes. Conviction can’t penetrate this self-deceived soul. Targeting this conscience is especially difficult because it has come to accept and excuse the resulting behaviors as tolerable, and it is very close to being seared. We’ll examine the seared conscience later in this article. But make no mistake. Faith dies when this condition is present even though persons possessing such a conscience make great claims of knowing God and may make excuses for their mixture of beliefs and practices. The defiled conscience will be on the rise in the Last Days when believers choose to embrace the ways and teachings of Babylon over the teachings of the Bible.
1 Cor 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. (KJV)
Titus 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (KJV)
THE EVIL CONSCIENCE
In actuality, an unsaved person is spiritually dead. Consequently, the conscience of the unbeliever is dead, not entirely trustworthy, although still functioning, yet under the domination of Satan. Hebrews 10:22 states that those who draw near to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, have had their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. The conscience of the unsaved is described as evil. The Greek word used to translate this speaks about a hurtful evil in effect or influence, as originating from Satan’s type of evil and mischief. It is morally corrupt and desperately needing salvation. It seldom hears the Spirit of truth accurately.
Heb 10:22 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. (KJV)
THE SEARED CONSCIENCE-
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (KJV)
Paul’s first letter to Timothy warns believers that in the Last Days, Christians will depart from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, all the while hypocritically speaking lies because their conscience is seared. This passage is not written for unbelievers. Its directed toward the saints and indicates that this frightening, desensitized condition of conscience will exist in the Church before Jesus returns. A seared conscience is one that has been rendered insensitive and does not feel conviction for sin or guilt, because the internal, and sometimes verbal, repetitive excuses have been made for sinful behavior and attitudes, causing a cauterizing of the conscience’s ability to hear truth, repent and respond to the fear of God. This condition is one in which the person has an “I don’t care attitude” about their actions, consequences, or their behavior as it affects themselves or others. It may occur affecting all areas of life, or generally, according to the roots of self-will reinforced by bitterness toward God or man. Christians need to understand that this is not just a possibility. It will happen. Therefore, it is of absolute necessity that right perspectives of the Spirit of Truth, and the teaching of the fear of the Lord, is presented, in hopes that this prophetic warning can be avoided for as many persons as possible, and before it is too late.
Spiritually and practically speaking, an individual conscience is generally formed by the time a child is three or four years old. By this age, the youngster has hopefully learned the following things.
Number one, the child should have learned to understand basic principles of right and wrong behavior, along with a discernment for God’s presence.
Number two, the youngster should have also acquired a dis-taste for counterfeit spirituality.
Number three, the child should have developed a respect for authority figures (including God) along with a recognition of family structure.
Finally the conscience of a child needs to learn boundaries of respect, privacy and ownership and the consequences for violating these things.
All these things considered enable a person to be potentially open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and truth. But we cannot forget the importance of being born again and it's affect on the inner man.
Denver District attorney, Norman S. Early, stated in the January 1994 issue of USA Today that, “I would rather build a child then rebuild an adult”. Age carries with it great difficulties especially when considering dealings with conscience. The older a person is, the more the resistance faced per conscious change: This radically affects how we interact and relate in the world. Therefore, society would benefit greatly if the fear of the Lord were communicated in the early years of human development. In many underdeveloped cultures and nations a "fear of God" is still present. Whats more, if conscience was considered and targeted, crime would decrease. Learning would increase, not to say of what could happen in the healthy development of ethics, morals and justice. But sadly, the opposite seems to be happening in our world and the Church.
The Born again human being has the potential to receive the communication of truth from the Spirit of Truth. However, until we learn how to target the conscience with the correct approach of this message, we will miss out on how the Holy Spirit speaks. Hopefully these brief messages on what the Holy Spirit targets will encourage you to learn to listen and pay attention to the inward witnes of you conscience. In the future articles we'll look at more ways the Holy Spirit communicates truth to those who are willing to follow!
