There’s a song in the animated film Pinocchio that speaks a carefree life to our troubled hearts. 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! Not just a little squeak, pucker up and blow. And if your whistle’s weak, yell, "Jiminy Cricket!" Right! 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.
Conscience…how would you define it? We talk about this phenomenon constantly but when faced with explaining it we find ourselves in a quandary. The subject of the conscience is an extremely complex and weighty topic. Philosophers and theologians have struggled with its meaning for centuries. Its usage in psychological analysis was put forward with a sound intuition of the precariousness of an appeal to conscience. The New Testament cites the term on many occasions and that the Holy Spirit influences us through it. Conscience is not our guide but it may be used by God. How do we delineate the appropriate promptings of what we call conscience? How do we deal with people whose conscience gives no promptings at all?
The road to understanding the nature and function of conscience is to discern what role it plays in relation to the value system which we have identified as the product of a transformed mind. The value system is our guide as the only database which can be objectively analyzed. The conscience is a God-given function of our self-awareness (self-consciousness) that witnesses to the dictates of our value system.
Conscience is not a lawgiver. It is a witness to the laws which exist within the frame of reference by which we make judgments about ourselves and our world. Conscience is not some independent entity within our being. It is only one aspect of a human being’s ability for self-aware critique. If we violate the values which we recognize and apply, then the pain we feel is what we call conscience. The term conscience is a word which is logically constructed to explain the inward pain of violation. It is a term of description not ontology. If we contemplate a course of action and we feel no pain, then we assume it is appropriate since our conscience does not alert us. This last scenario, however, is faulty. If the role of conscience is to monitor how we relate to our values, and the value system is not programmed in a certain area, we may not perceive the function of conscience since its function is bound within the realm of witnessing to our value judgments. It does not provide independent judgments, as if outside of ourselves, but it witnesses to the judgments which the value system has already delivered to our self-reflective capacity.
Conscience is a term we hear and use frequently, but for most of us its like an Almond Joy candy bar—indescribably delicious. As we look through the Bible we find no Hebrew term for conscience. But in Ecclesiastes 10:20 we see the parallel though in the Hebrew. Curse not the king, no not even in your thoughts, and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, for a bird of the air will carry the voice and a winged creature will tell the matter. Basically what it says is be careful who you talk about, who you go wrong by in your bedroom, in your most private place because a bird is gon hear it and come back to tell you! That’s why we have that saying “a little birdie told me.”
It ain’t like I let just anybody up in my bedroom…It ain’t like I let just anybody in my innermost thoughts. But God is in your bedroom. He’s in your innermost thoughts! He sees all, hears all and knows all! That little birdie is your conscience! And its God’s way to tell you I know all about it! So while you tryin to hide it! While you tryin to cover it up! While you tryin to go on like it ain’t never happened, I know! And whats done in the dark shall come to light!
Conscience comes from the Latin word conscientia, with the prefix com- meaning with and the infinitive scire meaning to know. So its knowledge from within. In the New Testament chronologically the first usage of the word conscience is in 1 Corinthians. Corinth is a church founded by Paul as the result of eighteen months of labor there. Its safe to say that the Corinthians knew. Paul preached and taught there for a long time. They knew. Yet they allowed themselves to be overtaken by sin and to forget what they knew. Therefore necessity was lain upon Paul to write them this letter and remind them eight separate times about their conscience.
Consider several characteristics of conscience in relation to Christian decision making. Conscience is a God given capacity for self critique. Conscience is an aspect of human kind’s capacity for self-reflection. If should not be personified into an aspect independent of the person. In other words those cartoons we used to watch where the Angel would poof and appear on Bugs Bunny’s right shoulder and the devil would poor and appear on Bugs Bunny’s left shoulder, aren’t how that thing goes down. Self-reflection is ourselves talking to ourselves and conscience interfaces with that inner discussion to check if it is in line with recognized values.
In chapter four, verse four Paul says what I believe to be one of the most important verses in the entire Bible. The NIV translation says it best: my conscience is clear but that does not make me innocent. The absence of conviction does not in and of itself provide justification. This is why we need to repent every time we pray! Cause I sin even though I’m not aware of my sinning. And even though what I’ve done does not compromise my value system and no birdie tells me that what I’ve done is wrong, doesn’t mean that I haven’t done wrong! Like the old philosophical question asks: If a tree falls in a forest and nobody’s around to hear it, does it make a sound? The sound is made regardless of whether or not its heard. Sometimes when I drive, the car is speeding regardless of whether or not I’m pulled over for it. A sin is committed whether or not its accounted for. Jesus said to Peter, before the rooster crows, you will betray me three times.
In Romans 2:14-15 we see an illustration that the Gentiles self critique mechanism works better than the Jews’. The Jews looked down on the Gentiles partly because they did not have the revelation of God’s will in the Mosaic Law. But as Paul pointed out, there are moral Gentiles who do by nature things required by the Law. They show that the Law is not only found on tablets of stone and included in the writings of Moses; it is also inscribed in their hearts and is reflected in their actions, consciences, and thoughts. This is why Paul called the Gentiles a law for themselves.
And I dare you to get some word in you! Yes thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. You get some word in you and then come knock on my door and tell me how easy it is for you to knowingly sin. You won’t be able to do it. You’ll come tell me about the multi-round fight you’re having with your conscience. About the tug-of-war that ensues everytime you want to do wrong but it seems like God just won’t let you.
Conscience is a witness to the worldview and the value system which we recognize and apply. Now hear this: a witness does not create evidence but is bound to respond to the evidence which exists. You recall Romans 2:15 that conscience bears witness to what is right and wrong. Romans 9:1—I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience enlightened and prompted by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me. And what I see there is important: you can only witness in Christ. When you’re in Christ, and you remember that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and word was God and the word became flesh and dwelt among men. So when you’re in the word, when you’re in Christ, then and only then can you witness. Please stop trying to tell me about God when you ain’t in the word! Stop trying to tell me about God and you ain’t in church! Stop trying to tell me about God and you ain’t in Maximum Output or Firm Foundation! I need somebody who knows the Holy Ghost to come and witness to me! I need somebody with a conscience!
2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul says my conscience testifies that I’ve been! I rejoice because I’ve been! Been what? Been with devout and pure motives and Godly sincerity. Been not in fleshly wisdom but I been in the grace of God! By the umerited favor and merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, and keeps, and strengthens and increases them according to Christian virtues. I come to tell you that I been! I been troubled on every side, yet not distressed! Perplexed, but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed! I’ve been!
1 Corinthians 8:7-13 notes terms knowledge and conscience in accordance with faith. A weak conscience is one which lacks knowledge upon which conviction can be built. If our earthly knowledge is faulty then our conscience is also weak. So back in Hosea 4:6 when it says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Understand that what you don’t know can hurt you! Because what I don’t know, my conscience can’t witness to! And what my conscience can’t witness to I have nothing to stand on! So as a result I’ll fall for anything! This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, and 12 when he talks about folk with a weak conscience. They ain’t got nothing to stand on! So I gotta be careful what I do around them! That’s why folk can’t see me off up in the club! Folk can’t see me with a bottle in my hand! Cause even if I ain’t up in there bumpin and grindin, even if I ain’t drinkin it, somebody’s gon stumble thinking that I was and its ok.
Conscience is a monitor of our thinking in relation to decision making. It does not provide the reason for decisions but red and green lights in relation to decisions. Conscience is not able to judge the right or wrong of your values, it merely monitors what your grid recognizes as right or wrong. Conscience is a servant of our value system.
1 Corinthians 8 says we know that we all have knowledge. I know the Lord has laid his hands on me. I know he holds the future. I know in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. I know he will provide. I know he’s my rock in a weary land. I know he’s my shelter in the time of storm. I know he’s the rock of my salvation. I know he’s the cornerstone that the builders rejected. I know that this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. I know all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and are the called according to his purpose. I know…
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. I know there is a God. I know there is a Jesus Christ. I know there is a Holy Ghost. But that knowledge don’t keep me from sinning. I need to be reminded of the love! That’s where my conscience comes in! When I wanna sin I can’t! My conscience won’t let me! My conscience won’t let me forget the love he showed me! My conscience won’t let me forget how he purchased my salvation! My conscience won’t let me forget surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! My conscience won’t let me forget he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed! My conscience won’t let me forget, he gave up his glory for me! My conscience won’t let me forget, he gave up his throne for me! My conscience won’t let me forget, he shed his blood for me! My conscience won’t let me forget, he died on the cross for me! My conscience won’t let me forget, he was buried in Joseph’s tomb for me! My conscience won’t let me forget that he rose early one Sunday morning!
