Study Text: 1 Timothy 1: 18 - 20
Introduction:
- When you're tempted to do the wrong thing, do you listen to your conscience or do you just ignore it and keep going?
- How can people commit horrible crimes if they have a conscience? What is our conscience, according to the Word of God?
A. God has given every human a conscience.
- Let us consider some Biblical examples:
1. Adam and Eve knew they had sinned (Gen. 3:7-8).
2. David's conscience bothered him after he disrespected Saul (1 Sam. 24:5).
3. Joseph's brothers felt bad after they mistreated him.
- God has given every human general revelation: everyone knows right from wrong and that He exists (Rom. 1:18-25).
- If we insist on pushing past the limits our conscience gives us, we will lose our ability to distinguish between right and wrong (Rom. 1:26-28). The Bible calls this condition a seared conscience.
- God sets limits on human sin because He loves His creation.
- God has written His law on the hearts of even those who don't know His official law (Rom. 2:14-15).
B. What's the difference between the Holy Spirit and the conscience?
1. Every person has a conscience, which is a monitor, distinguishing between right and wrong.
2. The Holy Spirit only inhabits believers.
3. The Holy Spirit helps us interpret the signals the conscience sends us.
4. The Holy Spirit reminds us of Scriptural principles.
5. The Holy Spirit draws us away from things that don't fit who we are as believers.
- The clear-conscience test: When you lay down at night, ask God to show you what He sees in your life. If He doesn't bring any sin to mind, you have a clear conscience.
C. How is the conscience programmed?
1. By what we are taught by our parents and what we see them do.
2. By the world around us—such as the people we have to do, television, and other media.
3. Through the teachings and messages you listen to in the church.
4. By reading and meditating on the Word of God.
- How does ignoring your conscience affect you?
- It will hinder your prayers.
- It will keep you from receiving God's best for your life, which includes your salvation.
- What do these things have in common: lusting after someone, telling a lie, gossiping about a friend, and procrastination?
- Your conscience should bother you when you engage in any of them.
- Your conscience is your moral capacity that enables you to distinguish between what's right and what's wrong.
D. The words associated with the conscience in Scripture:
1. A Good Conscience (Acts 23:1)
- Although Paul had once been a murderer, God had cleansed his conscience (1 Tim. 1:12-13).
2. A Blameless Conscience (Acts 24:14-16)
3. A Clear Conscience (2 Timothy 1:1-3)
- Someone with a clear conscience doesn't compromise his or her convictions.
- People muffle their consciences through drugs, alcohol, or other unhealthy behavior.
4. A Weak Conscience (1 Cor. 8:4-12)
- If you and I participate in things that cause others to sin, we're accountable to God.
- You can ask yourself the question, If I participate in that, will that hurt my testimony?
5. A Defiled Conscience (Titus 1:13-15)
- Your conscience can be defiled or corrupted through the love of money and desires to get rich quickly.
6. An Evil Conscience (Heb. 10:19-22)
7. A Seared Conscience (1 Tim. 4:1-2)
- Sin hardens the heart until you don't feel guilt anymore when you sin.
E. How does a good conscience help you on a daily basis?
1. You have courage.
- No matter what hardships and difficulties you face, you have confidence that you acted in the right manner.
2. You have peace.
- You can remain calm and quiet and let the attack rage around you.
3. You have no fear.
- Because you've acted rightly, you have the Father on your side.
F. What must you do to be able to trust your conscience?
1. Trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
2. Make the Word of God your standard.
- Surrender your right to do what you want; give God complete control of your life.
3. Cleanse yourself daily through confession and repentance.
- If you genuinely want to be delivered from sin, God will free you.
- Confess to the person you offended if you need to do so. If the person has died, set up a chair for him or her and confess out loud as if the person were present.
- You need to acknowledge your sin even if the other person was totally wrong.
Conclusion: God wants you to have a clean, blameless, godly conscience so you can live with peace and confidence. With a good conscience, you can have an awesome testimony and be an effective witness, impacting people's lives for Jesus Christ.But remember, your conscience must be nurtured and monitored by the Holy Spirit.
