RUSHWAVE: Establishing Believers in the Christian Faith

from The Judgment God Desires to Withhold

Chapter 16: God Judges Man by his Conscience

When a man violates his own conscience, before God he is guilty of sin.

The Ten Commandments provide standards by which man will be judged. But that Law does not provide a black and white, right and wrong verdict of every possible action in every conceivable situation. Cultures, families and individuals have different convictions on what constitutes violating those standards.

Consider the concept of middle-aged children honoring their elderly parents — something every culture deems appropriate, even those that are unaware that honoring parents is a revealed command of God. In one culture the son may deem it honoring to seat his elderly father at the head of the table; to do anything less would be to show disrespect. Now there is no revealed command of God on table seating arrangements, so strictly speaking, the son could still be honoring his father no matter where he seated him. Nonetheless since in his conscience honoring his father consist of seating him at the head of the table, failing to do so would be to dishonor his father before God.

Man’s conscience serves a judicial role by approving or disapproving of his deeds, passing a verdict on whether they are right or wrong. His conscience impels him towards the “right” action, dissuades him from the “wrong” action, and either affirms or condemns him in accordance with the course of action he took. Violating our conscience produces a sense of guilt.

Now God is clear regarding how He judges people as respects their conscience.

God judges man for violating his conscience. James said:

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17

To “know” what is “the right thing to do” is the sphere of conscience. And to not follow the dictates of one’s conscience is to sin.

How many times have we violated our conscience in our entire life? Is it even possible to count? How many times have we allowed peer pressure, pride, selfishness, or illicit desire quell that still, small voice? We knew we should not do it, but we cast off all restraint. And afterward our heart condemned us, and we carried the burden of guilt.

God judges man for hardening his heart to his conscience. The first time a man violates his conscience in a specific activity, there may be much guilt. But as he continues to violate his conscience and engage in that activity, his heart becomes more and more hardened. He can actually reach the point where his conscience does not bother him at all.

The apostle Paul considered the natural state of fallen man is one of callousness. And this results in man descending to greater depths of evil.

Walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. Ephesians 4:17–19

A callous heart is one that has become dead to feeling; there is no more shame. What previously may have made a man uncomfortable he now rationalizes. As such he gives himself over to practicing evil.

The entertainment industry clearly shows how the conscience can be degraded. Many photos, movie scenes or song lyrics that years ago were considered taboo are now met with indifference or even considered artistic. What previously would have brought a gasp is now met with a yawn or even a cheer. Everyone anticipates hearing or seeing more of the same. What has happened to society? The answer is simple: the conscience has been utterly degraded, and so very few things are considered indecent.

How many activities do we now engage in that at one time violated our conscience? If we truthfully examined ourselves, there would likely be many things. But the problem is the very mind with which we self-examine. Since our hearts have become callous even our memory is distorted, and we do not recall how ashamed we use to be. And even when we do recall, we feel no twinge of conscience because we deem ourselves as having matured. But the reality is we have not matured; we have given ourselves over to that which we ought not.

God judges you based on how you responded to your conscience. Your conscience serves a judicial role, affirming or condemning actions accordingly. Repeatedly violating your conscience in a specific area leads to callousness and greater indifference to that activity. To violate your conscience is to sin before God.

from The Judgment God Desires to Withhold

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