Let your Conscience be your Guide?

“The goal of this commandment is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they confidently affirm” 1 Timothy 1:5-7.

There is an old saying that goes like this: “Let your conscience be your guide.” This folk tale seems to make sense since our conscience is designed to help us discern right from wrong. However, people cannot always trust their internal radar to steer them correctly. This is particularly the case with those who do not follow Christ and who do not have the Spirit of God within them to reveal truth or to offer His guidance for making wise choices. While those who do believe in Jesus as their Savoir and diligently practice His ways do have the Holy Spirit, they too  should be careful not to continue to sin in their life, as a sinful life can interfere with the way the sensor for morality functions.

A conscience programmed with scriptural teaching is a trustworthy conscience. Those who believe in God and follow His ways build a stable and sensitive spiritual radar system by applying God’s truth to their lives. They are committed to thinking and doing in ways that honor and please the Lord. Then, when sinful thoughts or choices come across that radar, a trustworthy conscience will deliver a warning.

A person with a reliable conscience will have a strong desire to obey God. He or she won’t settle for what just feels right or might look good, but instead seeks God’s will for their lives. They do not rely solely on the conscience but also incorporate prayer and Bible reading. When their spiritual radar does sound the alarm, they are willing to draw back, and consider the leading of the Holy Spirit, and the Scripture. .

For the believer, the conscience isn’t designed to be our guide. Rather, it is a tool of the Guide. The Holy Spirit not only convicts us of sin, but also guides our minds and heart towards godly principles and leads us onto the path of righteous living. The Holy Spirit is our Guide and He uses a variety of tools to conform us to the likeness of Christ. “For those God foreknew to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers” Romans. 8:29. Let the Holy Spirit be your Guide.