IS YOUR CONSCIENCE STILL ALIVE? (1)
TOPIC: IS YOUR CONSCIENCE STILL ALIVE? (1)
TEXT: JOHN 8:1-11
A woman taken in adultery was brought to Jesus while He taught in the temple by the scribes and the Pharisees. Trying to ensnare Jesus, they said, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” - John 8:4, 5. Jesus answered, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7b). When they heard Jesus’ words, “they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones” (v. 9a). Why did they leave? The Bible says “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest.”
Most of us can identify with the phrase “convicted by the conscience”. Probably all of us can remember a time we lied, cheated on a test, took something that was not ours, or did something else wrong—and our consciences “convicted us.”The Bible has much to say about the conscience. The word “conscience” is seldom found in the Old Testament, but the concept is prominent—beginning with Adam and Eve, who hid from God because they had disobeyed Him (Genesis 3:8). Years after Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery, they continued to be haunted by the memory of that heartless act (Genesis 42:21). When David cut off Saul’s robe, the Scriptures noted that “it came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him” (1 Samuel 24:5a).
In the New Testament, the word “conscience” takes on full significance. It is found thirty-two times in the New Testament, more times than many words which are more often studied. It is found twenty-one times in the writings of Paul alone (twenty-six if he wrote Hebrews). Studying what the Bible has to say about the conscience should be of great value to us. Let’s take a look at what conscience is NOT before we look at the significance of conscience in our day to day life.
Conscience is not a safe guide in religious conviction. When Paul stood before the Jewish Council, he said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day” (Acts 23:1b). Even when Paul was persecuting Christians, his conscience commended him. Again, the conscience is not knowledge or law. Rather, it acts on the knowledge and law available to it. Further, the conscience is not “the voice of God in man.” This was a common idea among writers years ago; they thought of the conscience as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12; KJV) from the Lord. The Bible teaches that while the conscience has been given by God, is used by God, and is part of God’s plan to keep men from sin, it is man’s own voice within himself.
Word Affirmation: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." – Psalm 16:6 (Don't just say it, mean it!)
“The Bible teaches that while the conscience has been given by God, is used by God, and is part of God’s plan to keep men from sin, it is man’s own voice within himself."
Central Truth