Conscience – means “with – knowledge”

We all have a conscience. Some of us though are tricked into thinking that our conscience is something that stops us from enjoying ourselves and doing what we want and so we need to get rid of it. No way.

Our conscience is God-given. And is for us to be using to guide us through life.

Our Conscience tells us there is a God.

About 10% of people in Australia are Atheist – people who do not believe in God. Many more are agnostics – people who can’t or won’t make up their minds.

Psalm 53:1 “The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."”

What does God say about Atheists? They are fools. Why? Because he has put a mechanism in their hearts that tells them automatically, that He exists. Ignoring it is dumb!

Romans 1:18-20

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

People say I will only believe in something I can see. You know what I say to those people? Ever seen your brain? Then how do you know it exists?

Creation around us makes the fact there is a God self-evident. Eg Banana vs a Can of Pepsi – both created; only one we accept.

Consider the bible says we come from the dust of the earth.

A lady is pregnant and goes to a doctor the doctor tells her drink lots of milk. What is milk? It comes from cows. Cows produce milk from the grass they eat – amazing. (No one has ever invent a machine that come take grass and turn into milk!). What is grass? Nothing but soil nutrients. In fact everything we see is ultimately from reconfigured soil nutrients – from the dust of the earth, man was made.

Our Conscience tells us what is right and wrong.

We know, without being told, what is right and what is wrong.

Some people say because we need to respect others opinions you can’t tell them what is right and wrong. That’s not true – if God says something is right or something is wrong who are we to argue.

Romans 2:14-15

¹⁴(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, ¹⁵since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

Romans 2 tells us everyone knows the requirements of the law without being told.

I lived all my teenage years running from God.

I knew God was real – eternity was etched on my heart.

I didn’t want to, could bring myself to submit to him.

I wanted to be in control my life – I was in a crew – tagging, bombing, writing up places, stealing, making nuisance. I thought that stuff was fun to do. But I also knew it was wrong.

Later I got out of that scene – I got into sport; I wanted to be accepted and part of that crowd. I was proud because I was good and I wanted to feel good about myself in that way. That led to a bad lifestyle too; lying, swearing my head off, arrogance. I knew it was wrong.

I had mates who I would go drinking with and smoked Marijuana with. Get smashed and maggot with on the weekends. We’d talk about girls but none of us were any good at picking any up. I thought I was cool and smart. But I also knew it was wrong.

I was mad at God – why couldn’t I be in control?

Why did he need to ruin my fun? Why wouldn’t he let me make the decisions the way I wanted to?? Why did he make me feel guilty at the end of the night, alone in bed? Why did he allow my conscience to accuse me?? I couldn’t understand.

A man came and spoke at this church. He talked about Hell. Where people are condemned to for eternity as punishment for their sins. I was worried.

I didn’t want to be in hell and for eternity was too much to comprehend.

I knew I had sinned against God, broken His laws and now what caught by my conscience – what could I do? Keep running or turn to God.

I remember when I was about12 I went with my friend into the city. We stayed there all day and only headed home as it was getting dark. So my friend and I went looking for the right bus to get home on. What happened was we ended up in Morley. Oops. Itwas getting dark and cold and I had no clue how to get home so I rang my Dad (on a payphone – no mobiles back in the day). I was expecting to get a blast for being out lost and late – but he showed kindness and said he’d pick me up. Grace.

Our Conscience tells us there is a consequence for our wrongdoing

We have a court system to make people who do wrong make account for their actions. We expect if you do something wrong you will face the consequences.

Whether it is at home as a kid, at school, in the community – we expect if we do wrong – we will pay. Grounded, belted, detention, fines, gaol. That is fair and just.

What happens on talkback radio when something terrible happens in the community – people ring in and yell and scream and want people punished. No one had to tell them that punishment is deserved – they just knew.

You will never find a culture of community in the world or through history that says killing your friends is good, raping your women is fine – doesn’t exist. Why? Because every person’s conscience tells them there is right and wrong and if you do wrong you’ll pay.

We have all done wrong. We may grade our wrongdoing – but it is all the same in God’s eye; ie not perfect. So why do we expect to be any different? Why do we expect that the rules will be bent for us? Why do we expect that when God looks at our lives and asks us why we did what we did and spurned his love for us why should we not be punished? We have no answer – our conscience condemns us.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.”

Judgement might seem like a long way off, but Solomon says lives is a vapour compared to eternity.

We can say – but I went to church, I sang the songs, I showed my face I even had the bumper sticker. But he will say I never knew you. Acknowledge me before men and I will acknowledge you before God – otherwise forget it.

Hebrews 9:14 “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

Our conscience is not our enemy to be silenced but our God-given way of being lead through what is right and wrong. But there is only one way to get a clear conscience, there is only one remedy for guilt – and that is forgiveness.

If you sin against me I can forgive you. But if you sin against God you need him to forgive you and wash away any stain from that. Jesus is the way, truth and life.

Hebrews 10:22 “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

2 Corinthians 4:2 “Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”

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