Title
The Conscience
Scripture
Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.
(John 8:9)
Devotional
We know the story of the woman caught in the sin of adultery. The law said that she was to be stoned to death. But Jesus took the law to a higher level. He said to those who were her accusers and executioners, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."(1) They could not condemn her. Why? They could not cast a stone because they were guilty themselves. Their guilt was revealed to them via their conscience.
The conscience is a good guide and should not be violated. To violate our conscience is to violate our faith. The conscience is the place of awareness with regard to right and wrong. It is that part of our being that reveals to us our standard of morals. Unless the ravages of sin have seared it, it will be a confirmer of right and a revealer of wrong. Here is how we can know the validity of our conscience: it will never violate the Word of God.
(1) John 8:7
Thought For The Night
“Many people have their bad memory to thank for their clear conscience.” Anonymous
Evening Text
John 8:9: Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.
Looking for Answers
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Is not the conscience a gift from God?
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Does the conscience come pre-programmed?
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Have you ever violated your conscience?
Evening Study Guide
Defining: “Internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; or the faculty, power or principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them. Conscience is called by some writers the moral sense, and considered as an original faculty of our nature. Others question the propriety of considering conscience as a distinct faculty or principle. They consider it rather as the general principle of moral approbation or disapprobation, applied to ones own conduct and affections; alleging that our notions of right and wrong are not to be deduced from a single principle or faculty, but from various powers of the understanding and will.” Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
Referencing: “Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day,” Acts 23:1.
Applying: Let your conscience be your guide and let the Word of God guide your conscience.