Objective of this lesson: to emphasize the importance of Christian conscience to Christian existence.
Begin with a review. The conscience was designed to be the human's moral compass that detects the presence of evil. The conscience is as valuable as its training. It must correctly differentiate between good and evil to be of significant value to the person. Becoming a Christian commonly involves retraining a poorly trained conscience. The objective of this training is to make a Christian's conscience aware of and sensitive to God's standards and values. The Christian desires to yield to God's perspectives rather than his/her own.
Make certain your students understand the basic purpose and basic function of the conscience. For the Christian, the value of the conscience begins with the conscience's training and understanding.
It is in that last statement that Christians experience personal struggle. To the Christian, as he/she trains his/her conscience to be sensitive to God by following Jesus Christ's teachings, the Christian's conscience becomes God's voice/directive to that person. [This does not suggest the Bible is unimportant--the primary agent that trains the Christian's conscience is God's word.] To rebel against that conscience is to rebel against God. Thus a conscientious Christians arrives at a conscience understanding/position. He/she cannot understand how another Christian could arrive at a different understanding/position. If he/she is not extremely careful, he/she becomes a judge of other conscientious Christians rather than a servant to the Lord. He/she easily concludes judging to be a part of servanthood. Responsibly following becomes to him/her a matter of either judging other Christians or holding other Christians in contempt.
The conscience conflict that frequently rises in a Christian-to-Christian conflict commonly lies in the training and perspectives of the consciences. It must be understood (1) that God is bigger than [not defined or limited by] a Christian's conscience. God knows why the Christian does what he or she does--God knows and understands the person's motives. It must be understood (2) that God can accept conflicting acts from consciences in conflict if the Christians involved are motivated by the desire to surrender to God's will and teachings.
Fact # 1: For each conscientious Christian, the conscience is "a work in progress." The conscience always is in the process of being trained. God is so above any human, so advanced to any human understanding that a Christian always is growing toward God. In any moment in a Christian's life, he/she must be true to his/her conscience in order to walk with God. However, at that same moment, no Christian should conclude that Christians who disagree with his/her conscience is (a) rebelling against God or (b) has no conscience.
Every Christian should be maturing in his/her understanding of God and His purposes. Each Christian is growing in his/her understanding that surrender to God involves much more than "blind obedience" to a religious system or a personal theological perspective. As a result of that understanding, his/her conscience is continually growing and maturing. That growth and understanding often involves growing beyond past positions of conscience. This is not a matter of searing the conscience but of maturing the conscience.
Fact # 2: At every moment in Christian existence, the conscience is an invaluable aid in declaring the Christian's sincerity, commitment, and consistency. At any moment of spiritual development, if a Christian denies his/her conscience, he/she engages in hypocrisy.
An important evidence of genuineness and sincerity is being faithful to one's conscience. No committed follower of God respects a person who refuses to respect his/her conscience.
Listen to these declarations: a Christ trained conscience is an invaluable, essential asset to Christian existence.
Be certain to consider the point of each quotation in its context.
Romans 9:1,2 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
The Christian Paul was frequently accused by Jewish people [both by some who were Christians and by many who were not Christians] of having no concern for Israel as a nation or a people. Paul not only declared that was untrue, but he invoked his conscience as a witness in the argument/accusation.
An important way to counter criticism is to be true to your conscience. This solution involves time in most instances. One must demonstrate that he/she lives by his/her conscience.
1 Corinthians 8:10,12 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
The Christian Paul placed significance on knowledgeable Christians being sensitive to weak Christians' consciences in the matter of idol worship. He classified wounding a weak Christian's conscience [thus causing him/her to desert Jesus Christ] as sinning again Christ. Being right in knowledge did not give Christians the freedom to be insensitive to other Christians' consciences, even when those consciences lacked knowledge.
A maturing conscience that grows in understanding also grows in sensitivity. Correct knowledge does not give a Christian the freedom to be insensitive to weaker Christians' consciences. Again, weakness must never be used to control. It is not a control issue but a respect issue.
1 Corinthians 10:29-33 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.
The context again involves idol worship and meals associated with idol worship. This time Paul emphasized the Christian's conscience must be sensitive to an idol worshipper's conscience.
Note the enormous conflict among early Christians in regard to (1) appropriate worship practices and (2) idolatry.
2 Corinthians 4:1,2 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
The Christian Paul affirmed his credibility in a congregation where many attacked his credibility. He did so by affirming the sensitivity of his conscience. He was sincere and genuine as a person and as a teacher. Never did he seek to control or manipulate.
Honoring one's conscience is essential to maintaining credibility.
1 Timothy 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Paul the experienced preacher wrote Timothy the less experienced preacher. The goal of preaching Christ was (1) not to encourage acceptance of myths and genealogies [a common problem in teaching idol worshippers and non-Christian Jews] but (2) to encourage pure hearts, good consciences, and sincere faith that centered on Jesus Christ. Please note developing a good conscience was an important part of spiritually maturing in Christ.
The goal of Christian teaching is NOT to impose my will or conclusions as the controlling force in the lives of others--not even if you are an apostle or an evangelist appointed by an apostle. The goal of Christian teaching is to develop love for God and people, love that proceeds from purity, good consciences, and a genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 1:18,19 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
The certain result of neglecting a good conscience is a shipwrecked faith.
A Christian cannot neglect his/her conscience and develop God's will and purpose in his/her life.
For Discussion:
One of the biggest ongoing struggles in the church is appropriate worship practices. Often this struggle is (1) insensitive to the needs of other Christians and (2) is often more emotional than biblically based. Discuss the relationship between conscience and this struggle.
This discussion should honestly acknowledge this struggle is real. It should not resort to stereotyping Christians. It should not resort to ridicule. It should pursue a genuine desire to respectfully understand other Christians. When Christian motives are ridiculed, Christians need to examine their own motives. Regardless of how emotional "my" reaction may be, this issue still remains: "Is this a matter of how I feel or a matter of specific Bible teaching?"
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 9