"This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." – Hebrews 8:10
God has given us the wonderful gift of our conscience, which is able to help us judge between right and wrong. Since God implanted in us this inner sense of knowing right vs. wrong, will He hold it against us if we don't obey it? Before I answer that, let's go over a few important things.
A New Guide
God has designed all men to have a conscience. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have it even better than that – because we have the Holy Spirit living in us. Ezekiel 36:26-27 tells us,
"Also, I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
The Right Conscience
While we know that God is the one who embedded our conscience inside us, we also have to know that we can actually destroy our conscience. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1-2,
"Now the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared with a hot iron..."
That last line there states that we can destroy our conscience. We do this by paying attention to and believing the devil's lies. If we will take a good look at it, that was how Satan successfully deceived Eve: by making her doubt the truth, and then twisting it into a lie (see Genesis 3:1-5)
We need to realise, then, that while our conscience guides us to righteousness, once it is twisted by sin and lies, it will lead us to wrong decisions.
The right conscience, dear friends, is one that carefully aligns itself with the Word of God. Psalm 119:9-11 beautifully explains how precious the Word of God is in making our conscience work for our good.
"How shall a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With my whole heart I seek You; do not allow me to wander from Your commandments. Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
Sin Not
Friends, God understands that our conscience can be seared with a hot iron, and that's why He promised to give us a new heart and a new Spirit, so that we can live right. Now, He expects us to live according to His Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we do that, we don't sin. That's what matters to Him.
"Go and sin no more..." (John 8:11)
