An Appeal to Conscience
By: Raymond Harris
Regarding Scripture: II Corinthians 5.11
Note to the Reader
Presently, I am conducting in-depth study and research on the influence and use of the Old Testament within the New Testament. This study has been scheduled for, at least, the remainder of 2009. As such, a Special Announcement was given in September.
In particular, this article is a revision of the article “Bothering Your Conscience” originally written by me in 2007. Additionally, I encourage you to invest additional time reading the Epistle of Second Corinthians in conjunction with this article.
An Appeal to Conscience
Most likely, we all have experienced what some might call “a guilty conscience.” With this expression we are trying to inform ourselves that when we feel bad it is because our actions or our thoughts are going against what we know to be right. Knowing this, our “guilty conscience” is a way of helping make sure we do the right thing – providing we actually listen to that little voice in our heads. Our conscience is a very powerful part of our person. It helps us be aware of the world around us and it helps us have interaction with the world. With the conscience trained, the conscience empowers and helps us. But, like all things in life, our conscience can have various degrees of training and capability.
Conscience of Well-Being
Having a good conscience is valuable. Having a good conscience is healthy. Having a healthy conscience is valuable because it allows a person to live with a “clear conscience” regarding their relationships (both business and personal). It allows a person to rest well by not feeling dread or guilt.
Unfortunately, not everyone is free from dread or guilt. Some may have a conscience that has been instructed in non-convenient or non-expedient things toward people, business and faith. The conscience can work against the health of one’s being, bringing individuals depression, fear, and guilt. The conscience is real. It is part of every person, and the condition that the conscience is in has lasting effects that affect our emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical well being.
Conscience of Morality
Dictionary.com defines conscience as “The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one’s conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong.”1 The Biblical Scholar Thayer defines conscience in this manner: “the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other.”2 What proves interesting is that both the secular and the sacred definitions refer to the inner person’s choice regarding morality.
Each definition claims that the conscience is trying to determine what is morally right. Since the conscience can in some way determine what is morally right and then act upon what is morally right, it means that each person’s conscience assumes that there is a moral lawgiver. This makes the awareness of conscience and the situation with the conscience unique. With this in mind, let us consider a statement from Paul.
Conscience of Christianity
In one of his letters to the Christians at Corinth Paul states, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.”3 We need to take note of some things. First, Paul is beginning to make a conclusion to one of his presentations. Second, there are at least two powerful concepts mentioned here.
The first concept is that Paul recognizes that Christianity is a persuasion. Through Holy Spirit inspiration, Paul is claiming that a person becomes a Christian not because they are literally or metaphorically pressured, but because they have been persuaded to the teachings that prompt discipleship. Just like in the market place, people are persuaded to a product or from a product through communicated messages and perceived value. The second concept is that Paul states a person’s conscience perceives the demonstrable actions of a Christian. Paul states that the Christian’s demonstration is before both Divinity and humanity. Paul seems convinced that when people perceive the Christian message and see the Christian life, they will be persuaded in their conscience to become a Christian.
This has a powerful application. When one’s conscience is persuaded to accept something, the individual’s conscience motivates that person to do something. This indicates that once one is persuaded that God is the moral lawgiver, the persuaded permits their conscience to be changed to a new reality, a new way of identifying and defining moral right and wrong. The Hebrew writer tells us that developing a new conscience is not immediate; instead it is a process of gentle cleansing.4 Additionally, Peter seems to claim that Christians living with a good conscience can influence and persuade the behavior of others.5
Conclusion
The conscience is a part of every person. No human is without a conscience. The application for disciples is that we need not to persuade through fear – perfect love casts out all fear. Instead, we are to allow God to teach us how to persuade people with the good news to appeal to their consciences so that they, too, will want to live as a disciple of Jesus. May our Father in Heaven bless us to have a good conscience and to help persuade the good conscience of others.
Endnotes
1. “conscience.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 16 Dec. 2009.
2. “Conscience.” Thayer’s Greek Definitions, Strong’s number G4893; e-Sword version 8.0.6.
3. Second Corinthians 5.11, NASB.
4. “Gentle cleansing.” Hebrews 10.22, NASB.
5. “Good conscience.” I Peter 3.15-17, NASB.
6. “Love cast out fear.” I John 4.18, NASB.
