RETAINING GOD IN OUR CONSCIENCE

To Be Without A Conscience

God made everyone with a conscience. Everyone's conscience has God's
standards of what is good and what is bad (Romans 2:14-15, "For when the
Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the
law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the
work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one
another;"). If this is so, how can anyone be without conscience? This can be
answered by Romans 1:28. People without conscience choose not to retain God
in their knowledge. In turn, God turns them over to a reprobate mind. A path
of sin, destruction, and eventually death.
You Can Say You Know God But Be Without Conscience

Many people profess to know God, but they are without conscience. Many
people may really believe they know God, but in their works they deny Him.
Many people may talk about their love of God and profess His word, but their
action show they are without conscience (Titus 1:15-16, "Unto the pure all
things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing
pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. [16] They profess that
they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.").
Separated From God Is To Be Without Conscience

God does not desire for us to be separated from him. It is our choice to not
be with Him. Many of us do not desire to retain God in our conscience
because it is not convenient to our fleshly desires (Romans 1:28). Rather
than being filled with God's knowledge, we would rather be filled with
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, envy, deceit, and unmerciful.
Romans 1:29-31 goes on listing all the things we would rather do than retain
God in our conscience. This is being without conscience.
Scriptures Related To Without A Conscience

Romans 1:28-31, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which
are not convenient; [29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity; whisperers, [30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31]
Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful: [32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they
which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have
pleasure in them that do them."

Romans 2:14-15, "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature
the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto
themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing
or else excusing one another;"

Titus 1:15-16, "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are
defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience
is defiled. [16] They profess that they know God; but in works they deny
him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

Many Ways To Define Conscience

A simple definition of conscience is conviction or being conscious of a
custom. From a Christian perspective a conscience is all about having God's
standard in our heart to guide us in how we conduct ourselves. Our
conscience has the highest standard we know. Ideally, this standard aligns
with God's standard. Our conscience is the eye of the soul that continuously
looks to God or what we regard as the highest standard in how we conduct for
our lives.
Does everyone have a conscience?

The short answer is yes, everyone has a conscience. This includes
Christians, Jews, and the unsaved - everyone. The question is what standard
is followed by a person's conscience. For a Christian his or her conscience
should continually to be raised to an higher conscience as he takes more and
more of God's Word into his heart. Jews have conscience has evident with
Jesus confrontation with the Jews and the fate of the woman caught in
adultery. Jesus told them to cast a stone at the woman if they were without
sin. All the Jews left because they were convicted by their conscience (John
8:8-9). Even the unsaved have a conscience to that even includes God's
standards (Romans 2:14). This makes sense in that we are all God's creatures
with a conscience that includes the standards of how God desires for us to
live.
Define Conscience As A Law Written In Your Heart

Conscience is a group of laws in your heart. Mankind has demonstrated that
they know God's principles. No matter if we know the Bible or not, we know
we should not murder, steal, or be jealous of other people. Our conscience
bears witness to the laws that are written in our heart. Our conscience
convicts us when we break these laws that are in our heart (Romans 2:14-15)
Define Conscience As Jesus, A Standard That You Seek

Jesus came on this earth as a standard to follow. He showed us how to love
God and to love our neighbor. He is a standard for everyone. By putting
Jesus' standard in our heart we will sin no more and have peace (Isaiah
11:10).
Scriptures In Regard To Define Conscience

Isaiah 11:10 says, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which
shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and
his rest shall be glorious."

John 8:7-9 says, " So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself,
and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a
stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they
which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by
one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone,
and the woman standing in the midst."

Romans 2:14-15 says, "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law
unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while
accusing or else excusing one another;"

A Good Conscience Is Not An Offense To God.

Nothing is good unless it come from God (Luke 19:18, "And Jesus said unto
him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God."). From
God's perspective a conscience can only be good if it has God's standards.
In order for a conscience to be good it must not be an offence toward God or
toward men (Acts 24:16, "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a
conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.").
A Good Conscience Comes From Love and Faith

Ideally, a person's conscience is based on faith and love. If you have faith
in God, then his commandment, the gospel of Jesus Christ, will be written in
your heart (1 Timothy 1:5, "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of
a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:"). The first
and second commandment of Jesus Christ is to love God, and to love your
neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with
all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like,
namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other
commandment greater than these."). From God's perspective this is the basis
of a good conscience.
A Good Conscience Must Be Lived

You can say someone is in good conscience if they live up to their
conscience's standards (Act 23:1, "And Paul, earnestly beholding the
council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before
God until this day."). Paul said he was in good conscience even when he
persecuted Christians. He said this because he followed his conscience
diligently. When his conscience was raised up by the revelation of Jesus
Christ, he continued in good conscience by following diligently the
standards of his new conscience. From God's perspective your conscience is
good when your conscience is led by His standard and you diligently live by
His standards.
Scriptures Related to Good Conscience

1 Timothy 1:5, "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure
heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:"

Mark 12:30-31, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is
the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than
these."

Luke 18:19, "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is
good, save one, that is, God."

Acts 24:16, "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void of offence toward God, and toward men."
Acts 23:1, "And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and
brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."

Awakening Conscience Through Christ

One of the many things Jesus Christ did on this Earth was to awaken our
conscience. He showed proof to us by His resurrection that there is a God
and He has victory over death. Jesus demonstrated to us by His life on Earth
how to walk in the light with both love and righteousness. The purpose of
Jesus Christ's ministry is to awaken our conscience, have us rise from the
dead, and walk in the marvelous light (Ephesians 5:14, "Wherefore he saith,
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give
thee light." ). His desire is for us to completely purge our conscience and
serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14, "How much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?").
Conviction Awakens Conscience

For many of us our conscience is asleep. Thank God for Jesus Christ that
His actions help bring conviction and awaken our conscience. An example of
Jesus bringing conviction to our conscience is best demonstrated with the
stoning of the prostitute as told in the gospel of John. He told them to
cast the first stone if their life was without sin. This simple act
convicted the smallest and greatest sinner (John 8:7-9, "So when they
continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is
without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he
stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being
convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the
eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing
in the midst."). By Jesus speaking the truth, he brought self-conviction on
the hearers of His word, awakening their conscience to God's Truth.
Awakening Conscience By Obeying God

God is a God of righteousness and a God of Truth. His righteousness demands
that we be obedient to Him. His Truth awakens our conscience where we
willingly become obedient to Him (Romans 13:5, "Wherefore ye must needs be
subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake." ). If we
earnestly hear God's Truth, our mind and conscience are renewed continually
awakening conscience for us to walk in what is "...good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2)
Scriptures Related To Awakening Conscience

Ephesians 5:14, "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

Hebrews 9:14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?"

John 8:7-9, "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and
said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone
at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which
heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one,
beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and
the woman standing in the midst."

Romans 13:5, "Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but
also for conscience sake."

Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God."