conscienceour moral mirror

term 4, 2016

Bible study booklet

How would you define conscience? How important do you consider a person’s conscience to be? How much attention to do people pay to their consciences?

What part does God play in every person’s conscience? To what extent does the influence of others (past and/or present) affect our conscience?

EVERYONE HAS A CONSCIENCE

Read Genesis 39:1-10. (Note that this occurred before the LORD gave the Law to Israel.) Why did Joseph refuse the advances of Potiphar’s wife? On what basis did he know that sleeping with her would have been wrong? What does this tell us about the conscience?

Read Romans 2:12-16. On what basis will everyone be judged? Why can God judge Gentiles even though they never had the written Law of God? (see also Romans 1:19-20)

What does v15 teach us about the operation of the conscience?

Study # 1 – The Natural Conscience

OUR CONSCIENCE CAN BE UNRELIABLE BUT SHOULD BE RESPECTED

What would you say to the person who shoplifts but tells you, “I have my reasons and my conscience is clear”?

Read 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. Why does Paul disregard the testimony of his conscience here?

When do you think we should heed the testimony of our conscience and when should we be suspicious of it?

Read Romans 14:13-15. If your friend feels strongly that drinking alcohol is wrong, why would it be wrong to pressure them to drink? What are the potential con-sequences of going against your conscience?

OUR CONSCIENCE NEEDS HELP

Jiminy Cricket sang to Pinocchio, “Always let your conscience be your guide.” Is this good advice? What more might we need?

What forms of moral guidance do people depend on today in addition to their consciences? Where do you think the best moral guidance is found and what should you do to get this guidance?

Can a person be converted to Christ without being made to feel guilty for their sin? Give reasons.

On what basis do people in our society discourage and/or dismiss feelings of guilt? How should Christians respond to this?

PEOPLE HAVE DE-SENSITISED THEIR CONSCIENCES

Read Ephesians 4:17-19. How does Paul describe the Gentile life here (intellectual, personal, behavioural)? How do you see this around us today?

What do the following passages suggest about the process by which a person’s conscience is de-sensitised?

Proverbs 5:11-14

Romans 1:28-32

John 12:42-43

John 12:3-6

Zechariah 7:8-12

Study # 2 – The Seared Conscience

CHARACTERISTICS OF A NUMBED CONSCIENCE

How do the following characters display a de-sensitised conscience and what is the warning there for you?

The Pharisee – Luke 18:11-12

Jonah – Jonah 1:1-6

Adam and Eve – Genesis 3:11-13

The adultress – Proverbs 30:20

The religious rigorists – 1 Timothy 4:1-3

Herod – Mark 6:17-20

HOW A CONSCIENCE IS RE-SENSITISED

What does it take for a person to be convicted of their sin and earnestly repent? (See John 16:8-11)

In what areas of your sin might your conscience be too numb? What should you do about it?

Isaiah 66:2: ““These are the ones I look on with favour: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”

“Spiritual awakening is nothing else but the awakening of the conscience.” (O. Hallesby, Conscience) How true is this in your experience?

CHARACTERISTICS OF A DISTURBED CONSCIENCE

What aspects of a disturbed conscience do the following passages illustrate?

Psalm 32:3-4

Deuteronomy 28:64-67

Genesis 4:8-11

Genesis 42:18-22 (background: 37:18-20)

Matthew 27:3-5

Zechariah 7:8-12

Study # 3 – The Disturbed Conscience

DEALING WITH A DISTURBED CONSCIENCE

In what ways do people try to deal with a guilty conscience if they have not yet trusted Christ?

Read Psalm 51:1-12. Recall what David did wrong and how God disturbed his conscience (2 Samuel 11-12). What things did David pray for in vv1-12? How did he feel prior to his prayer?

Read Psalm 51:13-19. What does David anticipate will be the outcome of his prayer? How important is it that God’s people know what to do with a guilty conscience?

What is the difference between repentance (Eg. Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-10) and remorse (Eg. Judas Iscariot)?

Is there anything that you feel guilty about (a) in your past, (b) in your present, (c) in your future plans? What should you do about this?

How has your conscience been affected by being a Christian?

What are the steps that a person’s conscience goes through from spiritual deadness to life with God in the new heavens and earth?

THE SOOTHED CONSCIENCE

Read Hebrews 9:6-10. Why was the OT sacrificial system unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper?

Read Hebrews 9:11-14 and 10:11-18. Why is the sacrifice of Christ able to cleanse our consciences?

Read Psalm 32:1-11. How would you describe the experience of sins forgiven? What are the effects of forgiveness as described in this psalm?

THE INFORMED CONSCIENCE

The consciences of God’s people in the Old Testament were to be shaped by the Law of Moses. Reflecting on the following passages, how should the revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ develop the conscience’s of Christians even further?

Matthew 5:21-6:24 (various aspects of personal ethics)

Study # 4 – The Christian Conscience

John 8:2-11 (probably not actually part of the Bible but illustrative anyway – capital punishment)

2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (offensive holy war)

Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. What are some examples today of issues over which the Christian conscience might be “weak” (i.e. sensitive without needing to be)? Why is it important that such consciences are handled gently?

Read Galatians 2:11-16. What is the difference between the situation here and the situation of the “weak conscience” in 1 Corinthians 8? What is the difference between how the situations should be handled?

How can Christians help each other to better attune their consciences to God’s Word?

What will a thoroughly Christian conscience be like as opposed to the conscience of one who is not a Christian?