MONDAY, AUGUST 28
1 Timothy 4:1-5
1 Timothy 4:2

"…having their conscience seared…"

A SANCTIFIED CONSCIENCE (2)

Without God’s truth, many have a wrong definition or understanding of human conscience. It is unbiblical to say, "Conscience is the voice of God speaking to man"! Why? The holy and righteous God is never the author of sins, confusion, mistakes, wrongs or evils (1 Cor 14:33; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5), while human beings have a wicked heart and evil conscience (Jer 17:9; Heb 10:22)! The holy God speaks to man through His holy Word and through His holy Son Jesus Christ (Heb 1:1-2), and never through man’s sinful and deceitful conscience!

It is wrong to say, "Conscience is acquired in life through discipline, education, training, or social morality"! Why? God the Creator created every human being with his conscience (2 Cor 4:2). It is wrong to think that a highly educated person or a monk in a monastery has a better conscience than that of an uneducated man or a layman in a worldly society. An unsaved scholar, priest or pastor still does not have a better conscience than that of a saved farmer, carpenter or fisherman. The Lord Jesus Christ severely rebuked the religious leaders in His days as hypocrites, whited sepulchres, serpents and a generation of vipers (Matt 23)!

It is dangerous to say, "My conscience is my guide," or "My conscience bids me to do this or that," or "I just live according to my conscience"! Why? Due to human sinful nature, the human conscience is also deceitful, fallible and unreliable. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov 16:25). Human conscience is like a malfunctioning speedometer in a car. If you trust it, you will think that you are keeping to the speed limit when in actual fact you have exceeded the speed limit! You may argue with the traffic policeman, but he will show you your real speed in his speed camera and fine you for speeding and for using a malfunctioning speedometer! The unsaved who think they are "good" with a "good" conscience cannot stand before the holy God on the Day of Judgment! What about you?

THOUGHT: Only God is my true and faithful Guide.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for Thy guidance through Thy Word.