God

499 – Conscience and The Renewed Mind

Part three of the series on Thinking and the Renewed Mind. Conscience is the unrenewed mind or the renewed mind or both. In the believer, it is both.

It is used 32 times in the Bible, it is the same English word and Greek word. Here's my definition of conscience: It is your mental awareness because of your previous learning, thinking, and experience.

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.”

How could Paul say this? If something seems good or bad, it is because of the thinking that makes it so. Paul always did what he thought God wanted done. He did the best that he knew.

Acts 24:14 – 16 “ But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: ¹⁵ And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. ¹⁶ And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

Paul had no sin conscience. Paul made mistakes, but he never stopped trusting and believing in God.

2 Timothy 4:6 & 7 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

The right way of believing.

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: ¹⁵ Which shew 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;)”

Their conscience is based on their previous thinking. This is talking about unbelievers. They have a code of ethics. Their actions or inactions are due to their previous experience.

Romans 9:1 – 5 “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, ² That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³ For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: ⁴ Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; ⁵ Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen”

Paul's conscience was influenced by previous thinking and experience, and the holy spirit, which is a new nature that floods his heart with love.

Romans 13:1 – 5 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. ² Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: ⁴ For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ⁵ Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

This is not talking about the government, but it is talking about the body of Christ. Check your conscience by drawing on your previous learning and experience, and The Word of God. But what if leadership doesn't line up with The Word?

Galatians 6:1 – 5 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ² Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ³ For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. ⁴ But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵ For every man shall bear his own burden.”

We use a higher law, the law of love. That's the context of the previous chapter 5.

1 John 3:20 – 24 “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. ²² And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. ²³ And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. ²⁴ And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

The Commandment that Jesus Christ gave us was "love one another," He did it twice, at the end of the Last Supper and on the way through the Mount of Olives.

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

We let people live their own lives. Who controls your mind? You do. What if someone seems right scripturally? The Love of God is bigger and more critical, and essential.

Romans 14:1 - 15:3 “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. ² For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. ³ Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. ⁴ Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. ⁵ One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. ⁶ He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. ⁷ For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. ⁸ For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. ⁹ For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. ¹⁰ But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou s