Omega Message – June 1983
Mavis M. duCille
“Quicken my conscience till it feels the loathsomeness of sin.”
It is said that Conscience is the Voice of God speaking in the soul of man. It recognizes the existence of a moral law which has supreme authority; therefore when this moral law is violated the soul responds with feelings of guilt and the fear of punishment or judgment.
Man has freedom and responsibility – Freedom to make ones choice, but responsible for the consequences. God has made available to every man all the necessary equipment to turn from evil and choose good. (which is the hope of immortality). Every man therefore, is inexcusable before God, no matter what part of the universe he or she may dwell. Humanity cannot escape the fact of moral distinctions.
With God there is a definite line between right and wrong. His love chastens that it might produce the peaceable fruits of righteousness. To be kind and giving are works, good works, but holiness is an attribute of the inner man.
There is a very delicate balance in man which if not under the control of the Spirit, it can tip to the right or to the left. Because of man’s free-will choice there is always the possibility of going in the wrong direction or making the wrong decision, BUT God by foreknowledge made a way through Jesus Christ His Son, that man, when he comes to grips with himself and recognizes his weaknesses and limitations, can commit his life to Christ under the power of the Holy Spirit and have a lively conscience. May the Lord help those who allow works and charity to cloud their conscience that they cannot deal with sin and weaknesses in their own being.
A lively conscience will desire holiness above all – supreme.
Though we live in a society which is more liberal than just, which looks quite feasible in our eyes – yet God has one standard and it is holiness. His tender mercies may be painful to the flesh, but the end result is Holiness. He allows circumstances to cause us to be conformed to His image, that our carnal nature might be changed in the process; not only for ourselves but to benefit the whole church.
One must therefore know one’s self and be not afraid to look it straight in the eye and to deal with it. In many cases the first thought that the enemy brings is fear or shame. This should not be – If holiness is supreme than everything must bow to holiness – even Love, because LOVE is holiness. The Father loved the prodigal son, but that son had to come to himself – get to grips with his condition, face himself squarely, reject his state, arise, go to his father, and say – “I have sinned”. Conscience begets a responsibility that results in holiness. Praise God.
Conscience aligns man with God’s standards on earth, whether he be saved or unsaved, because there is a principle of right and wrong established in the earth. This is the reason the heathen will be judged by his conscience.
The conscience can be seared, but never really killed, because at the end of a persons life it is the conscience, like a written book, that turns up to judge us. This is the reason why to fall upon the stone Christ Jesus and be broken, is by far better than by being fallen upon by the stone – One is breaking and making, and the other is to be destroyed. Conscience carries a power of judgment. One must either conform or not conform.
The conflict that goes on – must I do – or must I not – must go on until it also brings an element of duty, when the inner man senses right or wrong. If the inner man turns to the Holy Spirit there will be strength supplied to make the choice or decision for right and holiness.
If we judge ourselves we will not be judged. There is the necessity to encourage and inculcate the fullness of the grace of god through the Holy Spirit, that our inner being might be enriched with that proper standard of judgment, that the standard of holiness might be maintained under all circumstances. Oh, how many times we fail the test, but thanks be to God, each trial should make us stronger. Be not afraid or ashamed to let wrong attributes or actions be dealt with by the Holy Spirit, whether it be by yourself or God using someone else, Praise God. Pride must be laid aside that the Spirit might have His complete way. God’s way is to so unite the soul with Christ that the believer will walk in sanctification and power. Robert Browning, speaking of conscience said; – “It is the great beacon light that God sets in all.”
Conscience therefore should be kept alive and sensitive, that God may do His perfect work in our lives. No wonder the enemy of our souls does not want people to deal with their sensitive areas, but ignore it. That is like sweeping the dust under the rug. One day it will all be exposed.
This is a time when God is asking believers to deal with the attitudes. That wrong attitude, which causes you to fall short of God’s holiness that He will not find us wanting when He comes.
It is good to be looking for Jesus, but what if He does not come on a church day or when that wrong attitude is manifested, or that fleshly desire rises. Let us make sure to keep our consciences alive in Christ that the prince of the world will find nothing in us. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to thoroughly thresh the floor.
A quickened conscience will see sin as loathsome and will be alive in Christ to be sensitive to the things that are displeasing to God.
Sonlight Devotional 