nature of conscience - smyrna

NATURE OF CONSCIENCE: A n O l d F r i e n d Y o u M a y H a r d l y K n o w

1

NEW “CIVIL RIGHTS” BATTLE

2

THE UNITED STATES DOJ

3

GREEK:

συνείδησις (suneidēsis); from; συνεῖδον (sunedin) to see together,

hence to comprehend:—aware(1),

realized

4

Conscience—that faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct. It is common to all men. Like all our other faculties, it has been perverted by the Fall (John 16:2; Acts 26:9; Rom. 2:15). It is spoken of as “defiled” (Titus 1:15), and

“seared” (1 Tim. 4:2). A “conscience void of offence” is to be sought and cultivated (Acts 24:16;

Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 1 Pet. 3:21). (Easton Bible Dictionary)5

conscience (Lat. conscientia, ‘knowledge with another’, ‘knowledge within oneself’). The word has followed its Lat. predecessor in acquiring a

moral significance, and now denotes the capacity for judging the rightness of actions, either

considered generally, or actually proposed or already performed. Christians agree that it is

unique to man and that its effectiveness is increased by experience and through grace. (The

Oxford dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed. rev., p. 405)

6

In England the establishment of Protestantism as

the national religion diminished, but did not

wholly stop, persecution. While many of the

doctrines of Rome had been renounced, not a few

of its forms were retained. The supremacy of the

pope was rejected, but in his place the monarch

was enthroned as the head of the church.

(The Great Controversy, pp .251, 252)

7

In the service of the church there was still a wide departure from the purity and simplicity of the

gospel. The great principle of religious liberty was not yet understood. Though the horrible cruelties

which Rome employed against heresy were resorted to but rarely by Protestant rulers, yet the

right of every man to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience was not

acknowledged.


8

All were required to accept the doctrines and

observe the forms of worship prescribed by the

established church. Dissenters suffered

persecution, to a greater or less extent, for

hundreds of years. (The Great Controversy,

pp .251, 252)


9

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child,

in accordance with the prophecies previously

made about you, that by them you may wage

the good warfare, holding faith and a good

conscience. By rejecting this, some have made

shipwreck of their faith. (1 Timothy 1:19 ESV)

10

A single departure from moral integrity blunts

the conscience, and opens the door to the next

temptation. (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 111)

11

The drunkard sells his reason for a cup of

poison. Satan takes control of his reason,

affections, conscience. Such a man is destroying

the temple of God. ...............................................

12

The drunkard sells his reason for a cup of

poison. Satan takes control of his reason,

affections, conscience. Such a man is destroying

the temple of God. Tea drinking helps to do this

same work. Yet how many there are who place

these destroying agencies on their tables,

thereby quenching the divine attributes.—

Manuscript 130, 1899. (Temperance, pp. 79,

80)13

It seems almost incredible that any one professing to worship the true God, can have

such false ideas of Him as to suppose that He is pleased with that kind of service; yet Saul of Tarsus, one of the most bitter and relentless

persecutors of Christians that ever lived, could say years afterward, “I have lived in all good

conscience before God until this day.” Acts 23:1.

(E. J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings, pp. 37, 38)

14

Although kicking against the pricks (Acts 9:5),

and endeavoring to silence the growing

conviction that would force itself upon him as

he witnessed the patience of the Christians, and

heard their dying testimonies to the truth, Saul

was not willfully stifling the voice of conscience.


15

On the contrary, he was striving to preserve a good conscience, and so deeply had he been

indoctrinated with the Pharisaic traditions, that he felt sure that these inconvenient prickings must be

the suggestions of an evil spirit, which he was in duty bound to suppress. So the prickings of the

Spirit of God had for a time only led him to redouble his zeal against the Christians.


16

Of all persons in the world, Saul, the self-

righteous Pharisee, had no bias in favor of

Christianity. Yet his misdirected zeal was a

“zeal for God,” and this fact made him good

material for a Christian worker. (E. J.

Waggoner, The Glad Tidings, pp. 37, 38)

17

[At conversion] Man is not endowed with

new faculties, but the faculties he has are

sanctified. The conscience is awakened.

We are endowed with traits of character

that enable us to do service for God.

(Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 99)

18

The one thing essential for us in order

that we may receive and impart the

forgiving love of God is to know and

believe the love that He has to us. 1 John

4:16. Satan is working by every deception

he can command, in order that we may

not discern that love.

(Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p.

19

He will lead us to think that our mistakes and

transgressions have been so grievous that the

Lord will not have respect unto our prayers and

will not bless and save us. In ourselves we can see

nothing but weakness, nothing to recommend us

to God, and Satan tells us that it is of no use; we

cannot remedy our defects of character.


20

When we try to come to God, the enemy

will whisper, It is of no use for you to

pray; did not you do that evil thing? Have

you not sinned against God and violated

your own conscience? But we may tell the

enemy that “the blood of Jesus Christ His

Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.


21

When we feel that we have sinned and cannot

pray, it is then the time to pray. Ashamed we

may be and deeply humbled, but we must

pray and believe. “This is a faithful saying,

and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ

Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of

whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15. (Thoughts

from the Mount of Blessing, p. 115)22

The greatest want of the world is the want of

men—men who will not be bought or sold, men

who in their inmost souls are true and honest,

men who do not fear to call sin by its right

name, men whose conscience is as true to duty

as the needle to the pole, men who will stand

for the right though the heavens fall.

(Education, p. 57)23

nature of conscience - smyrna

Documents