This lesson focuses on a basic understanding in regard to godly consciences. It is essential to grasp this understanding if future lessons are to be helpful. The lesson: a godly conscience does not give a person his/her standards and values. Rather, a godly conscience honors the standards and values a person accepts as right or as from God.
From a Christian perspective, there are numerous kinds of consciences. Those kinds of conscience include a "good" conscience, a "guilty" conscience, a "strong" conscience, a "weak" conscience, a conscience that feels, a conscience that cannot feel, an "alive" conscience, and a "dead" conscience. Actually, there is but one conscience, but that conscience can be in any one of these states or conditions.
In one way the statement, "Let your conscience be your guide," is correct. In another way, that statement is incorrect. The statement is correct if a person means, "I should be true in my actions to my standards and values." The statement is incorrect if a person means, "My conscience defines my standards and values."
When a person violates his/her understanding of right and wrong, he/she has a "guilty conscience." The conscience convicts that person of being wrong because he/she violated his/her standards or values. The conscience did not declare the person's standards and values. The conscience declared a violation of the person's standards or values.
The two statements in today's texts illustrate the situation. Paul declared he always had functioned on the basis of a good conscience. That included the period of life when Paul was not a Christian. Thus it included the time when Paul guarded the robes of those who executed Stephen by stoning (Acts 7:58; 8:1). It also included the disrespectful treatment and arrest of Jewish men and women who were Christians (Acts 8:3). Included were those times when Paul tried to make Jewish Christian men and women blaspheme God by denouncing Jesus publicly (Acts 26:11). Also included were those times that he blasphemed God because he violently persecuted those who believed Jesus was the Messiah [the Christ].
If you react by asking, "How can a person be true to his conscience and at the same time encourage murder, abuse people, blaspheme God, and persecute the innocent? Is that possible?" Yes! How is it possible? It is possible because the person is being true to his/her standards and values. The problem is not in being a person of conscience, but of having incorrect standards and values.
Consider Paul as an example. Prior to believing in the identity and resurrection of Jesus, was Paul devout? Yes! See Acts 26:9. Was he dedicated to God? Yes! See Galatians 1:13, 14. Was he convinced he was pursuing God's purposes? Yes! Look carefully at Acts 26:8-13. The problem was not that he was a person of conscience. In fact, to be true to his standards and values, those standards and values demanded that he destroy the influence of Jesus among Jews who believed God resurrected Jesus from the dead.
When he held the robes at Stephen's emotion filled execution, he was honoring his standards and values. He was honoring the same standards and values when he arrested Jewish Christians, abused Jewish Christians, blasphemed God by denouncing Jesus, and persecuted Jewish believers who placed their faith in Jesus. In fact, he could not be a person of conscience and ignore a situation he believed opposed God's will and purposes in Israel.
What altered Paul's situation? It was not that the man of conscience suddenly became a man with no conscience! What altered his situation was an understanding of (a) who Jesus was and (b) what God did by giving life to the dead body of Jesus (Acts 9). When he understood Jesus' identity and God's work in Jesus, everything changed!
Why? A correct understanding of Jesus instantly changed his standards and values. What had to happen previously in honor of his standards and values could not possibly happen after his standards and values changed. Were he to continue to be a man of conscience, he had to honor his new standards and values.
In his words, he received mercy from God for his atrocious, ungodly behavior because he acted "ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Timothy 1:13). He did not know Jesus was the Messiah! He did not believe Jesus was the Messiah! He did not understand God was at work in Jesus! Because of ignorance, Paul was forgiven by God of what we might regard unforgivable behavior. As soon as Paul knew who Jesus was, Paul placed his faith in Jesus. His actions radically changed--immediately! See Acts 9:19-22. Why the immediate, radical change? Because he continued to be a man of conscience! When he knew who Jesus was, his standards and values changed. As a man of conscience, he had to honor his new standards and values!
To note how real and genuine the change was, read Acts 8:1--3 and immediately read 1 Thessalonians 1:5-8. Note the contrast!
A person of conscience will be true to his/her standards and values--even in moments when being true to standards and values is costly! To redirect a person of conscience, educate his/her standards and values. When standards and values grow and improve, the conscience continues to be loyal by honoring the new standards and values.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 2