The popular saying in the realm of religion and faith is worship God according to your own conscience. Other sayings are follow your conscience and don’t violate your conscience. The ideas expressed for both aren’t necessarily right and may not be wrong either. It depends on what is used for the standard of the conscience, whether it is outside the individual according to a sound doctrine or some self imposed idea of ones own making, generally formed according to one’s allegiance to some thing or group.   

Conscience is that mechanism that tells an individual when things are right or wrong. Paul said the Gentiles, who had not the law and did what was right, were following the law of the conscience. He wrote in Romans: [Rom 2:14] 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: [Rom 2:15] 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;) [Rom 2:16] In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.  Notice that Paul connected the Gentile’s conscience to the law which they didn’t have any requirement to observe. The law told the Jews what was right in the sight of God and what was not allowed. The Gentiles knew what was right and what was wrong and followed those principles of the Jews as a matter of right conduct. He also said that the standard for God’s judging behavior is Jesus Christ.

It can now be said that a healthy conscience is one that is aligned with the external of God and one that knows and follows his teaching. When an individual aligns their conscience with God that limits the human tendency to do things that aren’t allowed or aren’t fruitful in his service. In support of the foregoing, Paul told Timothy: [1 Tim 1:5] Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: In other words, the only conscience worth having is that which springs from a “faith unfeigned,” (Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance, discussion on conscience) the word unfeigned meaning not playing a part (as in not true or not factual).

Jesus said: [John 4:24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  Proper worship of God is done in an attitude with an understanding of the divine nature of God and that He isn’t confined to buildings or things or places, with the human spirit conforming to his spirit and holiness through Jesus Christ, who is the truth stated by John. Only by approaching God through Christ can worship be done in spirit and truth, the only way that is pleasing to God and which comes from a good conscience.

A conscience well tuned to God will want to do with sincerity whatever he teaches.  Using the Bible as the guide we find what Paul told Timothy: [2 Tim 3:16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [2 Tim 3:17] That the man of God may be perfect, th0roughly furnished unto all good works. A good conscience for those who wish to serve God will be in line with Him in all that is taught about right and wrong. Paul told the Romans: [Rom 12:1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [Rom 12:2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  By so doing, one that clings to the words of Paul will be serving God and thereby worshipping according to ones conscience which is grounded in God.

© 05-29-2006 DEC

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