Conscience

Conscience is that inward faculty by which a person approves or condemns his own actions in the light of what he knows to be right. In the classic Reformed and Puritan writers, conscience is never treated as a small matter. It is a witness, a judge, and often a tormentor. It can restrain sin, accuse the guilty, and testify to the secrets of the heart. Yet these authors are equally clear that conscience is not the ground of peace with God. A calm conscience may be a delusion if it rests on mere feeling or moral improvement rather than on the blood and righteousness of Christ. Understanding conscience rightly, therefore, is vital both for conviction of sin and for genuine Christian assurance.

Conscience as an internal witness Matthew Henry describes conscience as an internal witness that approves what is well done and reproaches what is done amiss, testifying even of the most secret things (Romans 2:15). The thoughts of the Gentiles, he says, accuse or excuse them by applying the law of nature to their actions, so that their consciences either acquit or condemn them (Romans 2:15). This means that no one is left without a moral monitor. Even where Scripture has not been given, the light of nature directs people in duties such as justice, pity, and obedience (Romans 2:14).

Charles Spurgeon presses the same point in a more searching direction. Even without divine revelation, people can sin exceedingly because conscience, nature, tradition, and reason are each sufficient to condemn them for violating what they know (Romans 5:20; Romans 1:20). Conscience, then, is not merely a guide; it is also a prosecutor. Henry adds that sin is greatly aggravated when committed against knowledge, especially against the knowledge of God's judgment, for it argues a hardened heart resolutely set upon sin (Romans 1:32). A course of sin leads to a hardened conscience, and willful hardness is justly punished with judicial hardness from God (Romans 1:28).

The law, conviction, and the accusing conscience Jonathan Edwards explains that the law brings knowledge of sin by strictly forbidding sin, so it convicts and condemns us rather than justifying us (Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7). The law reaches the inward man, discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart, and forbids spiritual wickedness such as heart-murder and heart-adultery (Romans 7:14). Henry therefore warns that a person under strong conviction of the law may know God's will, approve what is excellent, and feel conscience warning against sin, yet still remain a slave to reigning lusts (Romans 7:14–25). It is possible, he says, for a person to have his eyes open with common convictions and a self-accusing conscience, and yet still go to hell in the service of the devil (Romans 7:14–25).

Spurgeon describes the experience vividly. A sinner under conviction is imprisoned by guilt, fear of death and hell, and an accusing conscience, with no hope in himself (Romans 5:21). Here the authors agree that conscience can be awakened without being renewed. A person may consent that the law is good, delight to know God's ways, and have something within witnessing against sin and for holiness, yet all this is overpowered by the reigning love of sin (Romans 7:22–23). Conviction, therefore, is not conversion.

False peace and the limits of conscience One of the most urgent warnings in these authors is that a quiet conscience is not the same as peace with God. Spurgeon states the matter bluntly. The peace many professing Christians enjoy is only peace with their own conscience, not genuine peace with God (Romans 5:1). A mere feeling of comfort is not a sufficient ground for confidence that one has peace with God (Romans 5:1). He goes further: a peace that rests only on feeling happy and having no doubts, without any doctrinal ground, is a delusion and may be a false peace from Satan (Romans 5:1).

Moral reformation cannot deal with past sins; ceasing to incur new debts does not discharge old liabilities (Romans 5:1). A person resting on moral improvement has only peace with himself, not peace with God, and such confidence will not stand before God (Romans 5:1). Henry makes a similar point about hypocrites. A hypocrite may possess a great deal of knowledge of God's will and may approve what is excellent, yet still be a stranger to the power of true godliness (Romans 2:18). A person may be skilled in distinguishing good from evil and in religious controversies, yet remain careless in applying the truth to his own life (Romans 2:18). Knowing and approving what is good becomes a greater condemnation for sinners who use that knowledge as an excuse for their sin (Romans 2:18).

The blood of Christ and a good conscience The true quieting of conscience comes from a different source. Spurgeon declares that the blood of Christ speaks peace to the conscience despite the defiling tendency of sin (Romans 5:1). Henry adds that God's act of justifying believers answers and overthrows every accusation against them, whether from the law, conscience, or the devil (Romans 8:33). This is the only answer that can silence an accusing conscience at the final judgment. At the final judgment the secrets of men will be judged: secret services rewarded, secret sins punished, and hidden things brought to light (Romans 2:16).

Edwards, however, introduces an important nuance about the comfort of conscience. God makes promises to signs of faith for the comfort of our consciences, since we need evidence to know that we have true faith (Matthew 6:14). A forgiving spirit in us can serve as evidence that we have truly embraced the free forgiveness of sins through Christ, enabling us to apply the promises of forgiveness to ourselves with greater comfort (Matthew 6:14). Practicing a virtue that resembles a promised benefit tends to renew the sense and hope of that blessing and to convince the conscience that neglecting the duty would make denial of the benefit just (Matthew 6:14). Here Edwards is not making our virtue the ground of peace, but rather a sign by which the conscience may be assured that we have truly received the forgiveness that Christ alone provides.

Conscience, sincerity, and doubtful matters Henry gives extensive attention to the role of conscience in matters of Christian liberty. In disputable matters, each person must act according to the light God has given him, being fully persuaded in his own mind, and must not make his own practice a rule for others or follow theirs (Romans 14:5). A person should not act against the dictates of a doubting conscience; if a weak Christian doubts whether something is lawful, he should refrain until he is fully persuaded (Romans 14:5; Romans 14:14; Romans 14:23). The reason is serious: if a person sincerely believes something is unclean or sinful, then doing it is sin for that person, even if the thing is not sinful in itself (Romans 14:14). Our wills should follow the dictates of our understanding, so acting against even a mistaken conscience involves the same corruption of will as if the act were really sinful (Romans 14:14).

Henry is careful to state the limits of this principle. A person's conscience cannot change the real nature of an action, but it can make a good action evil to that person if he believes it is wrong (Romans 14:14). An erroneous conscience cannot make an evil action good, even if someone sincerely believes it is good (Romans 14:14). Pleading an erroneous conscience does not excuse evil actions, as seen in the Pharisees' use of corban to evade honoring parents and in Paul's former persecution of Christians (Romans 14:14). Whatever is done without faith, or without a clear persuasion of its lawfulness, is sin against conscience (Romans 14:23).

To him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, though it be his error, yet to him it is unclean. This particular case, thus determined, gives a general rule, That he who does a thing which he verily believes to be unlawful, however the thing be in itself, to him it is a sin Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” This arises from that unchangeable law of our creation, which is, that our wills, in all their choices, motions, and directions, should follow the dictates of our understandings. This is the order of nature, which order is broken if the understanding (though misguided) tell us that such a thing is a sin, and yet we will do it Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Not that it is in the power of any man's conscience to alter the nature of the action in itself, but only as to himself. It must be understood likewise with this proviso, though men's judgments and opinions may make that which is good in itself to become evil to them, yet they cannot make that which is evil in itself to become good, either in itself or to them Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” If a man were verily persuaded (it is Dr. Sanderson's instance, sermon on ch. xiv. 23) that it were evil to ask his father's blessing, that mispersuasion would make it become evil to him: but, if he should be as verily persuaded that it were good to curse his father, this would not make it become good Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” The Pharisees taught people to plead conscience, when they made corban an excuse for denying relief to their parents, Matt. xv. 5, 6. But this would not serve any more than Paul's erroneous conscience would justify his rage against Christianity (Acts xxvi. 9), or theirs, John xvi. 2 Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” In those indifferent things which we are sure it is no sin not to do, and yet are not clear that it is lawful to do them, we must not do them while we continue under those doubts; for he that doubteth is damned if he eat (v. 23), that is, it turns into sin to him; he is damned, katakekritai—he is condemned of his own conscience, because he eateth not of faith, because he does that which he is not fully persuaded he may lawfully do Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Whatever we do in religion, it will not turn to any good account, except we do it from a principle of faith, with a believing regard to the will of Christ as our rule, to the glory of Christ as our end, and to the righteousness of Christ as our plea. Here it seems to be taken more strictly; whatever is not of faith (that is, whatever is done while we are not clearly persuaded of the lawfulness of it), is a sin against conscience Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Conscience and the conscience of others Henry insists that Christian love must regard the consciences of others, not only our own. True Christian love makes us tender of our brethren's peace and purity, and gives regard to their consciences as well as our own (Romans 14:15). A stronger Christian who, by example, leads a weaker brother to act against his conscience causes that brother to incur guilt, and the stronger is to blame for giving the occasion (Romans 14:15). When a stronger Christian's use of lawful food grieves a weaker brother, the stronger Christian is walking uncharitably, and the apostle reproves the defect in love more than the defect in knowledge (Romans 14:15). Lawful things may become sinful when used in a way that gives offense to a brother (Romans 14:20).

This does not mean that the strong believer must surrender his liberty entirely. A person's persuasion of Christian liberty in disputed matters should be enjoyed privately before God rather than imposed on others or used to their offense (Romans 14:22). Those who have clearness in disputable things should not impose them on others or make them terms of communion, since this destroys Christian liberty and peace (Romans 14:22). The end of such knowledge is to have a conscience void of offense toward God, and that should content us (Romans 14:22).

If thy weak brother, purely by thy example and influence, without any satisfaction received concerning his Christian liberty, be drawn to act against his conscience and to walk contrary to the light he has, and so to contract guilt upon his soul, though the thing were lawful to thee, yet not being so to him (he having not yet thereto attained), thou art to be blamed for giving the occasion Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” If thy brother be grieved with thy meat—be troubled to see thee eat those things which the law of Moses did forbid, which yet thou mayest lawfully do; possibly thou art ready to say, "Now he talks foolishly and weakly, and it is no great matter what he says." We are apt, in such a case, to lay all the blame on that side. But the reproof is here given to the stronger and more knowing Christian: Now walkest thou not charitably Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Charity to the souls of our brethren is the best charity. True love would make us tender of their peace and purity, and beget a regard to their consciences as well as to our own Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” He grants that all things indeed are pure. We may lawfully eat flesh, even those meats which were prohibited by the ceremonial law; but, if we abuse this liberty, it turns into sin to us: It is evil to him that eats with offence. Lawful things may be done unlawfully Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God, v. 22. It is not meant of justifying faith (that must not be hid, but manifested by our works), but of a knowledge and persuasion of our Christian liberty in things disputed. "Hast thou clearness in such a particular? Art thou satisfied that thou mayest eat all meats, and observe all days (except the Lord's day) alike? Have it to thyself, that is, enjoy the comfort of it in thy own bosom, and do not trouble others by the imprudent use of it Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” How happy were it for the church if those that have a clearness in disputable things would be satisfied to have it to themselves before God, and not impose those things upon others, and make them terms of communions, than which nothing is more opposite to Christian liberty, nor more destructive both to the peace of churches and the peace of consciences Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” The end of such knowledge is that, being satisfied in our liberty, we may have a conscience void of offence towards God, and let that content us. That is the true comfort which we have before God. Those are right indeed that are so in God's sight Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Conscience and civil authority Henry also applies the doctrine of conscience to the believer's relation to civil rulers. Christians must be subject to rulers not only from fear of punishment but for conscience' sake, from the love of virtue and with an eye to God (Romans 13:5). The same outward act of subjection may be done from very different principles, either fear of punishment or love of virtue (Romans 13:5). Submission to civil rulers must be free, voluntary, sincere, and from the heart, including inward honor and outward respect, but it does not require subjecting the conscience to any man's will (Romans 13:1). Christians must obey lawful and honest commands of rulers, and where they cannot obey, they must patiently submit to the penalty without resistance (Romans 13:1).

Paying taxes is a testimony of submission and a conscientious acknowledgment that such subjection is due (Romans 13:6). If you pay taxes to support the government but refuse subjection to it, you contradict yourself and act against conscience (Romans 13:6). Here conscience binds the believer to obey God by honoring the authority he has instituted, yet it never permits surrendering the conscience itself to any human lord.

Not that our consciences are to be subjected to the will of any man. It is God's prerogative to make laws immediately to bind conscience, and we must render to God the things that are God's. But it intimates that our subjection must be free and voluntary, sincere and hearty Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” obedience to their commands in things lawful and honest, and in other things a patient subjection to the penalty without resistance—a conformity in every thing to the place and duty of subjects, bringing our minds to the relation and condition, and the inferiority and subordination of it Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” We must be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake; not so much formidine pœnæ—from the fear of punishment, as virtutis amore—from the love of virtue. This makes common civil offices acceptable to God, when they are done for conscience' sake, with an eye to God, to his providence putting us into such relations, and to his precept making subjection the duty of those relations Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Thus the same thing may be done from a very different principle Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” For this cause pay you tribute, as a testimony of your submission, and an acknowledgment that in conscience you think it to be due Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” You do by paying taxes contribute your share to the support of the power; if therefore you be not subject, you do but pull down with one hand what you support with the other; and is that conscience Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

The final judgment and the secrets of the heart All these authors agree that conscience points forward to a final judgment. God's judgment is equitable because the rule of man's obedience is the rule of God's judgment, and three degrees of light are revealed to mankind (Romans 2:12–16). At the final judgment the secrets of men will be judged: secret services rewarded, secret sins punished, and hidden things brought to light (Romans 2:16). Words cannot be the basis of acceptance before God because God judges the heart, so words justify only as evidence of what is in the heart (Jeremiah 11:20; Psalms 7:8–9). Christ's statement about words justifying is about words as signs of the heart's condition, not about the sounds themselves having moral value (Matthew 12:34–35).

Paul himself appeals to conscience as a witness to the hidden grief of his heart. Paul confirms his sorrow by appealing to Christ and his own conscience as witnesses, because the grief was a secret of his heart known only to God and himself (Romans 9:1). Conscience, then, is not only an accuser but also a witness that will testify on the last day. The only safe preparation for that day is not a silenced conscience but a cleansed one, resting on the blood of Christ and evidenced by a sincere walk before God.