BIBLICAL VIEW | CONSCIENCE (3)

1. Introduction

a) Our conscience controls our reaction to thoughts, imaginations, words, and actions. How can the conscience be trained to serve us correctly?

b) Our conscience is like a baseball umpire...

c) Located in a person's "spiritual heart", the conscience lets us know when we have violated our personal inner moral code, and prompts us to make corrections. This then allows peace to come back into our mind.

d) Our conscience also warns us when we have a problem.

2. Joseph's brother's had a conscience...finally!

Genesis 37:18-24 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁸ When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. ¹⁹ “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. ²⁰ “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”

²¹ But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said.

²² “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.

²³ So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. ²⁴ Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

a) They had no conscience.

b) They wanted to get rid of "the dreamer".

c) But things changed later...

d) Their conscience kicks in...

Genesis 42:21-22 New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”

²² “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”