The Voice of Conscience – Do Not Let Conscience Override God's Voice
Pastor Tan Thai · Jul 25, 2021
This sermon explores the nature and limitations of the human conscience in light of Scripture. The pastor demonstrates that conscience is not an absolute moral standard but a pointer to God's law. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse the conscience from sin and guilt.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 25, 2021, continuing the theme of repentance from the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The pastor raises the question: what causes a person to come to their senses and recognize their sin? Most people assume it is the conscience, but this sermon examines whether that view aligns with what Scripture teaches.
The first section addresses the origin of conscience. The pastor uses multiple historical and cultural examples to demonstrate that conscience is neither fixed nor absolute: the Chinese story of Di Zi Xia, the issue of slavery in America, same-sex marriage, and the actions of terrorists. He concludes that conscience varies by individual, circumstance, and era. According to Romans 2:12-16, God Himself gives humanity a conscience as a means of recognizing His law written in every human heart. Conscience is not the law itself, but a witness to God's law.
The second section addresses the purpose of conscience. Like an alarm system, conscience is designed to convict and condemn when God's law is violated. The pastor draws illustrations from Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and the story of Samuel Johnson to show the tormenting power of a guilty conscience. Nevertheless, Scripture warns that conscience can become weak, seared, corrupt, or evil, as described in 1 Timothy 4:2 and Titus 1:15. People can silence their conscience just as a pilot turned off the warning system before crashing into a mountain. Therefore, conscience cannot be the sole or absolute standard of morality.
The third section presents the cleansing of conscience. The pastor emphasizes that for believers, the foundation of morality is not the voice of conscience but the Word of God illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Citing Hebrews 9:13-14, the sermon affirms that the blood of Christ has the power to cleanse the conscience from guilt and dead works. This cannot be achieved through law-keeping, personal effort, or the human conscience alone.
The sermon concludes with the promise of Romans 8:1 that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The pastor calls the congregation not to let conscience override God's voice, but to receive Christ as Savior so that sin may be forgiven and the conscience fully cleansed. Believers are called to live according to God's Word, continually renewing their minds, and treating those with weak consciences with Christian love and compassion.