A Conscience Effort

Matters of conscience…this is a difficult subject to tackle. Where do we stand on some of these issues? How do we determine what is a matter of conscience and what is not? And what if my conscience says something completely opposite another’s? How could something so different be right on both sides?

I never thought I would have to ask these questions, let alone discuss the answers! In fact, until recently, I wasn’t even sure I could give an answer. I have been finding many things that I never thought I would have to do or say standing face to face with me in these tumultuous days.

I discovered many articles about “How Christians Should Respond” to the mask issue, or the “vaccine” issue. The majority of those articles contained the premise of “loving those around you”. This is NOT one of those articles. Since masks or vaccines are not specifically mentioned in scripture, the writers of these articles covered areas in scripture that talked about obeying authorities (Romans 13), the weaker brother (Romans 14), and “love” and “sacrifice” (various). This is NOT one of those articles.

In all of these articles, or in the arguments that fellow Christians gave me for their decision, I found one ingredient missing. And it is an important one…one that, I think, would have helped avoid a lot of the ugliness between people if we had just remembered it.

Ladies and gentlemen… I present: The Conscience!

This is not going to be an easy article… to write or to read. It may prick some people the wrong way, and it may infuriate many (these are not popular words in today’s world)…but just hang with me and here we go!

My “Confession”

Most of those who know me know my stance on the mask and “vaccine” issue, but if you are new to my corner (or haven’t figured it out yet) I want to make my position very clear up front:

I am NOT a supporter of mask wearing. Neither do I agree with this “vaccine” they are trying to push. I have become very wary after all the evidence that has come out…I am also very wary of ANYTHING the government says is “good for me”…but that is another story for another article.

I AM a supporter of freedom and your right to make your own decisions for you and your family. I may not agree with your choice, but I will support and fight for your right to make it, just as I want the same for myself. All I ask is that people have the ability to make an INFORMED decision, search for truth, and do what GOD has asked them to do…not what anyone on this earth says.

Which brings me to my first point…

The Conscience

“It is neither right nor safe to go against my conscience.” – Martin Luther

First off in an article about the conscience, we should probably begin by defining what it is…just so there is no confusion and we are all reading off of the same page:

Conscience – Internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; or the faculty, power or principles within us, which decides on the lawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them.

“Conscience is first occupied in ascertaining our duty, before we proceed to action; then in judging of our actions when performed.” J. M. Mason

Over the past two years I have watched a war break out among Americans…and Christians. Family members turned against each other and friends were divided.

Among my own circles I was called names, told I needed to get in line. I was thought of as selfish and ignorant, I was causing dis-unity, being disrespectful, and disobeying God by not following Romans 13. I was railed on by those who called themselves Christians and my friends, I was even laughed at by some who thought I shouldn’t speak because I did not get a degree that told me exactly what to think.

All of this…? Because I weighed the evidence before me and came to a different conclusion. Because I wouldn’t go against my conscience, not even to please those I cared about.

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr., “A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches”

Often I see people or churches pick a side because it is in the majority. Sometimes it is because we don’t want to rock the boat, we don’t want to be the media’s next target or lose our 501c3. It’s easier that way. That, I am sorry to say is cowardice, and we are not living as children of light. Jesus didn’t hide because He was afraid of what people would say or the Jews would do to Him. The disciples preached in the middle of the streets, and Paul confronted entire cities.

Yet sometimes we really don’t understand. We like to think that “There is no way so many people could be wrong”. Well, I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but might does not make right. Actually, very rarely is the majority right. God said that truth is offensive to most people. Narrow is the gate, and few are they who find it (Matthew 7:14).

Our lives and decisions should not be ruled on what the majority think or what others may do to us. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and they have to live with the consequences of their choices. But so do we, and ours should be led by our own God-given conscience and not somebody else’s.

I found a book that sums this up quite nicely:

“Atticus, you must be wrong.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, most folks seem to think they’re right and you’re wrong. . .”
“They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions,” said Atticus, “but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” – To Kill a Mockingbird

For Shame!

Public shaming of those who think differently than the status quo has been around for a long time (I’m pretty sure Noah’s life wasn’t smooth sailing all those years he spent building the ark); but over the past two years I have seen this intensified…especially in the groups that should have been above that. Christians turned against each other, family blocked or disowned their own, churches told members not to attend.

All over a personal choice based on conscience.

It is a pretty sad day when Christians cannot sit down and have a civil conversation with each other and be allowed to present opposing points of view and encourage critical thinking without being told they are causing disunity or to shut up because they don’t know what they are talking about.

Christians, this is not right! This is not loving or caring! And this is most certainly not God-honoring, no matter how much you try to convince yourself it is!

The church, out of fear (but under the guise of love), has resorted to the world’s method of name calling, laughing at, guilt tripping and shaming those who don’t fall in line with what they think is right. With things that fall under the areas of conscience.

Oh, we can preach every week about the importance of the law of liberty and the freedom we have in Christ, the grey areas of scripture that are left up to our individual consciences…but at the end of the day, we don’t seem to really know what falls under that category. We have gotten so caught up in “there is only one way to do this” philosophy that we have forgotten what truly matters and quibble over the areas that have been left up to the individual and are between him and God alone.

“Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls…One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” – Romans 14:4-5

Live Not By Lies

As Christians, the light of truth should emanate from us in every area of our lives. We are called to the truth and are commanded to live by it.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness…” – Ephesians 6:14

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” – 1 John 1:6

We are not called to make other people “comfortable” in the name of love. Out of love, Jesus made people UNCOMFORTABLE. We don’t know what love is. We’ve gone so long thinking to love or care for someone means to be nice, don’t upset them and to do what makes them “comfortable”.

“I wear a mask because I care about people.”

“Wearing a mask makes someone more comfortable, so I wear one to show them love.”

I heard these reasons a lot the last two years. They were made to make me feel guilty or to tell me I was a bad Christian or didn’t care about others because I did not wear a mask. But none of those were true.

Love is truth. To go against my conscience just to make someone feel better, to keep the peace, or to “show” people that I loved others…would have done the very opposite. To do something that I do not believe in is not helping people see truth, but helping to spread lies.

Whatever decisions we make, whatever way we choose to live should be to promote truth, not lies. Regardless of what the world says, what authorities or “experts” tell you, or the guilt or shame people try to give you by saying you are not a good Christian or being unloving…our reactions should be because it is rooted in truth. And if that means we have to start doing a little extra leg work to find the truth, even if it is not want we want to hear or admitting that we are wrong, then so be it!

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

Conclusion

• God has given us all a conscience. This was meant to be a guide. For us Christians, we also have the Holy Spirit who now leads our conscience. What our conscience tells us is between us and God. We don’t want someone else telling us what our conscience is or should be saying, so who are we to tell others?

“I believe that God has related these somehow: the voice of conviction in the conscience and the Holy Spirit, the point of contact, witnessing within man’s being. It is always perilous to resist the conscience within.” – A.W. Tozer

• More areas than we like to think fall under the issues of conscience. Even if someone’s view does not line up with ours, yet they are not going against scripture and are listening to their own conscience, we should never force our views on them, snub them or resort to guilt tripping and shaming. Their conscience is between them and God, we need to make sure ours is in align with HIM and not the world or our own emotions.

“So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:12

• Live not by lies, but shine for the truth. If you know something is not true or doesn’t fall in line with Philippians 4:8…don’t do it! Remember who you are, a child of truth and light. Speak truth, live truth…even if it is not fun for you, even if it makes others uncomfortable.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

• Do your own work. Think for yourself. Search on your own and dig out the truth. The enemy does not want you to find it, so he has made it hard to see, but it is there. And here is a little hint: the truth is NOT in the majority…not even in the church. An uninformed decision is no decision at all but slavery to the one who regulates it.

“No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth.” – Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Judge John Tyler Washington, 1804