| A fit conscience is an eternal guide and protector, | | | | crimes. |
| enduringly placing us at length from harm's way, | | | | The conscience can hence eventually become |
| making for a bouncy, ordered--and essentially | | | | 'seared,' or 'cauterised' if purity is not restored |
| free--soul. (Author's own quote) | | | | quickly (see also 1 Timothy 4:1-2).[7] Hence, also, |
| When I worked at a Christian high school running | | | | the spirit and role of repentance is key in keeping |
| programs for both children and their parents, it | | | | our consciences fit. |
| was common for parents--particularly | | | | In this way our consciences are continually being |
| non-practicing-Christian parents--to state the | | | | maintained and trained. Our consciences are thus |
| reason for sending their children to a Christian | | | | only as healthy as they are in the present |
| school as that of wanting Christian values for their | | | | moment; constant vigilance is required. We must |
| children. | | | | endeavour to not only keep our consciences fit |
| They identified with the self-evident fact that | | | | daily but grow our "moral warehouse" such that |
| "every conscience needs instruction."[1] | | | | when we search (subconsciously) for the right |
| Sanders continues, | | | | moral standard for given situations, good direction |
| "As a watch must be set and regulated by | | | | will come.[8] |
| standard time, so conscience must be set and | | | | Furthermore, a 'commending conscience' is the |
| regulated by God's infallible standard as revealed in | | | | apex of human endeavour and is something for all |
| His Word."[2] | | | | humanity to aspire to. It's the setting of a high |
| So, we must set the bar and then train the | | | | standard of virtuous conscience; a state where |
| conscience to that standard. If the standard is too | | | | nothing short of that standard is accepted.[9] |
| low, vice will almost certainly be part, more or | | | | William Blake said, "If the doors of perception |
| less, of the consequent life. The Biblical standard is | | | | were cleansed, everything would appear to man |
| the right standard because it is the standard of | | | | as it is, infinite."[10] And I think the same can be |
| love and growth. | | | | said for the conscience. |
| The Four Activities of the Conscience[3] | | | | In finishing, Sanders states it rather eloquently: |
| Interestingly, the conscience works consistently in | | | | "With the removal of the dead weight of past sin |
| four ways; two negative and two positive. Firstly, | | | | [via adequate response of conscience], the soul |
| when we're considering doing something wrong | | | | soars, like a released lark with a song, into its |
| (to our own established moral standard) our | | | | native element."[11] |
| conscience will warn us. Secondly, once we | | | | Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights |
| actually commit the wrong act it will accuse us, | | | | Reserved Worldwide. |
| which is self-judgment toward self-condemnation. | | | | ENDNOTES: |
| This part of conscience is a "group of social | | | | [1] J. Oswald Sanders, Problems of Christian |
| prohibitions, similar to a penal code or legal | | | | Discipleship (London, England: China Inland Mission |
| statutes."[4] It's our personal compendium of 'law.' | | | | Lutherworth Press, 1958), p. 47. |
| But, also positively, our consciences can reinforce | | | | [2] Sanders, Ibid, p. 47. |
| the moral good, prompting us to do right. Fourthly, | | | | [3] Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo, Let the Children |
| when we actually do the right thing, like give up | | | | Come Along the Virtuous Way: Growing Kids |
| our seat on public transport for an older person | | | | God's Way (Happy Valley, South Australia: |
| or someone of less capacity, our consciences | | | | Growing Families Australia, 2002), p. 90-91. This is |
| confirm to us we've done the right | | | | a masterly course on moral development for the |
| thing--rewarding us with an internal pat on the | | | | average person. |
| back to the release of endorphin-like (feel-good) | | | | [4] Karen Huffman, Mark & Judith Vernoy, |
| chemicals in the brain. | | | | Psychology in Action - 5th Ed. (New York, New |
| This positive part of our conscience is what | | | | York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000), p. 478. |
| Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) called the | | | | [5] Huffman et al, Ibid, p. 478. |
| 'ego-ideal'--"the list of things we should do to feel | | | | [6] Huffman et al, Ibid, p. 478. The Superego is, of |
| proud of ourselves."[5] Freud labelled the whole | | | | course, only part of Freud's Psychoanalytic |
| sub-theory of conscience (negative and positive) | | | | Theory relating to the conscious, preconscious and |
| the 'Superego,' the "overseer or moral censor for | | | | subconscious minds. |
| the psyche."[6] | | | | [7] Sanders, Op. cit., p. 49-50. |
| Condemning and Commending Consciences | | | | [8] Ezzo, Op. cit., p. 89-92. |
| Importantly, a conscience can be 'condemned' by | | | | [9] Sanders, Op. cit., p. 50. |
| virtue of continued vice. Watching a recent | | | | [10] Cited from David Deane-Spread, Master the |
| suspense movie, called Match Point (2005), one of | | | | Power of Your Attitudes: The Workbook to |
| the protagonists murdered two people (one of | | | | Choose Your Best Attitudes, Values, Purpose and |
| whom was his pregnant mistress!) and even | | | | Goals (e-book) (daviddeane-spread.com, 2004), p. |
| though his conscience struggled initially with the | | | | 9. |
| knowledge of the ghastly crimes, it ultimately | | | | [11] Sanders, Op. cit., p. 51-52. |
| adjusted to his situation. He became cold to his | | | | |