Conscience VS Holy Spirit

by Aaron
Last Sunday we talked about the Stupid Summer misconception that our Conscience Should Be Our Guide, I am so surprised only one person asked me what the Holy Spirit's role was in all this. I tried to keep the message simple, expecting more people to ask, but only one did (she is very astute). So, I will answer her question and hopefully help you along the way.
 
As we talked about during the message, our conscience, like all of us, has been contaminated by sin. It is why Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 says he doesn't trust his own clear conscience. When we are brought to life (spiritually speaking) by the grace of God, we are told that the "old self" (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 2:15, 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-11) has been put to death with Christ, but not necessarily "the flesh." There is a difference because "the flesh" continues to wage war in us versus what God desires.
 
The conscience is something we have nurtured for years before being remade and renewed by the Spirit of God, which means there will be many times God's Spirit and our conscience are at war (not all times, but some times). Our conscience, because it has been with us from the beginning, will many times try to find ways to condone or excuse our actions when they are sinful. Essentially our consciences don't go away when we follow Jesus, but they are now subjected to the Spirit of God.
 
A good way to tell the difference many times between conscience and Holy Spirit is that the Spirit of God will NEVER contradict the WORD of God. Over time the Spirit of God will also renew and reshape our conscience as we WASH it in the word of God. This is why sometimes I believe people are torn in a decision because God's Spirit in us is pulling one way and our conscience the other.
 
Charles Stanley once wrote, "When you became a Christian, a change began to occur in your conscience. The basic moral code that everyone has at birth started to be overhauled. The Spirit of truth took up residency in your heart. Then, whether you were aware of it or not, He immediately set about to reprogram your conscience. Whereas before you had a general sense of right and wrong, the Holy Spirit began renewing your mind to more specific and complete truths (1 Corinthians 2:10–13)."
 
Something else I read while researching this message said that it is like the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our hearts in the same way that Christ intercedes for us in heaven. The Holy Spirit is like the "Co-Regent" of the Conscience (John 16:7), He is a conscience renewer (Romans: 12:2) and He is a conscience washer and regenerator (Titus 3:5).

We must understand that our consciences are pliable but the Spirit of God does not change. The conscience can be an extraordinary gift, but it has no standard on its own. The Spirit of God, on the other hand, is God and as such has a standard of life and holiness; the Spirit's standard won't change, and when rightly listened to, can change the conscience. The Spirit is the external standard of holiness in the sinner as well as the saint.
 
The renewal process of our conscience takes place every time we read the Scriptures, attend a worship service, integrate into a Gospel Community, memorize a verse, or pray. The Holy Spirit uses all this input to change how our conscience evaluates every opportunity, thought, invitation, word, and deed.