Doctrine of the Conscience

Doctrine of the Conscience

1. The conscience is located in the heart, or right lobe, of the mentality of the soul (Rom. 2:15; Titus 1:15).
2. In the conscience, norms for both human and divine relationships are established (Acts 24:16).
3. The conscience convicts of evil or wrongdoing (John 8:9).
4. In the conscience, norms for both morality and laws of divine establishment are established (Rom. 2:15).
5. Doctrine and the laws of divine establishment in the conscience are the basis for patriotism (Rom. 13:5).
6. The function of GAP establishes the divine standards in the human conscience (1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9).
7. In the conscience, norms and standards for serving God are established (2 Tim. 1:3; Heb. 9:14).
8. Divine norms and standards must reside in the conscience of the communicator of doctrine in order to avoid intellectual dishonesty and snobbery (2 Cor. 4:2).
9. The conscience containing doctrine is the basis for enduring maltreatment and misunderstanding without defending self (1 Pet. 2:19; 3:16).
10. The believer’s testimony to the world is based on compliance with the standards of his conscience (2 Cor. 1:12).
11. The law of liberty (freedom) and certain superseding laws (love, expediency, supreme sacrifice) are related to the function of the conscience (1 Cor. 10:24–29).
12. The conscience can be distorted or destroyed by reversionism (1 Tim. 4:1–2).
13. False norms and standards in the conscience produce legalism and self-righteousness (1 Cor. 8:7). Immediately after the fall of man, false norms were established in the conscience resulting in the first act of legalism (Gen. 3:7).