A Matter of Conscience

  Among the majority of Christians, the catch phrase of the present, and past few decades, is It’s a matter of conscience. Congregations and pulpits alike espouse this. It is being applied to all areas of a majority of Christian’s lives. Is the Christian walk really a ‘matter of conscience’? Are there areas of our lives were this phrase is valid; and other times when it is not? Why is this expression so popular today?

  Let us check with the ultimate authority for Christians, Jesus Christ. Just a reminder to all, Christian means a follower of Christ.
- - "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
(John 14:15)
- - "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
(John 15:10)
Jesus summed up God’s law into two commandments: "Love the Lord your God;" and, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of the law but He never replaced it. Therefore as a follower of Christ, a Christian, we are bound by Him to follow the law of the Father, the Ten Commandments and to follow His two commands. “Keep” is a synonym for ‘obey’. Jesus obeyed the Father’s commandments not out of conscience but out of love and obedience.

  Are there areas of our lives or sets of circumstances where are actions really are a ‘matter of conscience’? We like to think that there are areas, which Our God did not address, or He left them open to our interpretation. IF this were true, the All-knowing, All-just God we serve would be just a sham.

  If you honestly think about when this phrase is quoted, you will find that the majority of the time it is used to rationalize a transgression of one of the Ten Commandments; or, to dodge the responsibility we have to speak against transgressions of the Commandments.
We fudge on our taxes, ‘Oh, that’s a matter of conscience because I don’t agree with how they spend the money’. Thou shall not steal, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.
‘Abortion, oh that’s a matter of conscience.’ Thou shall not commit murder.
‘Yeah, I know Joe is a homosexual, but I don’t say anything because for him it’s a matter of conscience between him and the Lord’. Thou shall not commit adultery.
Scripture tells us to gently, in a loving manner admonish and instruct the sinner.
The attitude among some church leaders is, ‘Oh, I don’t preach on that subject because: it’s not popular with my congregation; I might cause divisions in the congregation; it’s against the beliefs of the majority of the congregation; or, I might be fired’. Those who instruct will be judged more harshly.
Priest, Pastor, Preacher, Deacon, Elder whatever your title I say to you
It is much better to be fired by a congregation, than to be FIRED (fried) by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

  I point out to each and every one, of you that
“It is not a matter of conscience; it never has been.”
“It is a matter of
OBEDIENCE!”

Any inspiration that you may find in my musings can only be credited to the Holy Spirit. Any failings. which you may find, are due solely to the poor quality tool (namely me) that the Spirit had to work with.

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Matter of Conscience
page updated 03/14/2011.