“The idea that our conscience is a trustworthy moral guide is a myth.”

A thought by Larry Osborne, (2009-04-04) from his book, Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe (p. 108). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I hope you realize this. If not read on.

Larry says, “We assume it can be placed into any situation and it will tell us the moral temperature— too hot, too cold, or just right. But that's not how our conscience works. It isn't a spiritual thermometer. It's a spiritual thermostat. The difference is important. Thermostats don't define hot or cold. They reflect our definitions of hot and cold. We set them to respond however we like.”

We are going through a very hot week here in Los Angeles where we live. Our thermometer is telling us that we are having highs over 100. Now to be comfortable in our house we set our thermostat at the temperature that we want. A thermometer doesn't define hot and cold. We define hot and cold.

And as Larry says, “That's exactly how our conscience works. It's a spiritual thermostat. We set it to the standards we choose. We determine when it kicks in and when it stays idle. It doesn't tell us if we're violating God's standards. It tells us when we're violating our standards.”

He then says, “Perhaps the most telling passage in the Bible regarding the inadequacy of our conscience is found in 1 Corinthians 4: 3-4. In this passage the apostle Paul defends his ministry motivation and methods to a group of critics. What he says about his conscience is astounding. ‘I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.’”

Now as Larry says, “Our conscience's ease of adjustment can also be a good thing. That means we have the ability to constantly realign it to Scripture if we so choose. The more accurately we do so, the greater our ability to recognize and avoid the deceptive lures of sin.”

So how is your conscience aligned, by your desires or God’s?

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