Theological glossary · FaithLogic

Conscience

The internal faculty of moral awareness and self-judgement — 'bearing witness', 'accusing or excusing' — through which the moral dimension of general revelation operates.

Latin conscientia, 'knowing-with (oneself)'; Greek syneidēsis.

Romans 2:14–15; 9:1; 13:5; 1 Corinthians 8:7–12; 10:25–29; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Timothy 1:5, 19; 4:2 ('seared'); Hebrews 9:14; 10:22; 1 Peter 3:16, 21.

Paul treats conscience as a real but fallible witness: it can be 'weak' (over-scrupulous), 'defiled', 'seared', or 'good/clear', and it is to be informed and calibrated by the truth, not simply obeyed. The Reformation elevated the rights of a conscience captive to the Word ('to go against conscience is neither right nor safe' — Luther at Worms).

Conscience is not the voice of God directly but a God-given faculty that must be educated by Scripture; a clear conscience is a goal, but a clear conscience is not the same as being in the right (1 Cor 4:4).

How binding an erring conscience is; the relation of conscience to the Spirit's guidance and to Scripture; freedom of conscience in the church and the state.

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