'Conscience' is a curious thing that maybe we don't always investigate into very deeply, let alone think much about. In this little book entitled, Conscience - Its Place in Christian Living, by Ole Hallesby, the reader's mind will be leveled at it to explore from many angles, yet from an overall Christian perspective.
Before saying much more about this little volume, it is good to learn a wee bit about the author, Hallesby. We are often impressed by such people of integrity and godly pursuit. He was a Norwegian theologian, author and educator who stood up for what he believed. He seems one to definitely highly respect due to his practicing what he preached.
He had ample time to seek out 'conscience' firsthand and 'paid for' it. Simply put, he did not agree with Hitler's regime and when that regime encroached upon Norway and into Hallesby's relationship with the Lord and biblical principles, well, Hitler and his henchmen didn't take too kindly to that. The forces of evil forced Hallesby into the Grini concentration camp for two years (Wikipedia). You can imagine to some degree what his outspoken opposition earned for him in that place. Praise the Lord, he survived it and lived until 1961.
One does not know if Hallesby thought up these points about 'conscience' during that interval or not but the first Inter-Varsity Press has the copyright staked at 1950 and again in 1995. However, this short work was first written in Norwegain and translated into English by C. J. Carlsen so the original book completion date is uncertain, or at least, unknown to me.
It surprized me to note the number of verses in regard to 'conscience' that are in the Bible, and to which Hallesby referred. I suppose I have heard them before but they were just never 'spelled out' nor registered in my mind. Such verses as: Romans 2:15 (NEB); Romans 7:7 (NEB); 2 Corinthians 4:2; Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 9:14; Galations 2:9; 1 John 3:20 (NEB); 1 Timothy 1:3; and so on.
Then, just this morning, I listened to a sermon by Alistair Begg who's text was from 1 Samuel 24. A great example of conscience in action. A good conscience, that is, of David's who didn't dare to kill King Saul although he had an excellent opportunity and indeed was egged on by his own men and then even because he had cut off a piece of Saul's robe, he felt it was enormously wrong to have done so. Begg compared it to King Saul's conscience which was not a good one, who pursued David for more than a decade and had now and again declared he was wrong and would not do so anymore. However, he did relentlessly continue his pursuit. This, just by way of example, and not to get off on a tangent, to bring in biblical instance awareness. After reading the book Conscience, you can go back and review these two men in light of the enlightenment on the subject you glean.
Moving on...the contents of this book probe into what conscience is and how it functions; the conscience being like a judge in the courtroom of your mind; what happened to 'fallen man's' conscience; conscience compared with the Word of God; how one's conscience can be awakened, especially that of a sinner's yet to be saved (pre-converted state being led to salvation); conscience vs our old nature; conscience and grace, and faith and 'the new man' (how conscience operates in a follower of Jesus Christ); how ones' conscience can degenerate and even die. Last, but not least, how ones' conscience can grow in a positive way.
It's a lot and somewhat heavy reading but it can help you understand yourself better as well as those around you and even explain why it is taking someone so long to come to Christ!?
To finish off here, there's a quotation by an unknown author, but shared with me by another sister-in-Christ, that somewhat encapsulates the embodiment of this little title and of its author. Here it is...
"Your allegiance to God brings you into direct conflict with anyone opposed to God or what he stands for. This includes other people as well as supernatural powers of evil. When you choose to follow God, you must anticipate opposition from those fighting against Him. However, God promises that those who endure will experience blessings and joy, both in this life and in heaven."
The book is, of course, for anyone and everyone with an inquisitive and inquiring bent to read but may be especially helpful for anyone who is a teacher of the Word of God. I'll leave it up to your conscience, whether or not to read it. Ha, ha.
~ERC May 2021~
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