If all we had to keep us in the grace of God was our conscience, we could perhaps say that our conscience is a reliable source of direction that we can depend on.
However, God knew that our conscience would not be enough to make us perfect, so He gave us His Word.
Never in our Holy Bible does it say that we are to live by our conscience. Moses said the following:
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3
Jesus said also:
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4
We don't live by our conscience alone. God has given us a conscience and His Word, so that with both we can be made in the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. We must have both!
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30
EXAMPLES
Those in the Flood – How many people were there, in the days before God flooded the world, who had a conscience sensitized to obey God's Spirit? Only one! Noah! Because of his obedience, he saved himself, his family, and their families, i.e., his son's wives.
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. Genesis 6:17-18
Kind David – Did David (one of the greatest men who ever lived) have enough conviction from his conscience to keep him from taking another man's wife, and subsequently, having her husband murdered? No!
And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. II Samuel 11:3-4
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. II Samuel 12:9
GUARDING OUR CONSCIENCE
Some can make their conscience inoperative by not obeying it.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. I Timothy 4:1-3
Acquaintances can cause us to override our conscience by telling us things about ourselves that are good, even though they aren't true, and can cause us to make mistakes. Our minds have certain sensibilities that affect our decision-making processes. Sometimes those sensibilities are very strong, sometimes not so strong, sometimes they are weak (a weak conscience), and those are the ones we tend to delegate to the back of our minds. God's Spirit, when He speaks to our minds or conscience, speaks mostly like the Voice Elijah heard – a still, small voice, and through His written Word.
And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? I Kings 19:12-13
When we are disobedient, condemnation comes, depending on the spiritual sensitivity we possess.
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel [i.e., God's Word]. Romans 2:13-16
The ultimate authority is God's Word, rightly divided.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Isaiah 28:9-13
If we don't receive God's word this way, it can lead to utter destruction for us, which can take God's blessing from us.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. II Peter 3:15-17
Our conscience can work to keep us in the good and right way, but sometimes it is not enough. Our fleshly nature can at times override our conscience, so we need that extra source of strength and power: God's Word!
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
The Word of God is more sure than our conscience.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. II Peter 1:19-21
IN CONCLUSION:
When we continue obeying God's Word, by what God has revealed to us, we will have a clear conscience.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. I Peter 3:15-16
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:21-22
At times, even our best efforts in serving God can fall short of His perfect will. When we fail, we must pick ourselves up, ask for forgiveness, repent (quit doing the sin that causes us to fail) and go on in the grace of God!
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Proverbs 24:16
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
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