1 Corinthians 10:27-29 “If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake. (28) But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness." (29) "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?”
In the above quoted passage of scripture, when the apostle Paul gave the church at Corinth advice about going to have dinner at the home of an unbeliever, he specifically mentioned that the believer was to behave in a manner that would not negatively influence the unbeliever’s conscience. Paul gave this advice to believers because he knew that unbelievers also have a conscience. And Paul recognised that the way that believers behave in front of unbelievers has an effect on the conscience of the unbeliever. Let me explain. In the example given, Paul refers to an unbeliever offering the believer food to eat while at the same time telling the believer that they had sacrificed that food to their idols. Paul tells us that if the believer were to eat the food offered to the unbeliever’s idol, then the conscience of the unbeliever would be weakened in convicting them of the sin of eating foods sacrificed to demons. For the unbeliever would then equate his idol to our Lord Jesus, as being just another god. By the believer not eating the food offered, it would make a clear statement to the unbeliever, that Jesus is not just another god, but in fact Lord of all. And the unbeliever’s conscience would then be strengthened to convict him of the sin of eating foods sacrificed to demons. This particular truth is applicable to all of our behavior in front of unbelievers. When unbelievers see Christians sinning, the unbelievers’ consciences are weakened in convicting them of their own sins, because the unbelievers’ then excuse their sins, by justifying it against the benchmark that they see the Christians setting. On the other hand, when unbelievers see Christians living a righteous life style, then the unbeliever’s consciences are strengthened to convict them of their sins. Because the unbelievers can no longer excuse theirs sins, because of the righteous benchmark that they see the Christians setting. And so we can clearly see from the passages quoted in this section that all men have a conscience.
Michael E.B. Maher
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