Conscience of Unbelievers
- Michael E.B. Maher
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
2 Corinthians 4:2 “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”
Every person is born into this earth with a conscience. In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul talks about how he and his fellow ministers in the gospel commended themselves to every man’s conscience. When he referred to every man’s conscience he was not only referring to believers but unbelievers as well, thus implying that all men have a conscience. And so we see that all men have a conscience, from the noblest person even to the most wicked person that has ever lived.
Matthew 7:9-11 “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (10) Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
In the above quoted passage of scripture our Lord Jesus called all men evil. Obviously Jesus was referring to unbelievers in His statement, i.e. those who had not yet been born-again, for a person who has not been born-again is spiritually dead and there is nothing good residing in their hearts, only evil. And yet Jesus said that these men in their evil state still knew how to give good gifts to their children. So how is it possible that a person, who is evil, knows how to give good gifts to their children? The only reason that those in the world know how to give good gifts to their children is because they have a conscience, and their conscience will convict them to do good rather than to do evil.
John 8:3-9 “Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, (4) they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. (5) Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" (6) This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. (7) So, when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (8) And again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. (9) Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
Earlier, we referred briefly to the above quoted passage of scripture where it is recorded that the conscience of unbelievers convicted them to do the right thing. In this incident when Jesus was confronted by the men that accused the woman of adultery, His response to them was that the one who was without sin should be the first to cast a stone at her. The word teaches us that even though these men were unbelievers, that their consciences convicted them that none of them were without sin, and therefore they were not able to condemn the woman. Our Lord Jesus knew that all men, including these men who were accusing the woman, had a conscience, and given time their consciences would convict them of their wrong doing. And so He took his time in answering their accusations, thus allowing their consciences time to overcome their evil intentions.
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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