MIND AND CONSCIENCE
1Timothy 1

As a believer there is a need to be conscious of your own conscience. Twice in Paul’s letter to Timothy, the issue on conscience was mentioned and this should be a call for attention to every believer. AmericanHeritageCollege dictionary defined conscience as, “The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one’s conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong or a source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement.” Conscience is the operation that is rooted in the mind set of every man. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1Timothy 1:5-6, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk.” It can be said that conscience is what will drive home faith. Having and operating good conscience cannot be separated for a believer to live a life of testimony. Later in that first chapter, Paul wrote again, 1Timothy 1:19, “Having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.” The issue of good conscience became an emphasis that has to constantly be in place for faith to have its way. Paul also pointed out that some have suffered a ship wreck in their journey because they did not operate in faith and a good conscience. Is your ship shaking or being moved beyond what you can control? Have you been carrying the Bible, the container of the Word of God around while turning away from doing the good that is coming from your conscience? To lack and not operate in good conscience is an evidence of a mind that has been debased. A mind that does not operate in good conscience is a mind that chooses not to retain God in what they know. A mind that chooses not to retain God in what they know will be engaged outside of God. This is what the book of Romans 1:28 says, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.” Retain God in all of your knowing. It is evident from the testimony of Paul that faith and good conscience operate together and they cannot be separated. An attempt to separate a good conscience from faith will lead to a ship wreck in the journey of life.

Prayer for today: My God and my father take all the days of my life and let it all be concentrated unto You in the name of Jesus.