Some people attempt to deal with shame by letting "conscience be their guide," as the old saying goes. They allow themselves to be governed by a set of internal morals, principles, and standards. This is dangerous because your conscience is influenced by society, education, your parents, and peers--and these influences can all be wrong. They may condone lying, stealing, cheating, and even killing, resulting in a conscience that is shameless. The Bible speaks of a "weak conscience" (1 Corinthians 8:12), a "defiled conscience" (Titus 1:15) and of those whose conscience is "seared with a hot iron" so that they no longer experience guilt (1 Timothy 4:2). The forces of society, training, parents, and peers, can also create a "shame- based" conscience by constantly reinforcing that you are a bad person. You cannot trust an unregenerate conscience to "be your guide" because it is nourished by environment and experience instead of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul described this struggle: For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do...For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. (Romans 7:15,19)
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:29:47 +0000