1. The Gentile, w/o law, produce an equivalent S-R as the Jew produced with the Law.
2. A number of Gentiles in each generation produces an equivalent S-R as the Jew who are guided by the Law.
3. So this refutes the claim that doing the law Justifies.
4. Now lets put this in context: the Gentiles apart from the Law attains what the Jews achieve with the Law.
God is an impartial judge (vs 11)
So, since He is going to judge the Gentile of S-R, He is not partial, so He will judge the Jew of his S-R, even those who have the Law.
1. The Greek word is a compound: prep. sun – with, + oida to know” This means that God has placed in the soul of everyone a way of knowing right & wrong. There are pagan people –natives- who have natural laws—concerning moral issues between, man & woman, (no same sex) & you don’t fool around with another man’s woman, some at /cost of death; you don’t steal etc…where did they get this? From a God given conscience. From this conscience you know these basic n/s; these guide lines, that tell you the difference between right & wrong.
The conscience is that part of our souls where God places N/S of life. Written in their hearts, the place of the conscience is in the soul.
2. This conscience can be made pure or can become an evil conscience. Remember that w/o Holy Spirit, the conscience is governed by the desires of the flesh. When a bel., takes in Biblical truth by F/HS, this starts transforming the conscience into Divine n/s. But be warned, this is where legalism sets in, distorting the Law & distorting the gospel.
1 Tim. 1:5 But the goal of our instruction- teaching is love love from Holy Spirit, Sp.L from a pure heart a heart minus influence of flesh and a good conscience conscience influenced by the truth given by HS and a sincere faith. Faith only in HS only, a Faith not mixed with energy of flesh.
1 Tim. 1:19 keeping-maintaining faith and a good conscience, a conscience guided by n/s of Biblical truth guided by HS which some have rejected that is rejected the influence of HS in establishing n/s by HS and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. A bad conscience leads to refusing to walk by faith & walk by energy of flesh. n/s of flesh.
1 Tim. 3:9 but holding to /mystery of /faith with a clear conscience
Clear conscience, here means that there is no doubt in truth, & that the conscience is not contaminated with human viewpoint.
3. an evil or distorted conscience:
1 Tim. 4:1 But the Spirit HS explicitly says that in later times some bel.s will fall away from the faith, walking by faith to walking by flesh paying attention to deceitful making you think it is truth spirits not HS & doctrines of demons, false doc.s by false teachers
2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, what a graphic picture of H/H against truth & how you reach a point where your conscience has been seared with evil….& it burns out all good n/s in conscience
1 Cor. 8:7 However not all men have this knowledge; these are Gentiles who used to be in idolatry, & now, by listening to HS are developing n/s, & they have all said no! to idolatry & everything related to idolatry, & have made it a rule, (legalism) not even to eat food at the local restaurant related to idols. Producing Legalism in n/s of their conscience. but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled by Legalism.
A great deal of legalism. is often related to our past where we react & weaken our conscience.
4. Here is an important point on Conscience; The
The standards of the conscience are directed both toward God & toward man. I doubt many of us think of /direction of our conscience toward God.
Acts 24:16 "In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.
We are responsible before God & before man
In our actions, with out tongues, & with our minds
5. Conscience & Grace
2 Cor. 1:12 For our proud when we walk with the Lord, in the HS, it pleases us our proud confidence is this, the testimony of our conscience, remember that the conscience gives witness, overtly as to what is inside us - that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
Here the conscience leads under power of HS in a manner suitable with the Grace of God.
It is amazing how important & powerful our conscience is when under the influence of HS
6. This point concerns Pastor-Teachers & the conscience.
2 Cor. 4:2 but we P-T have renounced the things hidden because of shame, false teaching not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, how do you adulterate the Scriptures? Distort the gospel, teach works to be saved or Filled with the HS but by the manifestation or unveiling of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. In other words. Teaching of truth, is the only thing commendable to the conscience.
7. The HS works on the conscience: to do the dictates of Scripture, but not in /energy of flesh.
Look at Rom. 13:5 Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
Now, there are two powers we can use to be in subjection to authorities: One is the flesh, oh, it may be patriotism, or h/integrity, or just the n/s in our conscience but this is in energy of flesh. The other is to do what our conscience directs in the power of HS.
2 Tim. 1:3 I thank God, effective prayer is in power & leading of HS whom I serve in power of HS with a clear conscience -this is important clear conscience so many, both unbels & bel.s will scorn those who live by Biblical truth, but /bel. F/HS has a clear conscience, this is a conscience clear of evil, when empowered by HS the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,
& now for another passage of work of HS & our conscience:
Heb. 9: 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, Spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the cross who through the eternal Spirit Holy Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, & the next phrase continues the work of HS cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
We cannot cleanse our own conscience –Only HS can cleanse our conscience, where what we do is guided by n/s placed there by HS & empower by HS.