Why a Conscience Is Good
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child."
- Hebrews 12:5-6
You never will stop sinning as long as you are breathing. Even if you are a Christian, you will sin. But there is a difference between being a sinner and living in a pattern of sin. And if you are a true Christian, you will not live in a pattern of sin.
As 1 John 3 says, "Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God" (verse 9).
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If you, as a Christian, start to move in the wrong direction and are contemplating doing something sinful, you come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The fact that you are aware it is wrong and that you should not be doing it is a good sign. And if you end up doing what you know is wrong and feel deep guilt about it, then that, too, is a good sign. It means the alarm on your conscience is working.
It is like a smoke alarm that alerts you to danger or the need to change the battery. That is how our conscience works. It tells us what we are doing is wrong.
The time to be concerned is when you can contemplate a sin and don't feel any conviction and when you can go through with the sin and don't feel any guilt. That means your alarm isn't working or has been disabled, or you don't even have one anymore.
Maybe you have sensed God's disciplining hand in your life. Maybe you have been convicted, or you are feeling guilt. Rejoice! It means your conscience is working. If God deals with you when you go astray, then it is an indication that you are His child.
