The Art of Turning
by
Kevin DeYoung
We don’t talk much about the conscience, do we? But the Bible has a lot to say about it. It can seem mysterious if we’re not sure how to listen to it, if we can trust it, or what role it should play in our lives. Author Kevin DeYoung reminds us that the conscience is not something to be puzzled over but is a God-given gift.
This little 40-page book answers three questions:
- What is the conscience?
- How can we have a clear one?
- Why does it matter?
The conscience is our built-in moral compass that tells us the difference between good and bad. It operates in close connection with the work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of wrong and defend what is right. All mankind is born with that innate moral compass, but it can get off-kilter when we’re not following Christ.
Most of us know the story of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet whose nose grew longer every time he told a lie. Because Pinocchio wasn’t human, Jiminy Cricket served as his conscience. But Pinocchio didn’t listen to Jiminy Cricket and eventually turned into a donkey. By ignoring his conscience, he became like a beast.
DeYoung says, “Having a conscience is a mark of a feeling human being. Knowing right from wrong makes us functioning adults. To have a malfunctioning conscience is to be less than human.”
In the book, DeYoung describes four different kinds of a misfiring conscience:
- Evil conscience – when you know it’s wrong but do it anyway and feel bad about it
- Seared conscience – when there’s no feeling left (like frostbitten hands—when the pain stops and numbness sets in is when the real danger begins)
- Defiled conscience – when you start calling good bad and bad good
- Weak conscience – when you think things are wrong that aren’t
To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
So, how can we live with a pure and clear conscience?
- Turn from sin
- Turn to Christ
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