Page 72 conscience condemns. That certain behavior is sin to me. However, you may engage in that same behavior, and your conscience will not condemn you. Thus it will not be a sin for you. Why is this? It is because the conscience is limited by knowledge. For example, I knew a man once who was taught as a young child that the movie theater is the house of devils. Consequently, if this man even walked into a movie theater, his conscience would condemn him. For him, to do such a thing would be willfully sinning against his Lord. For other Christians, this is not the case. They could walk into a movie theater without wincing. And they can even glorify God in doing so. The conscience is the current standard of God’s will for our lives. It must be obeyed else it will condemn us. Typically, mature Christians have more freedom than do immature Christians. This is because mature Christians tend to have more knowledge. As Paul said, ,Unto the pure all things are pure . . . (Titus 1:15). ,All things are lawful, but not all things are spiritually profitable or edifying (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23). Food Fights and Sabbath Wars The New Testament gives us two instructive examples of how Christians can encounter conflict over issues of conscience. One was
No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.
Alexander MacLaren