A Theology of Guidance – Part 4 of 5
FOUR SUBJECTIVE MEANS OF GUIDANCE (cont’d)
3. Scripture-informed Conscience – A Scripture-informed conscience is also a means by which the Spirit guides our decision-making, especially in relation to the application of Christian liberty. Paul makes it clear in the book of Romans that the consciences of believers will arrive at different conclusions concerning what is for them “God’s will” in a particular matter.
“One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” [Rom 14:5-8]
The goal for each of us as believers should be to have our consciences be as Scripture-informed as possible. Since there is only one objective standard of truth, the Scriptures, one might conclude that every believer should have the same convictions. However, that is simply not the case. Each of us is converted out of a different background and is at a different place on the “maturity scale,” if we want to use that kind of language. In other words, we are each learning and growing in grace and knowledge at a different pace and, therefore, there are variances in the ways in which we may apply the same Scriptural principle. Our calling is to live in love toward one another, always choosing love over liberty (modeled so beautifully by Paul in 1 Cor. 8:13).
