“And that [which was sown] in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Lk. 8:15).

Jesus Christ is the perfect model of the good and honest heart. In his Parable of the Sower, he demonstrated that there is a connection between the kind of heart one has, and how it responds to the word of God. If we are to please God, our hearts always must be tender and honest.

Are you an honest person? Most of us believe we are. However, after some serious self-evaluation, there may be the realization that we all can improve in this area. Consider the following scenarios:

The irritating and persistent tele-marketing person invades your time. If your child answers the phone, do you instruct him to say that you are not at home? A creditor calls, demanding payment for an overdue bill; do you say that “the check is in the mail,” when, in reality, you haven’t mailed it yet?

Or, perhaps you are making a case to your spouse that you spent certain amounts of money because you needed paper products for the household, when you actually spent most of it on cosmetics! You buy a new dress, and leave it hanging in the closet for a couple of months. When your husband asks, “Is that a new dress?” The response is, “Oh no, I’ve had it for some time.” Or think about this – an employee is chronically late for work, yet never gives the employer “comp” time.

It may be the case that you have developed the habit of telling “little white lies.” Likely, such lies are over matters of little consequence. Why do we tell these “stories”? To avoid embarrassment, to avoid criticism, to avoid a problem, to avoid – the truth: for all of these reasons and more.

What’s the big deal if no one gets hurt? Telling these “victimless fibs” have a dramatic effect on the fibber whether she realizes it or not. But are they really “victimless”? What about those around us? It is so easy to overlook the sinfulness of lying about insignificant things. However, children who live with lying are in grave danger of developing dishonest hearts. Is it possible that this kind of lying by parents is the most insidious?

Our heavenly Father has given us a wonderful tool to help us be truthful –  the conscience. Our conscience either accuses or excuses us (Rom. 2:15). It nags us to distraction at times. It fails us other times; but it is always there, ready to be employed for our benefit.

The Greek word for conscience is suneidesis, literally, “a knowing with”; from sun “with,” and oida, to “know” (W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997, p. 228). Conscience is that faculty of a person that tells him he ought to do that which he believes to be right, and that he ought not to do that which he believes to be wrong.

The fact that we have a moral nature is evidence that God is our Creator. Immanuel Kant, a philosopher of the late 1700’s, uttered this profound statement: “Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe...the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me” (Honesty, Morality and Conscience, Colorado Springs, CO, Navpress, 1986, p. 26). See also: Wayne Jackson, Fortify Your Faith In An Age of Doubt, (Stockton, CA: Courier Publications, 1974, pp. 20-21).

What kind of conscience do you have?

The Holy Bible speaks of the reality of the conscience, and its different conditions. It also teaches us that your conscience is not the objective standard of right and wrong (Prov. 14:12; 21:2; Jer. 10:23). It only responds to what it has accepted as true. Let us study some biblical descriptions of the conscience.

The good conscience

The Bible explains that there is a good conscience. The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to war the good warfare “by holding faith and a good conscience” (1 Tim. 1:19). Paul further describes the good conscience as being pure (1 Tim. 3:9). The good conscience is clear of the agony of guilt, because the person is doing what they believe to be right. In a word, the good conscience is characterized by sincerity.

But just being sincere is not enough. The apostle Paul claimed to have lived in all good conscience before God (Acts 23:1), even when persecuting Christians. The fact that Paul sinned while having a good conscience shows that one can be in error, believing he is doing the right thing.

The evil conscience

The Hebrew writer speaks of the evil conscience (Heb. 10:22). The word “evil” is the Greek word poneros, and it refers to deeds that are destructive, injurious, and that cause pain and sorrow (Vine, p. 50). As one writer suggests: the “evil conscience is an uncleansed conscience” (White, p. 39; cf. Heb. 9:14).

An impenitent individual, harboring sinfulness and violating his conscience, is injuring his conscience; he is weakened to sin further. Sin is progressive. Continuing with an evil conscience could lead to a hardening of the heart.

The seared conscience

Like the leathery hands of a farmer, the conscience can become calloused through years of abuse (1 Tim. 4:1-2). It is as if the mind has been seared over with a branding iron, producing a tough, impenetrable scar. This hardness of heart results from alienating oneself from God (Eph. 4:18-19; Rom. 1:28).

An individual can tolerate or practice sin for so long, that he becomes oblivious to the sinfulness of a practice. It is even possible to be hardened in one seemingly insignificant area of life while being sensitive to truth in other matters. Having a seared conscience is dangerous.

The weak conscience

Paul discussed the weak conscience with the Corinthian brethren (1 Cor. 8:9-12). It is not a hardened heart, but one that is uneducated in God’s word.

A new Christian may believe it is wrong to eat pork, because of past religious ideas. Paul warns that it would be sinful to cause that brother to violate his conscience for by so-doing we sin against Christ. The tenderness and teachable nature of the conscience must be guarded carefully.

How to have an honest heart

How then can our conscience guide us correctly? God provides the answers in the Bible, his word of truth.

First, we must be willing to be honest. The honest heart is the only conscience that is acceptable to God. Christ taught this in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:1-15). The Bereans are exemplary in their “readiness of mind” to study the Scriptures, to learn truth, and to obey it (Acts 17:11).

Guarding against self-deception is vital. We are all prone to this weakness at some level or another in order to rationalize our behavior. As we honestly evaluate ourselves, here are some ways¹ we can check our “honesty gauge.”

• I know it wasn’t right, but I had no choice.
• I know the Bible seems to teach this is wrong, but there are several interpretations of those passages.
• I talked to the preacher and he didn’t tell me it was wrong.
• What is done is done. It isn’t important anyway.
• If I change now, people will know I was wrong before.
• I have seen other Christians do the same thing – so it must be okay.
• That person caused me to make this choice and behave this way.

Ask yourself, “Do I ever make these or other excuses for not being truthful?” If the answer is yes, you need to have an honesty “tune-up.”

Second, a consistent intake of the Scriptures is critical to having a good conscience. The Psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psa. 119:11). The Psalmist connected erring with not knowing God’s ways (Psa. 95:10; Heb. 3:10).

Third, we must be obedient. This cannot be stressed enough. Remember the conscience can become seared, even in one seemingly insignificant area of our lives. Let us be cautious that we don’t become stubborn to the will of God. Let us memorize the words of Samuel, “Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant heareth” (1 Sam. 3:9).

Fourth, avoid damaging the conscience. “Self-deceit begins with the refusal to face truth ... To think you are wise without understanding God’s Word and His standards is self-deception” (White, p. 174) (cf. 1 Cor. 3:18). Mr. White forcefully outlines ways to avoid self-deception.

• Be blunt with yourself....write the facts down to see the situation objectively.
• Be honest with the Scriptures....Above all find out what the Scriptures say.
• If you have sinned, admit it. Do not justify sin....confess any known sin.
• Respond to the urgings of your conscience.
• Keep a focus on truth. Do not avoid truth.

An old prayer says:

From the cowardice that shrinks from new truths,
From the laziness that is content with half-truths,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
God of Truth, deliver us.

“... Self-deceit must be countered with a deliberate and conscious grasp for honesty” (White, pp. 174-175). We must again remind ourselves that the conscience is to be guided by the Scriptures.

Conclusion

What a distressing thought it is that, as a child of God, I might refuse to accept what he has revealed in his Bible. But what a relief, what a comfort to know that our loving Savior has given us his mind in the pages of his word to guide us to be more like him.

Let us study and pray for noble and honest hearts. We must make a commitment to seek honesty. Let us become more willing to take responsibility for the things that we do – and especially for the spiritual development of our children.

The principle of sowing and reaping is never more applicable than in the home (Gal. 6:7). If a toddler begins to express “untrue” things, as they all will, and is never corrected as he grows up, what will he become as an adult? A habitual liar – of course! How can a person have an honest heart before the Lord, if he has been conditioned to be a liar? Lying is conditioned, not only by the lack of correction, but by example.

Next month, we will consider some important principles that will aid us in developing honesty within the hearts of our children.