How to Keep Your Conscience Soft

4/6/2004

(from the article “A Seared Conscience” by Charles Finney)

1. Embrace reason. Listen to and love wisdom and light. Move towards and lean into correction.

2. Quickly turn from anything that you get a “prick in your heart” about.

3. Keep the promises you make to God.

4. Examine and notice the quality of your speech and actions. “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks,” and “A tree is known by its fruit.”

5. Do not indulge in known sin.

6. Do not make hypocritical professions of love and friendship. Don’t do things just because they are “socially polite.”

7. Love the truth even if and when it isn’t comfortable or “flattering” to your ego.

8. Do not be self-indulgent.

9. Keep your heart a beautiful place. Avoid, at all cost: pride, vanity, jealousy, ambition.

10. Always let your words be encouraging and helpful to others. Build others up.

11. Don’t make excuses for sin.

12. Be quick to do your duty.

13. Always side with the truth. Do not defend error.

14. Be quick to recognize and remove the plank in your own eye, and then help your brother if needed.

15. Reprove and correct those who are in sin. Don’t let “things” go.

16. Love correction yourself.

17. Honor God in your speech and actions.

18. Embrace the Holy Spirit and His direction. Lean into, warm up to it, to HIM.

19. Desire to be holy in all areas of your life and find ways to sow to the Spirit in every area.

20. Keep things plain and simple when you talk.

21. Be honest in everything.

22. Do good to all men. Be thankful for everything people do for you, and look for ways to bless them.

Consequences of a soft conscience

1. To know yourself, your character, and your actions in reality

2. Security

3. Peace

4. Holy Spirit will be close to you

5. Protected from the evil one

6. Your life will be useful to others

7. You will inspire others to be holy

8. Save your children

9. Bless your country

10. Raise the standard of holiness around you

11. Find and know God

12. Become holy, set apart, and a friend to God

13. Soft toward God. You will care about how your sin effects Him.

14. Holy life

15. Active conscience. Healthy spirit

16. Honor the cause of Christ

17. You will have self-control