Is Going Against Conscience Going Against God?

When I was a young Christian, there were many things that I considered sinful. For example, I might have considered stepping on the Bible a sin (probably not, but let's stick with the scenario). So, I tried my best to avoid that "sin". However, as I progressed in my faith, I no longer viewed that as a sin. Of course, I'm not going to go around stepping on Bibles but neither would I consider it a sin if I did step on a Bible.

Here's my question: If I had purposefully stepped on a Bible when I was younger in my faith, when I thought it was a sin, would I really be committing a sin? It has long been said that sinning against one's conscience is equal to sinning against God. But I'm not so sure that this is true. Just because I thought something was a sin early on, doesn't mean that it really ever was a sin. I was just wrong in my thinking about that issue.

So, what do you think: Is sinning against conscience the same thing as sinning against God? I mean, what if God doesn't consider a sin, what you or I consider a sin? Then, how can it be sinning against God still? Just a thought, I'd love to hear your view(s).

3 comments

Owen Weddle | April 2, 2008 at 10:25 PM

If you commit what you believe is a sin, even if it isn't, are you not showing the willingness to disobey God?

In short, I would say it isn't the act itself but it is the very fact that you were willing to do something you thought was wrong.

T. Michael W. Halcomb | April 3, 2008 at 9:54 AM

Owen,

But does it really matter if, in the end, it wasn't wrong after all?

Polycarp | April 3, 2008 at 3:11 PM

I cannot see it as a sin. It is an ethical concern, as Owen said, that you would have been willing to do something that you yourself thought was wrong. Turn it around. If when younger you thought something not a sin, but did it anyway and later in life you realized it as a sin, was it not still a sin when you committed it? Or is ignorance truly bliss?

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