For All Beliefs: We Know God’s Truth through Conscience

 
2009/01/21  

We Know God’s Truth through Conscience
by Rick Warren

Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. Romans 2:14 (NLT) 

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God leads us to discover his truth, not only through creation, but also through our conscience.

Some things are hardwired in us by God; we know they are always right or always wrong, no matter what anybody else says. Our conscience tells us this. The Bible says, “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right” (Romans 2:14-15 NLT). 

Say we take a random sample of one million people from around the planet and put them on a corner in New York City. We say: “Here’s a 92-year-old blind lady with a walker. She needs to cross the street. Tell me which of these three options is morally right. One, you can let her try to cross on her own. Two, you can help her cross the street. Three, you can push her into oncoming traffic.”

You don’t have to be a Christian or Jew or Muslim or even a spiritual person; inside you know the right thing to do. 

“Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right” (Romans 2:14-15 NLT). 

Tomorrow we will look at how we are also led to the truth through careful consideration.

© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved. 

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.