Conscience VS. Holy Spirit

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

eGh2003

New member
Apr 11, 2022
5
2
3
#1
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,699
113
#2
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
You are making things waaaaay too complicated. Jesus is a very real person who manifest himself to us through His Spirit.

We are living souls and He wants to have fellowship with us in a very real sense. Don't overthink this stuff. It is drop-dead simple.

Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Just believe that by faith and then start talking to Him. He is waiting for you to open that door right now.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
7,594
3,179
113
#3
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
I find that introspection gets me into more problems than it solves. I read God's word and ask Him to manifest Himself through it. The Holy Spirit helps me understand. The Holy Spirit is from God; conscience is from us.

Conscience is our gauge of right and wrong. When a person becomes a Christian they may discover their estimation of right and wrong and God's are vastly different. The Christian walk is a matter of aligning our conception of right and wrong with God's word. Consequently, our conscience will start to reflect His values rather than ours.

Out of curiosity, when you got "saved," did you get baptized into the Lord Jesus?
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,354
1,188
113
#4
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
Accepting Jesus is not the cause of you being saved (delivered) eternally. Jesus speaking to his disciples; John 15:16 - Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he shall give it you.

When we are born into this world by natural birth, we are born bearing the sins of Adam, until God, by his sovereign grace, quickens us to a new spiritual life, which includes putting the Holy Spirit within us. (Eph 2:1-5). This process is accomplished without any action on our behalf, because at the time of our quickening, we were, yet, "dead" in sins, unable to respond to the things of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:14).

The natural man, before he has been quickened, has no guilt (conscience) in breaking a spiritual law, of a spiritual God, that he cannot discern, and thinks it to be foolishness. Only the people who have been quickened will feel guilty about breaking one of God's laws.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,354
1,188
113
#5
You are making things waaaaay too complicated. Jesus is a very real person who manifest himself to us through His Spirit.

We are living souls and He wants to have fellowship with us in a very real sense. Don't overthink this stuff. It is drop-dead simple.

Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Just believe that by faith and then start talking to Him. He is waiting for you to open that door right now.

Revelation 3:20 is good advice to give to someone that has been born again, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, (Eph 2:1-5) and has the ability to hear and understand the things of the Spirit, unlike the natural man that cannot discern the things of the Spirit, and thinks them to be foolishness. (1 Cor 2:14).

The natural person, before he has been quickened to the new spiritual life, only has "faith" in mankind and their accomplishments. They do not have spiritual "faith" that is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) which is given, as part of the quickening process to dwell within the quickened person.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,354
1,188
113
#6
I find that introspection gets me into more problems than it solves. I read God's word and ask Him to manifest Himself through it. The Holy Spirit helps me understand. The Holy Spirit is from God; conscience is from us.

Conscience is our gauge of right and wrong. When a person becomes a Christian they may discover their estimation of right and wrong and God's are vastly different. The Christian walk is a matter of aligning our conception of right and wrong with God's word. Consequently, our conscience will start to reflect His values rather than ours.

Out of curiosity, when you got "saved," did you get baptized into the Lord Jesus?

I commend your explanation to eGh2003, but was wondering why you would ask him if he got baptized, as baptism has nothing to do with his eternal inheritance.
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
5,207
977
113
Oregon
cfbac.org
#7
.
1Cor 4:4 . . My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent.

Man was created with as near a perfect conscience as a creature can be
given.

Gen 1:27 . . God created Man in His own image, in the image of God
created He him.

But then came the forbidden fruit incident by which Man's near-divine
conscience underwent something that caused it to become humanistic.

Gen 3:22 . . The Lord God said: The man has now become like one of us,
knowing good and evil.

Man was able to discern between good and evil before his fall, but that was
by means of a conscience influenced by its maker. The forbidden fruit
incident altered Man's conscience to become his own influence, i.e. Man
became defensive, and he rationalizes a lot too. (Rom 2:14-15)

I think Paul was well aware of just how tricky Man's conscience can be so he
was reluctant to insist upon his innocence-- a little sophistry here and a little
there, and even monsters like Communist China's Xi Jinping and North
Korea's Kim Jong-Un can be persuaded in their own minds to believe
themselves okay guys.

1 John 1:8 . . If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves

Jer 17:9-10 . .The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately
sick; who can understand it? . . . I, The Lord, search the heart, I test the
mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the
results of his deeds.

The upside is: Christ's crucifixion not only serves to save people from their
sins, but according to Heb 9:8-14 it saves them from their conscience too.
_
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
5,207
977
113
Oregon
cfbac.org
#8
.
how do I practically accept God as my savior?

Long story short; I went to a church and, accompanied by a couple of elders,
knelt at the rail down front and prayed a really simple, naive prayer that
went something like this:

"God, I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's
death"

My prayer wasn't much to brag about; but was no doubt the smartest
sixteen words I'd ever spoken up to that time because seeing as how Jesus
gave his life for the whole world, then God couldn't very well refuse my
request; now could He.

Rom 5:6-8 . . Christ died for the impious. Very rarely will anyone die for a
righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.
_
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
7,594
3,179
113
#9
I commend your explanation to eGh2003, but was wondering why you would ask him if he got baptized, as baptism has nothing to do with his eternal inheritance.
The Lord commanded it. If you're looking for a debate on this subject I'm not your man.
 

Dirtman

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2022
1,151
441
83
#10
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
One of the ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to us is through our conscience. He convicts us of sin and convinces us of our need for Christ. If your conscience is goading you to scripture and biblical principals then its the Holy Spirit. If its guiding toward false human values then its not the Holy Spirit.
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
12,969
8,674
113
#11
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.

1 Corinthians 12:3

New King James Version

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

This doesn't just mean saying the words.

It means No one can say Jesus is Lord, confess with their mouth, and believe in their heart, unless the Holy Spirit is in them

Have you confessed with your mouth, and believed in your heart?
If so, you ARE born again, and have the Holy Spirit living in you.

The key to hearing Him is to walk in Him, and not in the flesh. You walk in Him by reading Him (the Word) talking and praying to Him, praising and singing to Him, loving the Brethren, and helping the Brethren in all sorts of ways. Fasting to tell your flesh YOU through Him are in control, and NOT the sinful desires of it.

Do these things consistently and I promise you will hear His voice and know His Will for you.

Holy Father, I lift up this man to you. Please make Your Presence known to him in unmistakable ways. Help him grow in the in the knowledge and Presence of You. Let the fruit of Your Spirit manifest itself in ever more mighty ways.
In Jesus Name
 

Edify

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2021
1,338
521
113
#12
One of the ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to us is through our conscience. He convicts us of sin and convinces us of our need for Christ. If your conscience is goading you to scripture and biblical principals then its the Holy Spirit. If its guiding toward false human values then its not the Holy Spirit.
I can't agree with that.
To me that's the reason so many become confused when they are led by their conscience, thinking it's the Holy Spirit. This is why so many Pentecostals & charismatics say "the Spirit showed me this", or "I heard the Lord say" when actually it was all flesh.
Let's face it, anyone can meditate on something long enough & persuade themselves God showed them.
The Holy Spirit shows, leads, & speaks to us in such a way that brings Godly fear to our hearts in a way that our conscience couldn't touch.
As one put it though, When the Holy Spirit reveals to us God's will, our conscience should be changed to follow God's will.
 

Dirtman

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2022
1,151
441
83
#13
I can't agree with that.
To me that's the reason so many become confused when they are led by their conscience, thinking it's the Holy Spirit. This is why so many Pentecostals & charismatics say "the Spirit showed me this", or "I heard the Lord say" when actually it was all flesh.
Let's face it, anyone can meditate on something long enough & persuade themselves God showed them.
The Holy Spirit shows, leads, & speaks to us in such a way that brings Godly fear to our hearts in a way that our conscience couldn't touch.
As one put it though, When the Holy Spirit reveals to us God's will, our conscience should be changed to follow God's will.
Read the entire sentence as a complete thought there is a qualifier there. That qualifier being if you conscience is ..... You fill in the blank from my statement that you quoted.


Never mind.......


Goading you toward scripture and biblical principals. Convicting you of sin and convincing you of need for Jesus.
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,331
113
#14
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
i love my Consciousness!
we have the ability to place our Thoughts under Subjection.

it's like taking 2 Preachers knowing 1 was Called by God and the Other was called by himself.
take what they preach and TEST it to the Bible.
eventually, the one who was Called by God will have every Proof checked and the other one might have a couple.

i get a thought.
i ask, is this from God, Satan, or myself [something i heard before]
i take that thought and Test it against the Bible.

when you have Doubts, read the Book of Job.
look at all he went through.
notice that he never stopped Believing in God.
notice that his situation got worse and worse.
notice that he had many times to justify having doubt about his Eternal Salvation.
notice that in the end of the Book of Job God blessed him greater than before and restored him for his Faithfulness!
Job had many thoughts.
he subjected them to God.
he knew which thoughts were of God and which were from Satan and those around him.

you are able to do the same thing.
our Consciousness is a Beautiful tool when used correctly!
 

GRACE_ambassador

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2021
2,978
1,402
113
Midwest
#15
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
Precious friend, A Very Warm Welcome To Chat. These 'links' may
Be Helpful to you. I will pray for you as you prayerfully/Carefully
study
God's Word Of Truth, With The Holy Spirit (The Blessed Teacher)
vs conscience...:

Please Be Very RICHLY Encouraged And Edified In
The LORD JESUS CHRIST, And His Word Of Truth, Rightly
Divided
.

For God's Salvation:
GRACE And Peace...
 
Sep 13, 2022
90
28
18
#16
Some backstory to start:

I grew up Christian, and was always under the impression that I was saved. Things have been going on in my life, and it has been a real eye-opener for me. I started doing some real introspection and I have found that I am struggling in my walk with the Lord.

I have come across a problem, one that a google search can't solve. What is the difference between the Conscience and The Holy Spirit? I guess I was under the influence that the Holy Spirit was just my Conscience, but it's much different, huh? What is the Holy Spirit like for you guys? And how can I practically obtain the Holy Spirit? I say practically because yes, accept God as my savior and be born again, but I thought I already did that? I guess not. So then logic goes, how do I practically accept God as my savior?

I don't know.
John 3:16 says if you believe in Christ, you are saved and have everlasting life. We are still going to fall short and have trials and tribulation that we need to repent for and pray about. Just keep your faith in God, read His word, ask for understanding and for power over all your enemies. Know that Satan would like nothing more than to cause you to stumble and fall away from worshipping God.