Conscience

The word is not found in the Old Testament. The chief passage in the New Testament is Rom. 2:14–15. The concept is that we are born with a natural capacity to distinguish between right and wrong, due to the Light of Christ that is given to every person (D&C 84:44–53). We have a faculty by means of which we can pass judgment on our own conduct, either approving or condemning it, so anticipating the divine judgment on it. This faculty is called conscience. The possession of it at once makes us responsible beings. Like other faculties, it needs to be trained and may be deadened through misuse. Bible teaching on the subject may be classified as follows: an accusing, Gen. 3:10; 42:21; 1 Sam. 24:16–22; Prov. 20:27; Matt. 14:2; 27:3; Mark 6:16; Luke 9:7; John 8:9; Acts 24:25; Rom. 2:15; an ill-informed or ill-trained, John 16:2; Acts 8:1, 3; 26:9; Rom. 9:31; 10:2; Gal. 1:14; 4:9–11; Col. 2:16–18; 1 Tim. 1:13; a good, Acts 23:1; 24:16; Rom. 2:15; 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:12; 4:2; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9; Heb. 13:18; 1 Pet. 3:16, 21; 1 Jn. 3:21; an evil, 1 Tim. 4:2; Titus 1:15; 1 Jn. 3:22; working of, Rom. 13:5; 14:22; 1 Pet. 2:19; respect for a weak, Rom. 14; 15:1; 1 Cor. 8:7–13; 10:23–33; purification of the, Heb. 9:14; 10:22; 1 Pet. 3:21.