As we are all aware, we live at a time when a ‘new society’ is under construction, with new thinking and an entirely new morality. A massive revolution has been under way for years. God has been dismissed and most traditional morality trampled upon and scorned. We now have approval of the murder of unborn children, the LGBT agenda, same-sex marriage and gender fluidity, and still more lying before us. The architects of the new order determine ethical values entirely by emotion, that is, by what society wants, and what makes it feel good. There is, of course, no place for God’s revelation, for that is seen as a ridiculous basis for the structure of society. There is no source of guidance outside human reason, driven nowadays by emotion.

Existence of conscience

There is a great deal of literature in the academic world tracing the different means by which the new society has been promoted. Already, most people in the West are supportive. The young know nothing else. Most instinctually believe that same-sex marriage is good, and homosexuality permissible and right and reasonable. Only religious minorities have any doubts. What modern society pays no attention to, whether the most sophisticated promoters of these new values, or their lowliest, unthinking followers, is the existence of the human conscience. Paul reveals this unalterable force in human affairs in Romans 2.14-15, writing –

‘For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.’

Here is the independent faculty of conscience in every person, assessing and judging all our thoughts and actions. Here, then, is the inner witness of right and wrong, programmed by God. It may be ignored, and it may be corrupted to a great extent, but scripturally it is always there, and even if resented and put out of view, its basic programming lies beneath the surface. Even in the heathen world of old where there was no revelation of the Ten Commandments, the standards of God were inscribed in the consciences of all. Throughout time, whoever rejects the moral values given by God must contend with the conscience. It will never be a painless or effortless rejection. There must be some spasm of discomfort and unease and a conscious act of rebellion to crush it. The conscience, at some point, must be put aside. All who have framed and propagated the new counter-morality have had to tread down the conscience and the law of God within them. The apostle goes on to say that conscience will cry out in the last day and affirm the judgement of God. The most hardened atheist has a conscience. The person who reasons most powerfully in favour of the alternative morality, motivated by emotion (sinful desire), and silencing the conscience, will find the cry of that conscience unanswerable in the Great Day.

A powerful ally

We may think of some of the wild vaccination fears we have heard in recent times. Many people – even sensible minds – seriously think that an evil manipulator is using the vaccines to inject millions of people with nanochips, so that information can be gleaned about their movements and so on. But when you think about it, the Christian as he preaches the Gospel has at his disposal something far more powerful than such nanochips, because in every unsaved person there is a conscience, and if the Spirit moves it will come to life, convicting of sin and authenticating the truthfulness of the Gospel. As we preach or witness, though people may never have heard about their need of salvation before, and though their minds may be heavily programmed against it, the reality and urgency of the Gospel, and the necessity of pardon and life will become evident to them. Whatever the campaign for a new morality may seem to achieve, we have as witnessing believers an ally in every rebel heart – a conscience programmed by God and ready to be brought to life by the work of the Spirit. In the meantime, who knows how much pain and suffering in society is produced by the fact that the conscience has been silenced and suppressed by the drive for conflicting standards? Paul says more about the conscience and the awareness of sin in unsaved people in the course of the formidable sin list that runs from Romans 1.29. He speaks of those who are – ‘filled with all unrighteousness’, concluding with these words:

‘Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.’

There is definitely a sense of guilt and wrongdoing attached to all the ‘liberties’ of the new morality. Yes, it is suppressed, and true morality is fiercely attacked. But the original programme can never be altogether deleted, and the inner conflict of values will no doubt kindle all kinds of emotional and mental disturbance.

Unease within

Those solemn words: ‘Who knowing the judgment of God…’ are true of everyone. This explains why atheism and alternative morality are so militant. Proponents of the LGBT agenda and other aspects of the new morality are driven to militancy by unease of conscience. They cannot tolerate Christian morality, and are angry and bitter against it. They are determined to capture all society and dominate all institutions and legislation. By doing so they build up a kind of pseudo-legitimacy. The urge to do so comes from unease within, evidence of the groans of suppressed conscience. What a powerful ally believers possess in the conscience. Let the advocates of immorality despise us, dismiss us as contemptible, and view us as a defeated, routed ideology. The reality is, if the Spirit is with us, our words of witness will pierce to the conscience and capture hearts. This is vastly superior to any imagined nanochip and we are certain of it because almighty God has revealed it in his infallible Word.

Taken from a Tabernacle Prayer Meeting Address