In dealing with the conscience we need to deal to such an extent that we have life and peace, but we also need a governing standard of dealing. Generally speaking, the inward lack of life and peace must be dealt with until we obtain life and peace, but this does not mean that all feelings lacking life and peace demand dealings. We only need to ask ourselves if this feeling meets the standard of dealings. If it corresponds with the standard, then we proceed to deal with it; otherwise, it is not necessary. Therefore, the standard of dealing is an important yardstick when we begin to practice the dealings.
When a Christian is touched by the love of the Lord and decides to follow Him, he is willing to yield to the Lord’s thorough dealings, even to the point of losing his face and at any cost. At this time Satan often comes with many counterfeit feelings. In some cases people have been so deceived by him that they have felt obliged to deal unnecessarily, thereby suffering spiritual loss. Hence, we must recognize a standard to gauge all our dealings and measure carefully all the feelings that lack life and peace. In this way we can avoid many dangers and mistakes. Consequently, the standard for our dealings is a boundary and a protection as well.
We have said that the standard of dealing with sin is righteousness. Only the matters which are not righteous need to be dealt with. If there is no unrighteousness, there is nothing to consider. The standard of our dealing with the world is whether or not we are slavishly possessed by the world in our daily living. All that is not necessary for our existence or all that possesses us needs to be dealt with; other than that, there is no further need of dealing. However, the standard of our dealing with the conscience is whether or not a matter is meaningful or sensible. This applies when we intend to deal with the lack of peace in our conscience. We must ask, “Is this lack of peace meaningful? When I deal with it, am I edified? Can others be helped? Can God be glorified?” If it is meaningful, we accept it and deal accordingly. However, if it is meaningless, we should reject it and not deal with it.
For example, consider a brother who after reading a book throws it down carelessly. Immediately, a lack of peace is registered inwardly, and his carelessness is rebuked by his conscience. In such a case he ought to go and carefully handle and replace the book. He must handle the book according to his inner feeling; then he will have the inward peace. In such a case, this lack of peace is evidently meaningful, teaching him not to be a careless person. However, if this brother has no peace while sitting in a chair, yet he has peace while sitting on the floor, he has dealt with his conscience to a meaningless degree. If he has no peace when carrying his Bible in his hand, but he has peace when it is on his shoulder, this lack of peace is nonsense. The more he deals with these meaningless feelings, the more such feelings will multiply. Consequently, the ground is given to Satan’s attacks, causing much unnecessary suffering.
On one hand, we should deal with our conscience strictly according to the demands of our inner life and peace. On the other hand, we should also be governed by the standard of meaningfulness. According to the principle, we will then have balanced and profitable dealings which will cause us to grow in life and give no ground to the enemy to attack us.
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