Conscience involves a recognition of personal responsibility (2 Cor. 5:10).  We all have a conscience because we all must give an account for what we do with the freedom and power God has given us.

How do we know what God expects?

We first learn what God expects from the law. God gave us the law to assist us in looking at ourselves through His eyes. The law shows us that sin is repulsive in God’s eyes. A guilty conscience is one that looks at its own soul through the eyes of the law and sees the stain of sin.

It is only a "tutor" that leads us through childhood

toward a more mature relation

in which we come to see God as a Father. (Gal. 4:1-7)

We learn to see God as a Father by looking at ourselves through the eyes of his Son. Jesus perfectly reveals what God expects. When we look at ourselves through His eyes, we see that, inspite of our sins, God loves us and wants to forgive us. That is why the gospel is good news! Those who trust Jesus receive power to conquer sin and be free of guilt. We are authorized to look at ourselves as new persons, as sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

No one grasped the implications of this better than the apostle Paul. He was the first person on record to claim to have a "good conscience." (Acts 23:1) He did that while on trial before the Sanhedrin. When he did so, the High Priest — presumably in good conscience — immediately ordered someone to "strike him on the mouth." (Acts 23:2) People have disputed appeals to conscience ever since.

Conflict with the Sanhedrin was inevitable for Paul. He was using a different standard by which to measure conscience. The Sanhedrin measured their consciences by the law that was written by the finger of God on tablets of stone. Paul was measuring his conscience by the Spirit of Christ whose finger he felt clearly on his heart.

We will all give an account for what we do with the freedom and power God has given us.

We will all be held personally responsible for every opinion we express, for every action we take, and for every vote we make. Those missing or absent when issues of conscience are raised among God’s people will not escape accountability.

Until that final account is made, each person is required to examine their own conscience. The best way to do that is to measure it by what Jesus revealed that God expects.

2 Cor. 5:10 (NIV)

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

Galatians 4:1-7 (KJV)

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:  But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.