"It wasn't an easy decision, but my conscience tells me I did the right thing." Well, maybe the right thing, maybe not, depending on the type of conscience the speaker has formed. Because of original sin, we need to be careful in this regard. When the judgment of conscience agrees with moral truth, only then can it be considered an upright conscience, which then can lead to actually doing the right thing. Morality comes from God, and the judgment of our conscience must recognize that there is an objective good and evil that can then be embraced or rejected. We are free to choose right or wrong but we cannot make something right or wrong simply be willing it. The warning from Isaiah 5:20-21, "Woe to those who call evil good or good evil . . . those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own view" has little meaning if good and evil, right and wrong, are subject to change.
Forming a proper conscience requires a general disposition to be good, love God, and do the right thing. It also requires a knowledge of moral principles gained through Scripture, natural law, and the teaching of the Catholic Church. Lastly it requires being able to apply moral principles to specific situations.
Being a Christian means subscribing to specific doctrines as well as following a lifestyle which imitates Jesus while obeying His teachings. Just wanting to be good without knowing objective moral principles results in moral subjectivity, or moral relativism. What feels right then becomes more important than God's revelation of His will or the proven principles of natural law. Since conscience is meant to guide us to right conduct, it must be more than opinion. It must offer moral truth, not just comply with our own perspective or personal preference, or even a social convention. An appeal to "acting according to my conscience" cannot justify wrongdoing. What fundamentally makes an action good or bad is whether it conforms to moral truth, not to a subjective perception of the truth.
Jesus was fully human, which meant He had a human conscience and also needed to make proper moral decisions. His approach? "I always do what is pleasing to Him [the Father]" John 8:29. This only comes through prayer and developing a close relationship with the Father. Forming a proper conscience requires us to follow a similar approach.
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