The smoking gun

It is not material but moral, so could not have evolved from molecules. It is a kind gift from God that is not there to kill us but to correct us by firing a warning shot when we are about to yield to temptations that could cause us much grief.

All babies are born with a conscience. Even three year old Mexican street orphans have a sense of justice. If one is given two sweets and another only one the latter will cry"That's not fair!"

In the true story of Joseph and his dreamcoat, his jealous brothers threw him down a pit then sold him as a slave and thought that was the last they'd ever see of him, but God had other plans!

Joseph became ruler in Egypt next to Pharaoh and 22 years later, during a famine when his brothers went to buy corn, he threw them into prison without them realising the ruler was Joseph.

It was then that the smoking gun of conscience they had tried to stifle came to life and they cried out, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother." Conscience had forced them at gunpoint to read their sins in their circumstances!

Later Joseph, who is meant to remind us of Jesus, forgave his brothers even though they didn't deserve it. He became their saviour and they bowed down to him in the same way as even those who have rejected Christ will bow to Him.

Let us be very thankful for the warning shots of conscience. They are meant to make us hold up our hands and surrender to our Saviour who died to rescue us from the guilt and grip of sin. Read Genesis chapters 37 & 39-50

Rev David V Jebson