If our conscience is to aid us on the way to life everlasting, we need to study diligently God’s Word, the Sacred Scriptures. Why? Because through knowledge of the Bible and by application of it in our lives we can come to know Jehovah God, know his personality, ways and purposes. Without a clear vision of Him we cannot possibly reflect his qualities and standards, and the voice of our conscience will be blurred, indistinct and confused.

4. (a) What other help is needed? (b) Illustrate this. (c) What do we learn from the scriptures cited at the end of this paragraph?

⁴ We also need to seek continually Jehovah God’s spirit, praying unceasingly for it. The apostle spoke of his conscience as ‘bearing witness with him in holy spirit,’ and it is by the spirit of God operating on our enlightened and Scripture-trained minds and hearts that we can be assured of correct testimony from the witness-bearer within us. (Rom. 9:1) We can illustrate this by a child who has been brought up by a loving father, one who carefully instilled in his son certain principles and standards, not only by word, but also by example. Now suppose, on an occasion when the child is away from his father, someone endeavors to get the child to engage in an act contrary to his father’s principles. Perhaps the precise act suggested was never mentioned by the child’s father. The person tempting the child to perform the act may even say, “Did your father ever specifically say you couldn’t do this?” The answer may be, “No, he did not.” And yet the child may reject the proposal, saying, “Even though my father never mentioned it, I just know he wouldn’t want me to do it​—I know he wouldn’t like it!” Even without a specific command, the boy knows what to do. Why? Because he has the spirit of his father, he knows his father’s attitude on the matter. In similar ways we can come to know Jehovah’s attitude with the help of his Word and that of his Son and by the holy spirit.​—Compare 1 Corinthians 2:16; also the example of Paul’s “spirit” as guiding the congregation at Corinth, as recorded at 1 Corinthians 5:3-5.

⁶ Christ Jesus showed that the entire Law code given to Israel rested on two basic commands: Love of God with all one’s heart, mind, soul and strength, and love of one’s neighbor as of oneself. (Matt. 22:36-40) The apostle Paul also says that the laws against adultery, murder, stealing, covetousness, “and whatever other commandment there is, is summed up in this word, namely ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor; therefore love is the law’s fulfillment.” (Rom. 13:9, 10) Are we governed by that love of God and neighbor and do we have accurate knowledge of God’s Word and strong faith? Then even without an extensive code of regulations, rules and restrictions, we can stay on the pathway of righteousness, because we have God’s law ‘written on our hearts.’ (Heb. 10:16) “Law” means, basically, a ‘rule of conduct.’ All that we learn about God, both by study and by his dealings with us, becomes our rule of conduct or “law.” When this is so, then our conscience bears good, reliable testimony to guide us.