Cauterising was a common historical practice to treat wounds. For patients who had their wounds cauterised, the skin is desensitised, unable to feel anything.
What about our conscience? Can it be made to not feel anything? The Bible certainly speaks on this matter, stating that our conscience can be seared with a hot iron (1 Tim 4:2). But what is our conscience? Conscience is defined as that act or judgment of the mind by which we decide on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our actions, and by which we instantly approve or condemn them. It exists in every man, and is a strong witness to our integrity or guilt.
Before we talk about the conscience being seared with a hot iron, let us look at another instance where the conscience served as a guide for the apostles. The Bible calls this good conscience, where the apostles live honestly and faithfully (1 Tim 1:19, Heb 13:18, 1 Pet 3:16).
The conscience can be trained (Acts 24:16). When we sin against God, our conscience pricks our heart, and that is guilt working on our conscience. First we need to overcome our guilt by choosing to continue to walk in the light, knowing that God will forgive us (1 Jn 1:5-7). Next we need to train our conscience to trigger us to stop even before committing sinful acts. The saying ‘to trust your gut’ can only be applied when you have trained your conscience to prick your heart even before committing a sinful act. When we remain faithful, our conscience is clear. But when we sin against God, our conscience feels it.
If the Bible speaks of having a good conscience, then the reverse must be true, when our conscience is seared with a hot iron. The Bible uses this with reference to false teachers who knowingly propagate lies. Their conscience no longer pricks their hearts for any wrongdoing. This can also apply to any sin that we are struggling with. If we serve the flesh and continue to dwell in sin, our conscience slowly but surely becomes desensitised, and no longer stops us from sin.
We have to decide whether we should train our conscience to help us lead a righteous and faithful life, or choose to numb ourselves by searing our conscience with a hot iron. Whether our conscience is clear in the end by simplicity and godly sincerity (2 Cor 1:12), or seared and apathetic, God will be the Judge (1 Cor 4:4).