How does a conscience arise?

The Bible records that Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, realized the gravity of his actions and was overcome with such remorse and guilt that he eventually committed suicide (Matthew 27:3-5).
Judas likely could not bear the pangs of conscience for leading an innocent person into sin. This is the inner conflict we experience when our actions clash with our conscience.

We are all born with a conscience, but its origins are unknown scientifically. Look up the dictionary definition of “conscience.” It is an emotion that tells us to know and do what is right and avoid what is wrong. It also makes us feel guilty when we do something we know is wrong. (From the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary)

Where does conscience come from? Curiously, the need for “love” and the basic conscience shared by many people around the world are similar. This includes having a kind and compassionate heart, a gentleness that seeks to help the weak, not harming others through word or action, and not deceiving, lying, or stealing.

It’s as if a moral code, like God’s law, exists within us and functions as an inner sense of right and wrong. I believe our conscience, or inner sense of right and wrong, is something we inherit from God, because God created humans in His own image:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
“So the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

These reflect God’s character, including truth (Psalm 117:2; 1 Samuel 15:29), holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Exodus 3:2), goodness, kindness, mercy, and love (Galatians 5:22-23).

Paul also states that God’s law is written in the hearts of the Gentiles.
“When the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do the deeds of the law by nature, they have the law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the law is written in their hearts, and their consciences also testify. And their thoughts are either accusing or excusing one another.” (Romans 2:14-15).