A GOOD CONSCIENCE

“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void of offense toward God, and toward men.”
Acts 24:16
King James Version

The conscience is a powerful faculty whereby we distinguish between right and wrong and prompts us to do the former and shun the latter; commending one and condemning the other. Simply stated, the conscience is our ethical sense organ or internal warning system. When the conscience is violated, we experience immediate punishment by feelings and emotions of anxiety, fear, guilt, estrangement, shame or internal conflict.
The conscience functions to point us toward what is right and what we should do in accordance with the will of God. It is part of our spirit that facilitates fellowship and communion with God. The Apostle Paul teaches that by two things, our conscience and creation all men know that God exists (Romans 1:20; 2:14-15).
Although the conscience is a powerful faculty, alone it is not trustworthy. It is possible to be without conscience and sincere and yet be sincerely wrong. Before his conversion, Paul persecuted and murdered many Christians with a clear conscience. The conscience must come into alignment and agreement with the word of God. The conscience is enlightened and prompted by the Holy Spirit through the word of God. Depending on the education it receives, the conscience can be wrong . The word of God must be the standard for the conscience.
Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” So, the love of the word of God and obeying the conscience educated by the word of God will guard against stumbling or ‘striking against’ God and your neighbor.
In Acts 24, Paul must defend himself against false accusations from fellow Jews who had determined to kill him. Paul boldly stated his innocence before his accusers and Felix based on the fact that he practiced obeying his conscience and made it a habit of life. He had the testimony of his conscience, the witness of the Holy Ghost (Romans 9:1) and the word of God to guide him in everyday life. By disciplining and aligning himself with the word of God in his appetites, passion, desires and all endeavors, Paul stated that he had a blameless, clear conscience.
Do you have a clear conscience towards God? Are you offended with anyone? Have you offended anyone? Is your conscience being ruled by the Holy Spirit? Today, may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22). Studying the word of God strengthens and sensitizes the voice of the conscience. Commit to obeying your conscience and the promptings of the Spirit so that you can experience a clear conscience.