Articles
An Appeal for a Good Conscience
Horatius Bonar said, "A seared conscience is the sinner's heritage." Sin corrupts our conscience and robs us of a reliable guide in life. Paul understood this, and it is why he said to Felix, “So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” (Acts 24:16) Paul worked at not violating his conscience. Why? He knew from experience that a corrupt conscience could lead him to do unspeakable evil. While testifying before the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” (Acts 23:1) He meant that he had not violated his conscience now or in the past. He always believed he served God by never doing anything he thought was wrong. Yet, his conscience was seared by sin, and he believed that persecuting the church was right. He needed a good conscience.
We should never violate our conscience. To violate the conscience is to do something our conscience tells us is wrong. For example, Paul taught we should never eat or drink anything we think is wrong. Why? “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23) Paul equates conscience with personal beliefs. Violating personal beliefs is sin.
What if your conscience is wrong? Ole Hallesby said, "Conscience is a living thing, subject to growth and development." Our conscience can be trained to think a certain way. A bitter fruit of sin is a conscience trained to think differently than God. Sin corrupts our conscience. An improperly trained conscience tells us something is good when it is not, and something is evil when it is not. A corrupted conscience must be wiped clean and retrained.
How can the conscience be wiped clean and retrained? A younger Paul lived under the law of Moses. The law was a shadow of reality and could not perfect the conscience. The author of Hebrews said, "gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper." (Heb. 9:9). Christ came as a superior sacrifice to perfect the conscience. Speaking of Christ's crucifixion, the author says, "...the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. " (Heb. 9:14) Purification of the conscience prepares us to confidently enter God's presence. The author continues, "...let us draw near (to God)...with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. " (Heb. 10:22). How can my heart be sprinkled clean from an evil conscience?
The answer lies within the verse. Our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience when our bodies are washed with pure water. This is why Peter says, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience ” (1 Peter 3:21 ESV). Under the law of Moses, washing in water removed physical defilement. In Christ, washing in water removes the defilement of the conscience. Once clean, it is ready for retraining. This is why Paul teaches, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2)
Do you have a good conscience?
