MAINTAIN a CLEAR CONSCIENCE before GOD and PEOPLE!
November
13 Bible Reading: Acts Chapters 22-24
MAINTAIN a CLEAR CONSCIENCE before GOD and PEOPLE!
"But this I confess to you, that
according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my
fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience
without offense toward God and men." (Acts 24:14-16)
Apostle Paul’s
defense before Governor Felix was threefold:
his life, his faith and his service to
his nation. In his spirited defense, Paul did not deny the third charge that he
was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. But what he did say was that in
this capacity he served the God of the
Jews, believing all things which are written in the Old Testament. He
shared the expectation of all orthodox Jews, especially the Pharisees, that there would be a resurrection of the dead,
both of the just and the unjust, and this was his conviction and source of
comfort.
In the light
of this coming resurrection, Paul earnestly tried to preserve an unclouded
relationship with God and with his fellow men at all times, and emphasized the
importance of having a conscience void of offense toward God and man (vs. 16). Having a clear conscience was vital to his
preparation for spiritual warfare!
God has
given us a conscience that brings guilt in our hearts when we do wrong. Romans
2:15 tells is that our conscience either accuses or excuses us for our actions.
For the obedient follower of Christ, care for the conscience is an important
way to maintain a moral compass in our lives. We should freely and regularly
confess our sins before God, turn away from it and make restitutions as a way
of our lifestyle (1 John 1:9; Lev. 6:2-5). Apostle Paul modeled a
well-maintained conscience in his lifestyle (v. 16), and we should also always earnestly attempt to keep our conscience clear
through confession and repentance!
"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." (1 John 3:21-22)
