Day 283: Acts 22:30–23:1

Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience until this day” (v. 1).

We learn volumes about Paul by noting his priorities. A clear conscience was no doubt one of them, since he spoke of it often in his letters. The Greek word for “conscience” is suneidesis, which means “to be one’s own witness, one’s own conscience coming forward as a witness. It denotes an abiding consciousness whose nature it is to bear witness to one’s own conduct in a moral sense. It is self-awareness.” In lay terms we might say the conscience is an inner constituent casting a vote about the rightness of our behaviors.

God’s Word helps us compile several facts concerning the conscience:

1. People without a spotless past can enjoy a clear conscience. What wonderful news! Paul spoke of possessing a clear conscience numerous times, yet he considered himself one of the worst possible offenders. His conscience was clear even though he had wronged many people in the past. A clear conscience is possible for those of us who have sinned.

2. Good deeds cannot accomplish a clear conscience. Have you ever tried to worship or serve God when your conscience was bothering you after an unsettled argument with your spouse or a coworker? Or perhaps after telling a lie to someone? Hebrews 9:9 tells us of two things that will never clear the conscience of the worshipper: gifts and sacrifices. We’ve all probably tried to soothe our consciences with good works. God’s Word tells us we cannot offer enough gifts or sacrifices to clear a guilty conscience. Take heart! The Bible does give us some steps to a clear conscience.

3. The Holy Spirit works with the believer’s conscience. The Holy Spirit plays a critical role in creating and maintaining a clear conscience. In Romans 9:1, Paul said the Holy Spirit confirmed his conscience. Once we have received Christ and the Holy Spirit resides within us, the Holy Spirit will work with our consciences. The Spirit works both to confirm a clear conscience and to convict a guilty conscience. We all naturally prefer to ignore our sin. The one part of us that does not ignore sin is our conscience. For that reason the Holy Spirit deals with conscience first, not with our intellect or emotions. You might think of the relationship this way: the Holy Spirit plants conviction in the soil of the conscience. If ignored, that conviction will usually grow and grow.

4. The conscience is an indicator, not a transformer. Only the Holy Spirit can change us and clear our consciences. By itself, all the conscience can do with a guilty person is condemn. My conscience may lend an awareness of what I ought to do, but it supplies little power to do it. The believer possesses something far greater. The Holy Spirit who resides in us supplies abundant power not only to recognize the right thing, but to do it!

Can we really have clear consciences? The Bible says we can. Considering Paul’s past, if he can have a clear conscience, any of us can. Like me, you may have discovered that asking God for forgiveness doesn’t always make you feel better. Sometimes we know we’re forgiven, but we still feel a load of guilt. How can we discover the freedom of a clear conscience? I believe Hebrews 10:22 holds several vital keys: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water” (hcsb). Consider these steps to a clear conscience:

Bring your heavy conscience to God. When we have a guilty conscience, we shy away from the presence of God. We tend to resist what we need most: an awareness of God’s love! Draw near to God!

Approach God with absolute sincerity. Come entirely clean before Him. Spill your heart and confess everything you feel. Tell Him about the guilt that continues to nag at you. You’ll not only clear your heart and mind, you’ll tattle on the evil one who has no right to keep accusing you after repentance.

Ask God to give you full assurance of His love and acceptance. In His Word, God tells you over and over how much He loves you. He assures you of His forgiveness. He also tells you He forgets your confessed sin. Ask God to give you faith to take Him at His Word. You needn’t fear rejection or ridicule. Let Him reassure you of His love and forgiveness.

Picture the cross of Christ once more. Really take a good mental look at it. Was Christ’s death on the cross enough to cover your sin? Enough to take away your guilt? Yes. He gave everything He had for everything we’ve said, done, or thought. Then picture yourself at the foot of His cross, close enough to have your heart cleansed by His redemptive blood. No sin is too grievous. No load is too heavy for Christ to carry. Walk away free, and leave with God that old condemning tape you’ve been playing over and over on your mental “recorder”!

Like the apostle Paul, we can enjoy a clear conscience even after a guilty past. Don’t wait another moment. “Draw near to God” (Heb. 10:22).