Your Conscience

Acts 23:1

            Paul states in this passage that he has lived “in all good conscience before God until this day.” Could you make the same statement? Is your conscience good? What is a “conscience”? What does it do? What things affect it? Let’s look at the Bible and see if we can answer these questions.

Some say that your conscience is your “heart” in the Bible, [1 Sam.24:5] David’s heart smote him. Since the term “conscience” is not in the Old Testament that may be true. [Rom.2:15] seems to show a separation between your heart and conscience. [Titus1:15] seems to make a distinction between the mind and your conscience. When we look at scripture, your conscience seems to act as a filter. You run all your thoughts (mind) and feelings (heart) through your conscience (filter) and then act (will). Sometimes you then “let your conscience be your guide”, right or wrong. Sometime we disregard our conscience and do what we want. Paul used the fact that he had a “good conscience” in his testimony, before Ananias. Let’s look at the Bible and see what it says about your conscience.

[Heb.10:22] You can have an Evil conscience. You probably would not want to trust in one like that. Before you were saved your conscience had no problem with some of your sin. It also by nature tried to make you do right, [Rom.2:14-15] [Titus 1:15] Your conscience can be Defiled. [1 Cor.8:1-13] It will be defiled because it is Weak.

[1 Tim.4:2] Your conscience can be Seared. [Romans 1:32] is an example.

When you get saved the blood of Christ Purges your conscience, [Heb. 9:14] When you purge the files on your computer you get rid of all unnecessary or corrupt files. Christ purges your conscience (filter) from “dead works”. Unless you strengthen your conscience it can become weak and defiled.

Now, your conscience Convicts you [John 8:9], Bears Witness [Rom.9:1], and Testifies                 [2 Cor.1:12] The Holy Spirit works through your conscience to accomplish His will. If you submit your conscience (filter) to the things of God (The Bible) then you will have a conscience like Paul.

[2 Cor.4:2] Paul new that he was an example to every man’s conscience, [Heb.13:18] asked prayer for a Good conscience. He mentioned a Pure conscience to Timothy, [1 Tim.3:9], [2 Tim.1:3], and developed a conscience Void of Offence, [Acts.24:16]

Your conscience is the filter within you to stop impurities from getting through. You are responsible for what “media” your filter is made of. [John 15:3] Jesus said “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” The word of God needs to be the filter media used in your conscience to be sure of a clean conscience before God.