“As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.“
(1 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLT)
We all must have heard this sentence “My conscience is clear” at some point before. We may have even said it ourselves. While we need to have a clear conscience, the sensitivity and integrity of individual consciences are very relative.
The conscience of some people permits them to do certain things, while the conscience of some others won’t permit them to do those same things. It is not enough for us to feel like we are in the clear with our conscience. We must make sure that the clearness of our conscience is in alignment with the word of God and the Holy Spirit.
There are many thieves, fornicators, adulterers, idolaters, etc who do the things they do without feeling guilty. They believe it is natural, and they believe their actions are acceptable. This doesn’t mean that God has lowered his standards to align with their consciences. God is still God, and sin is still sin. One can have a supposedly clear conscience and still be in danger of Hell. We must seek God always to ensure that we are not just doing right by ourselves, but that we are doing right by Him.
Prayer: Psalms 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Chubie Ujah
(To access the entire “The Conscience” mini-series, please press here.)