Straight Thinking 090367 Maintaining a Good Conscience
Straight Thinking
090367
MAINTAINING A GOOD CONSCIENCE
Sunday. BE AWARE. We have a good conscience if it’s free from the guilt feeling. The trouble is, we’re like almost everyone else; we probably do something every day that’s wrong and then feel guilty about it afterwards. How can we maintain a clear conscience when we’ve offended someone, including God? The first thing in curing a bad conscience is to understand that sin ruins a good one. (Read Acts 24:16).
Monday. BE SURE. Sometimes we feel guilty when we shouldn’t. Only by thinking about God’s word can we be sure of what displeases him. When publicly accused as a criminal, Paul replied that his conscience was clear. Knowing we are not in error gives us a good conscience. (Read 1 Corinthians 8:4-8; Romans 7:7; Acts 24:1-16.)
Tuesday. RECTIFY. If our conscience bothers us because we wronged someone, we won’t feel right till we make amends. If the friend does not accept the apology, we have to just let it go and deal with the consequences. More than likely, though, if we’re mean it, other people will restore our relationship. (Read Luke 19:7-10.)
Wednesday. BE CLEANSED. When we sin against other people, we also sin against God who make them. Our friends may have forgiven us, but what about him? Besides being sorry for sin, we need to commit ourselves to Jesus as God’s righteous Son, and identify with him in baptism in order to have his blood cleanse the guilt from our conscience. (Read Acts 22:6-16; Hebrews 10:1-10.)
Thursday. PRAY. Prayer is an important part of overcoming an accusing conscience. When our conscience catches us red-handed, we should be mature enough to admit it and confess it. We’re not hiding anything from God by not owning up to it in prayer; he already knows. Admitting we have sinned puts us at his mercy to forgive us if he will. He will; that’s the point. (Read Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:8-10.)
Friday. HAVE FAITH. Have you experienced that gnawing guilt even after prayer? You don’t need to beg God to do what he has volunteered to do; just let him. He’s not trying to see how many people he can make feel bad or send to hell. Don’t suppose he doesn’t understand; Jesus knows perfectly well what it’s like to be human, and he intercedes for us. (Read Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Timothy 2:5, 8.)
Saturday. SIN NO MORE. No sin is so terrible that we are hopelessly alienated from God. We need not brood over past failure; forget it. Resolve to meet this day with a heart of zeal. You need not be afraid of defeat; God is on your side. If he is for you, who can be against you? We maintain a good conscience by knowing that we are doing our best for the Master. (Read Romans 8:31-39.)
Virgil Warren, Straight, September 3, 1967, p13 christir.org