(1 Peter 3:16) Keep a clear conscience.
Peter calls Christians to live with a clear—good, pure, clean—conscience.
The conscience refers to our inner consciousness of what is right and wrong.
It guides us in our moral and ethical choices.
It is our moral compass for living holy lives before God and others.
It is our internal voice telling us what is right and what is wrong.
1 Timothy 4:2 tells us that unbelieving liars have “burned up” their consciences.
Their consciences are dead.
They no longer function as an inner moral guide.
When we violate our conscience over and over again, there is a significant danger that it can basically stop functioning.
It becomes dull.
We can lose clarity concerning what is right and wrong.
For many in our culture today, wrong is called good, and good is called wrong.
We could say that the conscience of our society—the people—is in many ways depraved.
When our hearts are not filled with the Holy Spirit, our consciences can become dark.
Nothing is more freeing for Christians than living with a clear conscience before God and others.
When we are born again—with the Holy Spirit living within us—and live righteously before God, we are set free from internal guilt.
As we mature in our Christian faith, our conscience functions at a very high level.
We no longer live in spiritual darkness, hiding our ungodly actions.
Mature Christians understand the daily process of keeping a clear conscience.
The truth is, however, that we will violate our conscience at times by consciously sinning against God and others.
We all do.
When we act contrary to God’s righteousness, we experience internal conviction through the Holy Spirit living with us.
The Holy Spirit is grieved within us when we sin, and we can sense that things are not right.
Some of us try to ignore the conviction.
Some of us just try to change our behavior.
Some of us blame others for our actions.
But freedom of conscience will only come when we honestly ask God for forgiveness.
Repentance is a very positive personal act of mature faith because it bring intrnal freedom.
Mature Christians see repentance as a way of life in Christ.
We should be quick to repent and see God not as condemning us, but as healing us.
1 John 1:9 gives us the overall good news: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Are you quick to repent when the Holy Spirit convicts you of wrongdoing?
Or do you try to ignore the Holy Spirit’s conviction in your life?
Repentance is healing.
Mature Christians live a life of repentance, live in the Spirit, and live in the freedom of God every day.
Do you?