My Conscience Won't Allow Me To Rest.

 

"Conscience”– this is a word Paul used altogether 23 times in his speeches and letters recorded in the New Testament. It is used only nine times in other parts of the New Testament. Some important references are Rom 2:15; 1 Tim 1:5, 19; 3:9; 4:2; 2 Tim 1:3; Titus 1:15; Heb 9:9, 14; 10:22; 1 Pet 3:16.

Conscience is an inner faculty which judges what is right and wrong. It is an inner voice which can speak in alarm when an individual does something contrary to its judgments, or be calm and clear when it judges behavior to be correct. Paul insisted on the importance of having a “good” conscience (1 Tim 1:19). In Acts 24:16 and 2 Cor 1:12 he gives one of the principles he always followed.

Paul insisted on the importance of having a “good” conscience (1 Tim 1:19). In Acts 24:16 and 2 Cor 1:12 he gives one of the principles he always followed. Even when he was persecuting the church he maintained a good conscience (Acts 26:9; Phil 3:6). He thought that what he was doing was right (Acts 26:9. Compare John 16:2).

This shows that conscience is not infallible and can make serious errors. It needs to be instructed by the Word of God. See also the note at Heb 9:14. If a conscience is defiled with sin and conscious of guilt, it needs to be “cleansed”. That is, it must be satisfied that sin and guilt have been taken away, that there is no longer any reason for God’s judgment and punishment to come.

This is what the blood of Christ does. Our knowledge of the sacrifice of Christ, our faith that His blood was shed to take away our sins, satisfies our conscience. The blood of Christ does not cleanse us from the knowledge that we are sinners (1 John 1:8; 1 Tim 1:15), but assures us that God’s anger is removed from us. God uses the truth about Christ’s sacrifice in our minds to instruct our consciences and so cleanse them. Compare Acts 15:9.

An awakened conscience that accuses and rages against us is a very painful thing. How can it find peace and rest? Only in Christ’s sacrifice. When this happens we can freely and gladly “serve the living God”.