“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men” (Acts 24:16.).
“Let your conscience be your guide!” Have you ever heard that saying before? Where have you heard it? Much emphasis is not being placed on the conscience these days. So what is this conscience all about? What is the importance of having a good or clear conscience? And why is it necessary to pay attention to it?
Well, many of us are unaware that a “good conscience” is really a Biblical concept, and keeping a clear conscience is a must. Conscience has been defined as “that still, small voice that makes you feel smaller still,” or, as one little boy puts it, “It is that which feels bad when everything else feels good.” Our conscience is a conduit, instrument or means for conviction of the Holy Spirit enabling repentance. Unsullied, it is a mirror that reflects our character at any given moment. It is a reflection of the depth of our being. Hence, it is important for us to pay attention to it.
Oftentimes, we con ourselves into thinking or believing that we are not doing anything wrong, and by the time we catch ourselves, as the saying goes, we have already lost control. It is for this reason that we need to pay attention to our conscience. You see, God gave us a conscience and He wants us to use it. If not, we can end up creating a big scab over it so that we do not even notice when we are doing things wrong.
Some people deliberately violate their conscience for their own selfish means and ambitions, but we all must deal with our conscience. Our conscience can comfort and threaten us. When we fail to pay attention to our conscience, it can become hard, warped or seared. When this happens, we tend to mistake right for wrong and wrong for right. We fail to know the difference and our conscience ceases to bother us. We become downright callous and that is indeed a dreadful state to be in.
To guard against this, therefore, it behooves us to keep a clear conscience. For the Apostle Paul, keeping a clear conscience was a must. Scripture tells us that his ministry took him everywhere, and it seemed that he had little supervision or accountability. Yet, he took great pain to avoid any impropriety and impression of abuses. Scripture further points out that when he defended himself before his accusers, this was what he said: “…Men [and] brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23:1). You see, my friends, having a clear conscience is not only being blameless before men and before God – it is also about being equally zealous in pleasing God before our accusers.
It is important to be honest with yourself and with others around you, especially those with whom you work. A clear conscience is the key to happiness. It’s impossible to be happy when we’re not honest with ourselves and others. Honesty is important whether we choose to utilize it at work or in our personal lives.
Another key advantage to having a good, clear conscience is that it enables you to establish trust and credibility with colleagues, bosses and customers. People will pay attention when you talk or present ideas because you are known as someone who gives careful thought to consequences of actions and, as a result, makes good decisions.
People who operate by using dishonest deeds and actions will be found out at some point in time. The temptation may be strong, but the long-term benefits of maintaining good ethical stance will far outweigh the short-term benefits of acting dishonestly or unethically. When you have a good, clear conscience, there is nothing like a good night’s sleep. Pride may also be hard to achieve when the conscience is not clear.
The Apostle Paul also warned Timothy about having a good conscience. He instructed him: ‘by rejecting this some have made shipwreck of their faith.’ A good conscience is a conscience that does not condemn you for the things you do or don’t do.
If we are to have and maintain a good, clear conscience, therefore, we ought to pray for ourselves and for all men. At the top of Paul’s list of things that we must do in order to keep a clear conscience, is to pray for other people. All God’s instructions are summed up in this: Love God with your whole being, and love your neighbour as yourself. That must be the premise or foundation from which we must start.
We must guard our conscience, and the conscience of others, so we all may have a clear conscience. Anything we do to people that are unloving will prick our conscience and threaten our faith.
Remember: “Let your conscience be your guide.”
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com.
