“And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” — Acts 23:1
Paul’s testimony was that he “lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” To Timothy, he says he lived with a “pure conscience” (2 Timothy 1:3). And in Acts 24:16, he says he had a conscience “void of offence toward God, and toward men.”
A conscience is what will force a person to live miserably or happy. A guilty conscience will force someone to confess his crime to the police. A guilty conscience drives some to the point of committing suicide. A good conscience, on the other hand, will make a person content, satisfied, and live joyfully. A good conscience, or pure conscience, or conscience void of offense, is important for any individual, but it’s essential for a Christian. Having a good conscience will be a great benefit to your ministry, to your family, and to your own heart.
The way to have a good conscience is to keep short accounts with the Lord and with others. Whenever there’s an offense against the Lord or against others, it is very important to seek forgiveness and get things right. Live “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ” (1 Peter 3:16). It should be a prayer and desire of every one of God’s children to work at gaining and maintaining a good conscience.