The Testimony of Your Conscience

In the Bible various consciences are described as clear, weak, evil, defiled, seared, corrupted, witnessing, testifying, good, and cleansed. It would be easy to draw the conclusion that a good, clear, and cleansed conscience reflects God’s absolute moral law, and that if you follow your conscience you will not be guilty. Sometimes that is true, and sometimes it is up for question.

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace. (2 Corinthians 1:12)

In this verse, Paul says he is innocent because his conscience testifies for him. However, he also says in the fourth chapter that a clear conscience does not necessarily guarantee innocence:

My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:4-5)

A person may say his conscience does not hurt, as if that were proof that he is innocent. It is not. Some consciences are “clear” only because they have been seared. They are deadened by unconfessed sin. Others are filled with false guilt instead of real guilt when they should be clean. The conscience is only an aid, and an imperfect one at that.

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