Then he says, “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” Acts 24:16 (NKJV)
In these verses, Paul explains his commitment to having a clear, clean, healthy conscience. A conscience with offense means that his conscience is full of past sins or offenses that God can point at and say you disobeyed me and never tried to make it right. And it also means people around him could point at him and say you offended me and never tried to make it right.
But a clear conscience or one without offense means that he clears up problems with people and God so that there is no standing conflict between them. This means that Paul had to humble himself and ask forgiveness for things he did against someone. He had to repair his relationships and make things right. He had to give things back that he took from them, pay back loans he borrowed, repair peoples reputations when he spoke ill of them, etc. He made sure all things were fully satisfied in the eyes of the offended party.
God is pure and strengthens his followers with grace. Paul warns those who do not seek to please God and suffer the consequences, “…having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,” 1 Timothy 1:19 (NKJV)
Now, why is it so important to have a good conscience? The reason a good conscience is important is that without a good, clear conscience you will shipwreck your faith. This is illustrated by a ship going through a channel and it must keep exactly on the course that was mapped in the past as a shipping lane. If the ship goes off the course for any reason it will run aground and be shipwrecked by hidden rocks.
So it is obvious, a dirty conscience will shipwreck you because unconfessed sin leaves you blinded to God’s warning buoys and the jagged satanic traps are all around to destroy and harm you.
Let’s look further into this. Paul also writes, “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” Titus 1:15-16 (NKJV)
Unconfessed sin is like a disease that will grow and make you so sick you cannot see God. Your relationship is so destroyed that His benefits, in other words, His blessings are not getting to you. It’s poison will grow inside you to produce strongholds of false ideas and character flaws. Choice by choice will take you off course until you hit the rocks of trouble and sink, leaving your faith a memory. But all the while you will make excuses and blame someone else for your troubles.
“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12:2-4 (NKJV)
So keep looking at Jesus for the course you are to take so that you will not shipwreck. He resisted sinning against the Father until he was so distressed he sweat drops of blood.
1. The first responsibility we have is to try hard to obey and stay on course.
Two of my sons have good examples of this principle. Driving can be dangerous if you do not keep your eyes on the road. My oldest was driving in a parking lot at a church, just learning how to drive. There were many pine trees to keep the lot cool. While he got his eyes on something on the floor he tried to pick up, he got off course and hit a tree!
My 2nd son sneezed while driving at the mall, and got so sidetracked he ended up hitting a tree also. Both did not want to hit the tree, but took their eyes off the road. The obvious lesson is to keep your eyes on what Jesus did and follow His example. Keep your mind and heart on his commands and follow them to protect you from failure in your life.
Another apostle names John wrote, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:7-9 (NKJV)
2. Clear your conscience by making a list of your unconfessed sins.
List the people you have hurt or offended according to their word, not yours. It is not important that you think things are okay and forgotten, it is over only when they say it is forgotten.
Start with God. What did you do that He says is wrong and you never made it right with Him? For example, you lied and never admitted (confessed) it was wrong to God. Or you admitted it was wrong but never made it right. Ask Him to forgive you. Repent! Stop doing it!
Once you finish with God, start on all the people you know. Follow the same pattern. Make sure you admit you were wrong, ask them to forgive you, and make things right. Once you clear your conscience you must constantly keep it clean. You like drinking out of a clean glass don’t you?
