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Acts 24:16 - Keeping a Clear Conscience.

Acts 24:16 (NIV) So I strive always to keep 
my conscience clear before God and man. 

INTRODUCTION

Conscience, the ability to distinguish 
between right and wrong, [SDA Bible Commentary] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   God has given our conscience to us. Its 
very presence is a reflection of God in the human 
soul. Sin, however, can dull or even distort our 
conscience, silencing its voice and leading us astray. 
But God's Word can purify and sharpen our 
conscience - and when that happens, "He leads [us] in 
paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Ps. 
23:3).  
   We can know the will of God when we know 
the word of God.  Through reading and meditating 
on his precepts, we learn to recognize his 
voice and can follow the way of faithfulness 
(Psalm 119:13).  [Hope for Each Day by Billy 
Graham] 

COMMENTARY

   When you're tempted to do the wrong 
thing, do you listen to your conscience or do you 
just ignore it and keep going? Although sometimes 
it will seem as through people are acting 
without a conscience - we all have one. Our 
conscience is a gift of God that we should care for and 
give great attention to because it is given to us 
for our own protection.  
   Every day we face decisions that involve 
our conscience, and it sends up red flags when 
we're about to do something wrong. When our 
conscience speaks and we ignore it, it's like taking a 
knife and dulling the edges. It becomes 
ineffective. If we disregard it enough, we'll make a 
shipwreck of our life (see 1 Tim. 1:18-20) - which 
means that we will have a disaster of a Christian 
life.  
   That's when we are most vulnerable to 
false doctrines and sin, and it's why people 
throughout the centuries have worshiped all kind of 
things. What's happened is their belief system has 
disappeared. In order to quiet their conscience, they've 
changed the way they think. They've deliberately 
chosen to exchange the truth of God for a lie (see 
Rom. 1:21-25). However, no one is going to get 
away with that. God will allow their heart to be 
given over to darkness. Whoever violates the laws 
of God will suffer the consequences.  
   Is it safe, then, to let our conscience 
be our guide? Not really. It all depends upon 
how our conscience has been programmed. Has it 
been programmed with the Word of God? When the 
Word of God becomes the grid of truth that 
protects our conscience, then we know we can respond 
in the right way. This is because the Holy 
Spirit enables us to understand the truth and will 
guide us to do the right thing.  
   However, understand that the Holy Spirit 
isn't your conscience. Every person has a 
conscience - that's why there are people who know right 
from wrong, even though they aren't Christians. 
Yet, only those who've received Jesus as their 
Savior have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works 
in conjunction with our conscience and works to 
strengthen us and teach us the truth.  
   We know we can dull our conscience, but 
the good news is that we can also make it 
stronger. Paul said, "I myself always strive to have a 
conscience without offense toward God and men" (Acts 
24:16). How do we do that? We program ourselves with 
the absolute truth of the God's Word. God's way 
is the best way - it's the only way to find 
happiness, peace, joy, and eternal security. We have to 
have His Word and His Spirit as our defense.  
   Are you going to take heed of your 
conscience? Are you going to listen to what God is 
saying to you? Or are you going to do everything 
your way?  
   Your conscience is a gift of God to 
protect you, so you should take good care of it. 
Therefore, get in the Word of God. Obey the leading of 
the Spirit. Make sure that you program your grid 
system based on God's truth. And strengthen your 
conscience by seeking God. Then you, too, will have a 
conscience without offense toward God and men. [Life 
Principles SB By Charles Stanley] 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

When You Reject Truth Your Mind Becomes 
Delusional: 

2 Th 2:10-12 (CWR)  Those who do not love 
the truth enough for God to save them will be 
swept away by all kinds of deceptions brought 
about by the power of evil. For this reason God 
will allow them to be deceived, and they will end 
up believing a lie. However, they will not be 
judged because they believed a lie but because they 
did not believe the truth and continued to take 
pleasure in wickedness. See: 
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20051114-0830.html 

Also When You Reject Truth Your Wisdom 
Becomes Corrupted: 

Ezekiel 28:17 (NLT) Your heart was filled 
with pride because of all your beauty. Your 
wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I 
threw you to the ground and exposed you to the 
curious gaze of kings.  

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY 

John 17:17 - Holiness from God's Word.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201007-1438.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs