Bible Readings for the Home

Chapter 128

A Good Conscience

What is conscience?
"The knowledge of our acts, states, or characters, as right or wrong; the faculty, power, or principle which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our actions and affections, and approves or condemns them; the moral faculty; the moral sense." Webster.
"As science means knowledge, conscience etymologically means self-knowledge ...But the English word implies a moral standard of action in the mind as well as a consciousness of our own actions. ...Conscience is the reason, employed about questions of right and wrong, and accompanied with the sentiments of approbation and condemnation." Whewell.

What effect is the application of the blood of Christ expected to have upon the conscience?
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Heb. 9:14.

When once purged by the blood of Christ, in what condition is the conscience of an individual?
"Because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins." Heb. 10:2.

In his defense before a certain council, how did Paul say he, had constantly lived?
"Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." Acts 23:1.

When one lives as the apostle declared he had, in all good conscience, in what condition will his conscience be?
"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men." Acts 24:16.

What does the apostle say the act of baptism is to the candidate?
"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:21.

What else will a good conscience lead one to do?
"For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully." 1 Peter 2:19.

If one repels the Spirit of God from him, and refuses to have his conscience, or knowledge of himself, quickened, what is the result?
"Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." 1 Tim. 4:2.

When one's conscience is well enlightened, what will it do for the individual?
"For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." 2 Cor. 1:12.

With what is a good conscience connected?
"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." 1 Tim. 1:5.