A Conscience Touched By God

Paul … said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day”.
Acts 23:1

The conscience tells you when you have done right or wrong. It may not keep you out of trouble, but at least it lets you know when you are in trouble, so you can deal with the problem.

Everyone has a conscience. But not everyone has a clear conscience. Thomas à Kempis shares these thoughts on how to keep a good conscience toward God.

WALK WITH THOMAS À KEMPIS
“The glory of a good person is the testimony of a good conscience.

“A good conscience is able to bear very much and is very cheerful in adversities. An evil conscience is always fearful and unquiet. Never rejoice except when you have done well. You shall rest sweetly if your heart does not accuse you.

“Sinners never have true joy or feel inward peace, because ‘ “there is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked,” ‘ (Isaiah 57:21). The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the tongues of others. The gladness of the just is of God, and in God; and their joy is of the truth.

“A person will easily be content and pacified whose conscience is pure. If you consider what you are within, you will not care what others say concerning you. People consider the deeds, but God weighs the intentions.

“To be always doing well and to esteem little of one’s self is the sign of a humble soul.

“ ‘For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends,’ says Paul (2 Corinthians 10:18). To walk inwardly with God, and not to be kept abroad by any outward affection, is the state of a spiritual person.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
All it takes to maintain a bad conscience is to do nothing, to ignore the tugging of the Spirit and the still, small voice of God. By contrast, a good conscience is a Christ-cleansed conscience. And that is only a heartfelt prayer away!