IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE

IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE

Acts 22:22 – 23:11

Dr. Wm. J. Maxwell

First Presbyterian Church, Newport, RI

August 26, 2007

Conscience – it’s amazing how often we use the word. We speak of “pangs of conscience” … “salve one’s conscience” … “a guilty conscience” … “a good or clear conscience” … “let your conscience be your guide” … or “God alone is Lord of the conscience.”

Most people understand conscience to be an inner sense of moral awareness. It’s a human capacity to reflect upon how a person has conformed in behavior to certain accepted norms or standards. I think it’s also interesting to note that anthropological studies have revealed that consciences can vary in people. Our moral development is subject to several factors, such as personality, parentage, social environment and personal experience. For this reason, the New Testament speaks of conscience quite often and in many different ways, from the point of being acutely good on the one hand, to the point on the other hand of being so dulled that it can be described as having “been seared as with a hot iron.” [i]

Paul was a person to whom his conscience meant a great deal. The New Testament is full of references to Paul and the state of his own conscience. Consider these, for example:

“I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”[ii]

“Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relationship with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God …” [iii]

“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.”[iv]

Paul encouraged Timothy to “… fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience …”[v]

In addition, Paul said to Timothy, “I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.”[vi]

In our text this morning, we find Paul yet again referring to his conscience. Having narrowly escaped the cruelty of a Roman flogging, he then faced the Jewish Council and the High Priest. It was not a good scenario, as Ananias the High Priest had a reputation for both cruelty and violence. But Paul was undeterred.

“Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said: ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” Never backing down, Paul spoke with clarity and conviction. He knew that he was hardly a perfect Christian and a perfectly obedient apostle. Nevertheless, he had honestly and sincerely sought to maintain a life of integrity, seeking to maintain a good conscience and leaving the judgment ultimately in God’s hands where it belongs.

This kind of mature, Christian conscience doesn’t happen automatically. Such a moral and spiritual awareness has to be developed and nurtured. And the New Testament speaks clearly of how we, like Paul, can develop and nurture that sense within us in dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

OF COURSE, WE NEED A MORAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPASS,

AND THAT COMPASS IS THE BIBLE.

One cannot help seeing this in the apostle Paul according to his writings. To Timothy, his young colleague in ministry, he wrote: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [vii]

Not only is this solid counsel and advice for Timothy, but even more so for us who have both the Old Testament and the New Testament! In a world of shifting norms and values, we can find our way with the moral and spiritual compass of the Bible before us in our hands, our heads, our hearts and in our lives.

Of all the ships in the fleet of the “British Empire” over the course of human history, the HMS Bounty seems to be one well remembered. Many recall the ship in regard to the mutiny that occurred on it in the Pacific Ocean in 1789. Captain Bligh and 18 men were set adrift and the rest stayed on the Bounty.

Most of the Bounty sailors then landed and stayed on the island of Tahiti, but eight mutineers led by Fletcher Christian ended up on tiny Pitcairn Island. In 1808, some years later, the Topaz, a New England whaler, landed there to get water. They discovered that there had been violence, promiscuity, drunkenness and murder on that island. At one point, only two of the mutineers remained and they were burdened and ashamed by all that had occurred. They knew they needed a moral compass, and so they turned to the ship’s Bible as their text and guide, both for themselves and for the small settlement.

The Topaz crew discovered John Adams to be the only survivor, but the small community was most impressive to the crew. Besides the ability to read and write in English, we are told:

“… what impressed early visitors most was the obvious piety of the islanders, who prayed morning and evening and both before and after their meals, did not engage in the sexual promiscuity common to other islands, were able to recite the creed and parts of the Bible and observed the ‘Sabbath’ (as they called Sunday). One observer wrote, ‘In conducting the most trivial affairs they are guided by the Scriptures, which they have read diligently, and from which they quote with a freedom and frequency that rather impairs the effect.’”[viii]

This is but one marvelous example of how the Bible can produce good, solid, Christian conscience and conduct. With the Holy Spirit’s presence enlightening our minds and hearts as Christians, we can discover the truth that the “Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” [ix] It is indeed the unique moral and spiritual compass we need to develop and nurture a good conscience.

ANOTHER MEANS OF DOING THIS

IS THROUGH PRAYER –

PARTICULARLY SEARCHING AND LISTENING PRAYER.

One of the obvious characteristics of Paul was that he was not only a man of the word but also of prayer. I’ve already mentioned one verse in this connection in his writing to Timothy: “I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.” Paul prayed regularly and consistently for others and he also asked for prayer for himself.

For example, as he thanked the Philippians for their prayers on his behalf while he was a prisoner, he could write of his desire to maintain a good conscience and conduct: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” [x]

As you and I seek to nurture a good conscience, prayer is required of us in no less a way. One of the ways by which we may do this is to pray the prayer of David in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrased version The Message, states it this way:

“Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong – then guide me on the road to eternal life.” [xi]

This is a bold prayer, but a necessary prayer if we are to seek a conscience grounded in the presence of God. It’s necessary not only to seek the grace to be faithful, but to also be willing to seek the grace when we are not. You see, a good conscience will always co-exist with a life of integrity. And true integrity begins by coming before God and saying, “Search me O God – all of me!”

In his usual, down-to-earth writing style, author Max Lucado writes on this subject. He writes that “We do ourselves no favors in justifying our deeds or glossing over our sins.” He then tells the story of an event some years ago when his little daughter Andrea got a splinter in her finger.

“I took her to the restroom and set out some tweezers, ointment, and a Band-Aid. She didn’t like what she saw. ‘I just want the Band-Aid, Daddy.’

Sometimes we are just like Andrea. We come to Christ with our sin, but all we want is a covering. We want to skip the treatment. We want to hide our sin. And one wonders if God, even in His great mercy, will heal what we conceal.” [xii]

Thankfully, God doesn’t accept our attempts at concealment. And we know it. In our heart of hearts, we know it. So the best way to nurture a clean and clear conscience is to prayerfully seek a life of integrity, praying for God to give us a clear picture of ourselves.

III

YET ONE MORE MEANS

OF DEVELOPING AND NURTURING A GOOD CONSCIENCE

IS BY KEEPING IN CONNECTION

WITH OTHER DISCIPLES.

In the recent chapters we have studied in Acts, Paul’s deep connection with others has been very evident. He had not only been a “spiritual father” to many in bringing them the Gospel and in founding churches. He had also received much benefit in connecting with them in Christ as well.

For example, Paul implied this experience in his writing to the Romans, whom he had not met yet. “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” [xiii]

Apparently, this same experience was shared by the author of Hebrews. The author understood that Christians can help each other on the path of a good conscience and good conduct. Listen to the following admonition: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” [xiv] Christians do have an impact on one another!

One of the more remarkable illustrations of this comes from the era of the Second World War. Ernest Gordon, once a robust Scottish highlander, was wasting away in the Death House of Burma. The Japanese were merciless in their treatment of prisoners in the prisoner-of-war camp in Chungkai.

In that horrid place, Allied soldiers became barbaric, all in an attempt to merely survive. They stole from each other, robbed the dying and literally fought for scraps of food. In time, Gordon was dying, and he was more than ready for the release.

But it was then that two new prisoners came into the camp, ill and feeble like the rest, yet living a different kind of life – a more caring, compassionate life. They ministered to many, including Ernest Gordon, who in turn started caring for others and sacrifice soon replaced selfishness in that camp. In time, the soldiers started holding Bible studies and worship services.

Ernest Gordon survived that camp, and 20 years later when he was serving as the chaplain of Princeton University, he described what had happened in these words:

“Death was still with us – no doubt about that. But we were slowly being freed from its destructive grip … Selfishness, hatred … and pride were all anti-life. Love … self-sacrifice … and faith, on the other hand, were the essence of life … gifts of God to men … Death no longer had the last word at Chungkai.” [xv]

Here we can see that conduct in that fellowship of men led back home to conscience once again, and it seemed to remain so!

“Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said: ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” Dear friends, if we want that same kind of conscience, then let’s use what God provides toward that end – Scripture, Prayer, and the Fellowship of Disciples of Christ!