February 3, 2022

I Corinthians 4: 4 (NIV)

My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

The only thing that is infallible about what we call conscience is its sentence, “It is right to do right.”*

Years ago I got called for a week of jury duty and was chosen for five cases. Most – if not all – of them were DUIs (or DWIs – I never know the difference). I remember one case in particular in which it was clear that the defendant was guilty as charged; the State’s Attorney, however, failed to present a case that proved it. It was very hard for me to declare the accused “not guilty” but the other jurors helped me to understand the difference between “not guilty” and “innocent.”

As Paul confesses here, a clear conscience is not a sure sign of innocence or lack of guilt. The Jiminy Cricket in our head can be ignored until he no longer bothers to speak to us. Our conscience can only convict us if we are aware that what we are doing is wrong. As someone has observed, the conscience is more reliable when it condemns than when it acquits.* You don’t want to ignore those twinges that are telling you that you are wrong but the absence of a twinge is not a sure indication of a thumbs-up. In other words, the conscience is not an infallible guide.*

A conscience that is truly clear is one that recognizes the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. We will never be innocent again but the jury finds us “not guilty.”

Those who sin are pretty sure, sooner or later, to turn king's evidence against themselves.*