JOHN SHIRK – To be conscientious is to be careful to do what is right and avoid what is wrong.  Our conscience is that inner sense of right and wrong.  When our trust is in Jesus, our conscience is made tender to the ways of God.  Our palms might get sweaty when we are in the midst of doing something that we know is wrong.

According to the Bible, our conscience can be weak, where we have stricter standards than other believers on disputable matters. Yet, if we participate, our conscience can be defiled because according to Romans 14, “everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

Our conscience can also be seared, where we have become numb to sinful practices.  A person in this situation might have crossed the line so many times, they are no longer troubled by their disobedience.

The Apostle Paul often spoke of a clear conscience. He lived with a clear conscience because he developed his convictions from the Word of God, and then aimed his life in that direction.  He said in Acts 24:16, “I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”

Conscientiousness is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com