A Good Conscience Before God

“And looking intently at the council, Paul said, ‘Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day'”
​(Acts 23:1)

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This article will dissect three words from Acts 23:1 in an attempt to answer the question of “what does it mean to have a ‘good conscience’ before God?” This is an incredibly important topic that carries profound benefits for the Believer. My prayer for you is that you find freedom from guilt and shame, peace of mind, and greater joys in your relationship with God.

A Good Conscience?!

Heart! (“... Brothers...” {Ἀδελφός})
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This is an interesting way to begin! Why “brothers”? What was the reason for addressing these men of prestige, position, and power as brothers? We know that the historic, culturally acceptable way to address this class of people is with a “title of honor.” Just like we would say “Mr. President” (in respect to the position), or “your honor” to a judge (also out of respect for the position), it has been said that these men would have been addressed as “Elders (or fathers) of Israel” or “Rulers of the people” (David Guzik/ Bob Davis). But Paul did not. Why?! Paul chose to use an affectionate designation for his fellow Jews.

First thought on this is that Paul was “setting himself on an equal footing with the council” (William Barclay). This, of course, was not for the purpose of insulting this elite group of people. Rather, Paul still had an incredibly deep connection to his heritage. Paul was still a Jew. The affections of His heart still cried out for his people...
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• Romans 9:1-3 gives us a glimpse into Paul’s heart (and into the Heart of God). Scripture says, “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Despite the seriousness and formality of His hearing, Paul addresses them lovingly.

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Wrongly accused... falsely imprisoned... horribly mistreated... physically beaten without cause... Paul could have addressed them according to his feelings or according to the seriousness of the situation. Instead, Paul chose to follow the example of Jesus by demonstrating his love for them. Yet again, we get an inspired glimpse into the heart of God. It seems that the affections of Paul’s heart were so strongly for his people that even here he would try (for the second time) to reach them with the good news of Jesus Christ.

• Eph. 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”
• Paul was literally loving his enemies. Luke 7:27-29, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.”

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Lastly to the point of the word “brothers,” I cannot help but think that part of Paul being inspired to address the Sanhedrin in this way had to do with his understanding of his own identity. Perhaps this response came from an appropriate understanding of his new identity in Messiah. It could be that “placing himself on equal footing with the council” was due having placed himself under Christ...

Here is what I see. it seems to me that Paul could not have viewed everyone as being equal until he placed himself under Jesus. Prior to Jesus, Paul placed himself above others. He was a Jew of Jews, a “talmudim” of Gamaliel, blameless according to the Law, righteous by Levitical standards... He stood, superior to others, in regard to his doctrinal and cultural heritage and prestige. It was not until he submitted to Christ that he was able to see himself, and others for who they were – in need of saving. Only after yielding himself to the love and authority of Christ, he was able to view others appropriately. It wasn’t that there was God, Jews, then everyone else. It is only Jesus (God) and those created in His image! It seems that seeing Jesus for who He is, and subjecting oneself to His rule and reign, we can view others from a place of true equality. No one needs the love, grace, and mercy of God more or less than anyone else. Paul seemed to get this.

This is a perfect transition into our second point... Paul’s understanding of His identity in Christ leads us to the first part of our answer to “how does one have a good conscience before God?”
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Mind (“... good conscience...” {συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ})
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Another question comes to mind when reading verse one, what does it mean to have a “good conscience before God”? This, I think, is a very important question. Having prayed through this question and sought God’s word for the answer, I have personally found the answer’s simplicity refreshing. My prayer for you is that the Scriptural answer to having a clear conscience before God will bless you and grant you freedom of mind and spirit.

First, it should be obvious at this point, a good conscience before God starts with our justification. “He didn’t mean that he was sinlessly perfect and that his conscience had never told him he was wrong” (Guzik). F. F. Bruce states, “Paul might well appeal to the testimony of conscience as he stood before the supreme court of Israel; it was on no righteousness of his own, however, that he relied for justification in the heavenly court. The purest conscience was an insecure basis of confidence under the scrutiny of God.” In other words, Paul would never have considered a clear conscience a way to be justified before God. It was, rather, he had a clear conscience before God because he stood Justified by faith in Messiah.
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• Hebrews 9:11-14, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

A good conscience starts with the work of Christ to justify. It is centered, first and foremost, in cherishing your new identity and right-standing before God. When the believer (like Paul) can leap at the joys of guiltlessness – having been absolved of guilt and shame – the mind and soul are freed to serve God from a place of gratitude and celebration. You, oh Brother; you, oh Sister, are completely new in Christ. You are now justified and righteous. You are stain-free in the Presence of the Almighty. We may know without question that any whispers of condemnation come not from God, but they arrive to our ears from the lying lips of deception.

• 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
• Rom. 8:1-2, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
• Gal. 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
• Rom. 3:22-25, “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

May the gleaming reality of our new identity in Christ draw our minds to the glories of God’s grace. Insofar as we believe in Jesus Christ, we can be assured of our righteous position before God and enjoy a clear conscience. We can know that neither our past nor our sins condemn us.

Body! (“... lived my life...” {πολιτεύομαι})
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While a clear conscience starts with understanding the work and mercy of God for us, the Bible demonstrates another aspect to having a clear conscience. Obedience! Scripture shows us that the expected response to the work of Christ is obedience (John 14:15). Keeping in mind all that Christ has done to save us, our hearts should draw us to a sincere desire to obey our Savior. This is portrayed to us through the life of Paul. While he was by no means perfect, he desired obedience to Jesus and worked as best an earnest and sincere soul could to bring glory to God. Paul could confidently declare that “I have lived my life before God in all good conscience” because he made every intentional effort to subject himself to the obedience of Jesus.

This concept calls to mind Ephesians 2. Eph. 2:8-10 states this, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Scripture is clear. God grants us the grace of salvation through faith. It is only after being saved by believing in Jesus, we are re-created “in Christ Jesus for good works.” It is part of our identity. We are called to higher glories and greater purposes. When we make the intentional efforts toward obedience and good works, our minds can know we are doing that for which God created us. This is truly the other aspect to having a clear conscience. If we can say that we are gladly and earnestly trying to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling,” we can say like Paul that we have lived our lives before God in all good conscience. (Reference Hebrews 13:18).
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• Eph. 4:1, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”
• Col. 1:10, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
• 1 Thess. 2:12, “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

The exhortation to walk in a “manner worthy of God” is founded upon the fact of a deserving God. He deserves all glory and honor and praise. He alone is worthy to be glorified! This is what we were created for; we were created to serve Him and bring God glory. When we fall short of bringing Him the glory He is due, we rob ourselves of our divinely crafted purpose, and we rob God of the glory of which He is worthy. When we can, like our Brother Paul, say that we are trying our best to be obedient, we can rest in the refreshing streams of a good conscience before God. …

If we could ask Jesus what our obedience should look like, he would likely respond with “service and sacrifice.” 1) love-based service – serving God, the Body of Christ, and the dying world with the life-giving love of Jesus. 2) love-based sacrifice – sacrificially giving ourselves for the benefit of others.

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• Matt. 22: 37-39, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Gal. 5:14, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• James 2:8, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.”
• Luke 6:27-29, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.” (love cannot be separated from sacrifice).
• Rom. 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship [service].”
• 2 Cor. 5:17-21, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Lastly, let us look specifically at the Greek word for “lived my life.” This word caught me off-guard. I expected to see the normal, regularly used word for lived (ζάω - zaō; or κατοικέω - katoikeō). But it is not. Instead it is a word that is only found twice in the Bible. God inspired Paul to use the word πολιτεύομαι (politeuomai). This word is only used here and in Phil. 1:27 (“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ... with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel”). This word is a reference to a “citizen” and it comes from the root word for “city” (πόλις - polis). (Selah...) This is what Blue Letter Bible says of this word: it means “to be a citizen; to administer civil affairs, manage the state; to make or create a citizen; to be a citizen; to behave as a citizen.”

I have to imagine that one of the reasons Paul was able to declare his conscience clear is because he has lived as a citizen of Zion. Paul lived daily knowing where his true home was. He conducted himself as a citizen of heaven, obedient to the call God had placed on him.

• Phil. 3:20-21, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

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May we, like Paul, keep in mind that this is not our home. May we not fall prey to that trap of thinking this is home. “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling” (2 Cor. 5:1-2).
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{Bonus quote} “Now, no man, I think, ever prayed God to grant him partial obedience. Did he ever pray, dare he ever pray, ‘O Lord, help me to overcome some of my sins, but not all. [sic] This day preserve me from some temptations, but allow me to indulge some of my propensities’? Did you ever pray, ‘O Lord, keep me, I pray You, from great and open sins, but permit me, in Your infinite mercy, to enjoy certain private sins that I am exceedingly fond of’? Such a prayer is worthier of a worshipper of the devil than of a worshipper of God. No, our heart renewed by grace craves to be perfectly set free from sin” (Spurgeon).