James 4:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

One of our biggest challenges is that we a lot of the words we use have been redefined based on popular cultural ideas.   A word is simply a symbol that communicates an idea.  If we change the working definition of a word, we change the message being communicated when that word is heard.   Today most believe that sin by definition is the act of doing something evil or even heinous.   That is not the New Testament definition of sin.  There are 2 verses that tell us what scripture is referring to when it mentions the word sin.   Yes these include the popular definition but are radically different than have a far broader application than the popular understanding of the Word.        The Bible says if we know (very inclusive as this means also if our own conscience or if we have personally heard something from the Lord, we are bound by what the word says and these other elements) that we are called to do something and we don’t, that is sin.  Every act that violates our own conscience is sin.    Something as simple as “I should do that but…”  thoughts are often the thoughts that preceed sin.

Romans 14:20-23 King James Version (KJV)  “20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.  21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.  22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.  23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

This second New Testament definition is harder to nail down.   “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”   My working definition of this is something like “any action or thought that is out of alignment with what scripture commands or dictates as righteousness is sin”.  What this means for sure is that anything that is motivated by unbelief / rejection/ rebellion against God’s Word is sin.      “I know that the Bible says that but…..”  is likely a flag that unbelief is about to motivate the next thought, conclusion or action.   “Yes, but God knows my heart and that is what really matters” is another very common one.    I will do another post about the heart as this is an area that has been “redefined” for sure.   I share two verses to let you know (there are many like these in the Bible) that in the natural our hearts and our reasoning are led by the flesh and therefore in contention against the work of God and His Kingdom and His Spirit.  The flesh is very often the author of thoughts that we would attribute to our heart and or our reasoning, rational mind.

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV ““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

Proverbs 3:5  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Romans 8 “5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.   8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Proverbs 4:23 New Living Translation (NLT)
23 Guard your heart above all else,  for it determines the course of your life.

Why is it so important to keep a clean conscience?  Let’s explore some of the New Testament verses in the Bible.

1 Timothy 4 King James Version (KJV)
4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;  3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.  4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:  5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Scripture warns us that our hearts can be hardened and seared.   Basically scared to the place where we cease to hear them and become numb/deadened to their promptings.    In other words, once our conscience is seared we can no longer hear the inner compass of truth God has written on our hearts and we have a far more difficult time hearing and heeding the the voice of God and His Spirit.   Since the reason Jesus came was to restore our hearts, to heal and restore our relationship with God and since the definition of death (especially spiritual death) is to be separated from God eternally, than this is something we absolutely want to avoid.     

Ezekiel 36:25-28 New Living Translation (NLT)
25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.  28 “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

Hebrews 11:6 King James Version (KJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

So guarding our hearts and our consciences is imperative as we seek Him first, seek to hear His voice, seek to obey Him and live the life He has called us to live.  When we intentionally allow our conscience to be seared, we are allowing ourselves to be in some measure deafened from hearing the voice of God.      Here are several more verses for us to consider on this topic.

Acts 24:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

Romans 2:14-16 King James Version (KJV)
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:  15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)  16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

This verse reveals that all people have the law written on their heart and by walking according to their conscience will be obeying it.   To walk against one’s conscience is to be in disobedience.   We see this echoeing the New Testament verse about knowing to do what is good but then choosing to do otherwise.

Romans 13:4-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

1 Corinthians 8:9-12 King James Version (KJV)
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.  10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;  11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?  12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:26-33 King James Version (KJV)
26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.  27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.  28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:  29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?  30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?  31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:  33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Now to me, this is saying that not only are we accountable for our our own conscience but in love (part of the great commandment, love your neighbour as you love yourself), we need to guard their consciences as well.  Unity of spirit does not require that we agree with one another on every point, but it does require that we honour one another’s consciences knowing that in doing so we are protecting one anothers relationship and ability to hear God clearly.

Titus 1:14-16 King James Version (KJV)
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.  15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.  16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Hebrews 9:13-15 King James Version (KJV)
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

This reminds of how when Josiah found the temple desecrated, he commanded the gate keepers to purge it of every idol and ungodly thing that had taken up residence.   The reality is that many reading this, including myself, have already let ungodly thoughts and mindset inside of our heads.   This verse calls us to purge the unfruitful things so that our consciences can be pure and we can be freed from sin consciousness which is where God wants us to live as His sons and daughters.

Hebrews 10:1-3 King James Version (KJV)
10 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.  2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.  3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

Having a clean conscience is essential to our new identity in Christ.    Our precious Saviour and Sanctifyer wants to wash us clean, removing every spot and wrinkle to present us to Himself as a spotless bride.  Will we let Him?