A Purified Conscience

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Hebrews 9:13-14

MOST PEOPLE who are troubled by feelings of personal guilt today are told that they should see a therapist. Guilt is considered unproductive and unnecessary. But this completely ignores the reality of the gift that God has given to us in the form of a conscience. Our conscience is that internal voice that sits in judgment over our will, accusing us when we violate its standard and giving approval when we fulfill it.

When our conscience bothers us, we have only two options. One option is to seek to kill or silence the conscience through self-medication or self-justification. This is the way of the world. The other option is to test our feelings of guilt against the truth of God’s Word and then apply the Word, either by correcting false feelings of guilt with the truth or by confessing what is very real guilt to our gracious God. All who belong to him can expect to be forgiven and have their consciences cleansed.

When our children experience legitimate guilt over violating what is clearly revealed in Scripture as displeasing to God, it is something to celebrate. A conscience that is sensitive to sin is a great gift, a sign of the Spirit’s work of conviction. But it is also important that our children are confident in the available remedy for a conscience that needs to be cleansed —the blood of Christ. The good news of the gospel that we want to share with our children again and again —especially in the hard and dark times of facing up to sin —is that Christ has removed our very real guilt and is at work in us by his Spirit, filling us with new desires to please him.

Lord, I thank you that you have given ________ a conscience. May it be shaped by your Word and not by the world. May ________ be sensitive to sin without being prone to unwholesome doubts about his standing before you. Develop in ________ a conscience that gives reliable feedback and makes him quick to confess, willing to experience sorrow over sin, and profoundly aware of the cleansing and forgiveness available in Christ.