Paul
always tried his best to have a clear conscience before God and the people in
whatever he did. He said he exercised himself. The word means he took
great pain, he strived and disciplined himself to always have a conscience void
of offence before God and the people. The expression, “void of offence” means
faultless, blameless, not leading to sin, that which is inoffensive, or which
does not cause one to stumble or fall.
It
takes great effort to live right with God and men. One who lacks self-control
or is ill-disciplined is one who keeps offending others by his words or
actions. James warns in James 3:2: “For in many things we offend all. If any
man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the
whole body.”
We
all offend and stumble others in one way or another. There are very few who
walk so closely with God, as never to stumble or offend anyone. James says the
man who can live his life without offending or stumbling anyone is the man who
can control every part of his body. He has self-control, is disciplined,
because he “exercises” himself to do it. He takes great pain and effort to be
blameless before God and man.
In
Daniel 1:8, we read that “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not
defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he
drank.”
Daniel
“purposed in his heart” means he fixed his heart or he had made up his mind
(resolved) not to defile himself with the food offered by the king. It was a
deliberate choice, a self-discipline. It was in order to have a conscience void
of offence before God and men. Daniel knew he had to set the right example for
those young men that were with him and to God. He wanted to be blameless in
this thing. He didn’t want those young men with him to stumble or to hold him
up as a bad example: “We were just following Daniel; we eat what he eats.” He
wanted to be blameless in this thing.
A
conscience void of offence is a guiltless conscience. It is a conscience that
does not condemn. The opposite is a guilty conscience. A guilty conscience is a
conscience that offends. It is an evil conscience. An evil conscience is loaded
with guilt (1 Samuel 24:5) while a hardened conscience does not feel the evil
of sin (1 Timothy 4:2). A hardened conscience keeps offending because the
person does not see the need to restrain his words and actions.
As
Christians, our conscience should be free from condemnation before God as well
as free from accusation before men. To have a conscience void of offence before
God, one must align his life with the commandments of God. Enoch was one who
had an undefiled conscience because he walked with God
and it is the reason he pleased God (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5). He could
stand blameless before God.
To
have a conscience void of offence before men requires self-discipline. One has
to follow a rule of conduct. He has to bridle his words and actions. “Let no
man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in
conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
You
may have a clear conscience today. You may have a clear conscience even when
you are doing the wrong thing. You are offending others without knowing. You
may even know you have offended some people but you still insist your
conscience is clear; you believe you are doing the right thing. One thing is
certain: you are no longer living with a conscience that is void of offence.
What should you do?
Go
for exercise. Paul said “I exercise myself.” You need to exercise your
thoughts, words, and actions -- pure thoughts, right words, and lovely actions.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians
4:8).
May
we always have a conscience that is void of offence before God and men.
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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