A Clear Conscience

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

Acts 24:10-16

10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

NIV

After being accused by Ananias and some of the elders, who brought the lawyer Tertullus to speak on their behalf, Governor Felix moved that Paul be allowed to speak. We begin with the first part of his defense. We notice that although Paul acknowledges that Felix had been a judge over Israel for a number of years, he does not attempt to butter him up as the accusers had done. As Paul explained that he had done nothing for which he had been accused, he made sure Felix knew he agreed with the Law and the Prophets and that he was a Jew just like his accusers, and that he worships the same God, except that he does so as a follower of the Way. Was there a difference between the resurrection Paul believed in and the one the chief priest Ananias and the elders believed in? We are not sure, but we do not think the Jews believed in the resurrection of the wicked, but only those whom they felt were righteous because they followed the Law. We know the resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked is the truth. All people will stand before God almighty, every knee will bow, and Jesus will stand and read from the book of life. The problem lies in whether our name has not been blotted out of the book of life. Because some names will be blotted out and thus not found in the book, they will not have life eternal but will experience the second death. Even if the Jews who insisted that their righteousness was in the Law, may have their names blotted out. The idea that all Israel will be saved could mean the true Israel, meaning all who have circumcised hearts, the inside evidence, rather than just the outside evidence of being Israel. Nevertheless, we know the only way not to have our name blotted out is to look to Jesus and His righteousness, for we have no righteousness within ourselves, and following any law or rules we think we should keep our name in the book. Accepting the grace of God, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, following Jesus is the only way, for it has never been nor will it ever be, Jesus plus something we do. The Jews worshipped God, yet it was all about what they did, how they followed the Law, which they improvised based on their ability to feel righteous. How can we think that following a set of rules of conduct can keep our conscience clear before God? No matter how much effort the Jews tried, or we try to keep any law or rules, they and we are bound to fail. Our only hope is Jesus and Jesus alone. We will live by faith, depending on the work Jesus did on the cross for our salvation, and then we will have a clear conscience before God.