Journal Entry // June 8,, 2022
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 ESV
This statement from Paul is quite amazing when I stop and really think through what he is saying to the council and the high priest. These are the very people that had used Paul, then called Saul, to persecute the church. So when Paul says that he has lived in all good conscience, it is a sharp reminder that Paul was once one of them but now is a follower of Christ. What interests me the most is that Paul can say he has lived in all good conscience before God. Here is a former persecutor of the body of Christ who is fully aware and has embraced forgiveness. Paul now lives a transformed and redeemed life dedicated to the one he formerly hated and now follows wholeheartedly.
This is important for me as well. There are moments and seasons where the memory of past sins in my life will force their way into my mind and my heart begins to melt from guilt and shame. The enemy will try to come and strip away the joy and contentment of Jesus in my life. He will come and accuse me continually. Unfortunately, this will throw me into a spin and I will grow more and more depressed as I despair over my past. As I think about my failures and berate myself for my unfaithfulness. What I need is a continual reminder of all that Jesus has done for me. To keep reminding myself of the gospel.
I too can live a life before God in all good conscience. I too can embrace the wonder of Christ’s work on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I too can embrace wholeheartedly this gentle Savior who loves me steadfastly. I can live a life of freedom in Christ. Freedom from sin. Freedom from guilt. Freedom to love the Lord with all my heart. And that’s my prayer today. I pray that I will continually see that my life is being lived before God and that I can life it in all good conscience. Moment by moment. Step by step. In humility and trust believing in the Holy One who has rescued and redeemed me. The One who has brought me into his family and has made me his very own.