https://youtu.be/Oz_mmp7peC4

“In All Good Conscience”

Acts 22:23-23:11

Twice in this brief section

Roman law comes to Paul’s aid. Paul declares his Roman citizenship sparing him

from a Roman flogging. The flogging consisted of a scourge- a fearful instrument

of torture consisting of leather throngs, weighted with rough pieces of metal

or bone and attached to a stout wooden handle. If a man did not die under the

scourge (which frequently happened), he would certainly be crippled for life.

Paul is then taken before the

Sanhedrin- the ruling court of the Jews where he begins to explain his position

and is struck by the high priest for claiming his “good conscience before God”,

which seems to Annias the height of arrogance, even blasphemy.

Paul calls the high priest a

“whitewashed tomb”, basically saying he is a hypocrite. As soon as it is

revealed to Paul that he spoke harshly to the high priest, he repents quoting

Exodus 22:28, “do not speak evil about the ruler of your people”

Paul then spies the room and

sets the Pharisees against the Saducees stating the reason for which he is

called into question- the resurrection

This triggers further arguing

and becomes so violent for the third time the commander had to rescue him.

The violence of the last two days and the enmity of the Jews must have made Paul wonder anxiously about the future. There seemed little prospect of him leaving Jerusalem alive, let alone traveling on to Rome. In his moment of discouragement Jesus comforts him with a straightforward promise that as he had borne witness to Him in Jerusalem, he must also bear witness to Him in Rome.

What can we learn from this?

Paul had a good conscience

before God.

“conscience”- Greek moral

consciousness, moral awareness

A good conscience involves an

inner freedom of spirit that comes when we know God is not offended by our

thoughts and actions.

A good conscience is listed in

Scripture as one of our essential weapons for a successful spiritual life and

ministry

2 Corinthians 1:12 New King

James Version (NKJV)

12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our

conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in [a]simplicity and godly sincerity, not with

fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

1 Timothy 1:18-19 New King

James Version (NKJV)

18 This [a]charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,

1. A good conscience operates in

repentance

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew

a steadfast spirit within me.

Repentance is not only one time thing- we are to maintain a

repentant heart, routinely acknowledging sin and seeking God’s grace and mercy

in the midst of our daily mistakes. This is not meant as a means to secure our

salvation, but to keep our heart clean and pure daily before Him.

The Bible teaches the need for Repentance, referring to the

repentance from dead works and a life lived apart from God. This is what is

referred to as cleansing.