In Proverbs, chapter twenty, verse nine, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” Apart from having been redeemed, no one has kept their heart clean, pure, and free from the guilt of sin, as in Romans three, verses nine through twelve. “What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Those who have forgiveness and cleansing have “clean hands and a pure heart,” as stated in Psalm twenty-four, verse four. Only by God’s grace and redemption can anyone live a life with “a conscience void of offence toward God, and men.” For a believer, a clear conscience is listed in scripture as one of our essential weapons for a successful spiritual life and ministry. A good conscience involves an inner freedom of spirit that comes when we know that God is not offended by our thoughts and actions. When a good conscience is corrupted, one’s faith, prayer life, communion with God, and a life of good deeds are seriously damaged.
If people reject a good conscience, that will result in the shipwreck of their faith, as in First Timothy one, verse nineteen, “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” Therefore, to have a clean heart and avoid falling into sin begins with our conscience. If we have a good conscience towards God and others, should we have a problem with sin?