I want to finish well for Christ. I trust you do, too.
In his letter to young Timothy urging long-term faithfulness to gospel living, Paul identified his clear conscience as the cornerstone to his fruitful endurance (2 Timothy 1:3).
For you and me as men, the same is true: A clear conscience is the bedrock for living well and finishing well.
A clear conscience is not a perfect conscience (with no presence of sin or struggle) but one that is always current with God. There are no dark closets with skeletons, no seared corners where sin has been entirely excused … just a conscience that has cleared all things with God.
A man with a clear conscience is not merely a person of integrity. Although integrity is important, a clear conscience belongs to one who has taken all things to God and let the Spirit and the Word deal with every detail and aspect of life. A clear conscience is far richer than mere integrity. It is intimacy with the holy Trinity in ongoing communion.
Paul reached the last days of his life and could confidently say he had a clear conscience. He could look back over his life and know that he had sought to do everything as right as possible before God. He had no moral regrets he hadn’t taken to God, and no relationships were left in tatters because of unforgiveness and bitterness. Paul would not be afraid to run into anyone anywhere for fear of embarrassment.
Here are two specific areas where a clear conscience is necessary for us as men:
Leading others toward Jesus. Again, this is not living in perfection but in honest, surrendered humility before our God. Interestingly, if you summarize the qualifications for the office of bishop (pastor, elder) that Paul listed in his first letter to Timothy, they add up to a life with a clear conscience. Leading others toward Christ is the duty of a pastor or elder and should be our duty as well. To do this, Scripture tells us we must regularly lead our conscience toward Christ (1 Cor. 1:12).
Longevity in faithful living. Just ask King David what it’s like to live without a clear conscience (Psalm 51). It is debilitating. Paul lasted as long as he did because of God’s grace and mercy, certainly, but also because he lived a life with a clear conscience. You and I will last in this Christian life if we keep short accounts with God and are diligent about keeping our consciences clear.
If you read this and realize that your conscience is not clear, be encouraged. God will meet with you in your conscience.
King David was a man after God’s own heart because when his conscience was not clear, he sought the Lord, who wonderfully and mercifully cleared it for him.
God can do the same for you. Let Him cleanse and clear your deepest needs and lay the necessary cornerstone of a clear conscience so you can not only finish well for Christ but flourish for Him!