What does it mean to live with a clear conscience?

It means to be guilt-free by living in compliance with a certain standard of living.

The question becomes, “By what standard are you living?”

For many, the standard is simply set by the way other people live.

But there is a higher standard by which every person will experience guilt.

That standard has been set by our Creator, and it is very high.

But we can get very good at justifying ourselves whenever we fall short of our Creator’s standard.

The day will come for each of us when we will stand before the Standard-Maker.

We will have to give an account for all the ways we fell short of what is required.

This is why the Son of the Standard-Maker came to pay the cost for all our failures.

And if we confess our faults and ask for His forgiveness, He grants us a clean conscience.

Recently, I visited an elderly saint in the hospital.

I believe she knew her earthly journey was near the end.

She voiced a confession to me.

She said, “I know I whine too much and complain and I shouldn’t do that.”

I prayed with her as we thanked the Son of the Standard-Maker for His forgiveness and making us acceptable.

A peace came over her and I know she felt once again the meaning of a clear conscience.

Never in this life will we be sinless, but we should sin less the longer we allow Him to transform us to be more like Him.

That dear saint’s confession may seem rather insignificant to you and me.

But when you believe you are about to meet the One who gave you life, your conscience gets a little more quickened.

You may pray and ask the Father to bring to your mind anything that needs to be confessed.

I found out the next morning that dear saint finished her earthly journey.

Confession is so good for your soul and those who happen to be nearby when you do it.

Next week: Is the dream still alive?

Dan Williams is the senior adult pastor at Lexington Baptist Church.