“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” (Acts 24:16)
Another question for you, what is the difference between one who has been born-again who has a clear conscience of their past sins because of the knowledge that the Almighty has forgiven our sins and sees only the Lord Jesus Christ when He looks at us, and the unrepentant sinner that feels no shame whatsoever as they live in and commit still those same sins?
I suggest that if it is feelings, an emotional state alone that differentiates us, then that alone is not enough to describe the clear conscience that is offered to us, and that we are to have.
“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Gen. 3:10)
Our first parents hid themselves in the garden because of the feeling of shame, if the fear of being punished for their disobedience was also part of the reason they hid from the Lord is a debatable point, but it is clear that a negative emotional state was the reason they hid, shame.
If the wicked experience no shame for their actions, how does that set them apart from we who are to have a clear conscience because of the knowledge that all our sins, past, present and future, have been removed in the mind of God as far as the east is from the west?
You may say that deep down, inside what is called our heart of hearts, the thoughts of their sinful actions bother the wicked, unrepentant man, but I have met them, I used to be one of them, and those extremely wicked events took no action upon my heart or my thoughts, if I did not get caught, or if the repercussions were lite, why would they vex me, or cause me to feel any shame whatsoever?
In these days of open rebellion without fear of any stringent repercussions from either God or man, these truths should be self-evident to you, evil is rarely punished, and Romans 1:32 is being fulfilled daily.
“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
I have met very few in my life who desire to hear my testimony, of who I was before the Lord called me to Himself for His glory, it is too disturbing to most, and when I have, many cannot understand how I can speak of those days so nonchalantly, with few if any tears or feelings of remorse. They expect tears, they expect to see a broken and contrite heart, they expect great sorrow to accompany my recounting of those days. And when they do not see what they expected to see, they cannot understand what it means to have that clear conscience.
I have repented in dust and ashes, I have professed my sins to my Maker with a contrite and broken heart, I have realized the truth of Psalm 51:4, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”
Why would I remain in the land of great sorrow and sadness when I know I have been forgiven?
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:11)
That is the difference my friends, that is what sets us apart from the wicked who feel no shame and those who serve the Lord Jesus Christ who believe they must remain in the land of continual remorse for their past sinful ways.
You who understand this short letter do not just occasionally feel the joy of the Lord, you live in it, you do not recall those days of great sin against His name, feel the shame and stay there, you have been forgiven, and the knowledge of this truth compels you to reach out to all that will listen to these truths.
That is the difference.
