“I Cheerfully
Make My Defense”
When
the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied:
“I
cheerfully make my defense, knowing that for many years you have been a judge
over this nation. As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I
went up to worship in Jerusalem. They did not find me disputing with anyone in the
temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city.
Neither can they prove to you the charge that they now bring against me. But
this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I
worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to
the law or written in the prophets. I have a hope in God – a hope that they
themselves also accept -
that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the
unrighteous. Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward
God and all people. Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation and
to offer sacrifices. While I was doing this, they found me in the temple, completing the rite of purification, without any crowd or
disturbance. But there were some Jews from Asia –
they ought to be here before you to make an accusation, if they have anything
against me. Or let these men here tell what crime they had found when I stood
before the council, unless it was this one sentence that I called out while
standing before them, ‘It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on
trial before you today.’”
Acts 24:10-21
Built
into our nature is an internal judicial system, the conscience,
that commends us when we do right and condemns us when we do wrong. But
this vital monitor of morality does not say the same thing to everyone. In some
cultures vengeful killing is seen as honorable. In others, a person is still
considered good even when he betrays a friend.
Because
of sin, conscience is unreliable and needs continual adjustment. This begins
with a right relationship to God through faith in Jesus Christ. He paid the
penalty of sin. As we study the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit puts our inner
monitor in tune with the words, deeds, and attitudes of the Lord Jesus.
Conscience is like a sundial:
when
the truth of God shines on it,
it points in
the right direction.
Our Daily Bread – October 21, 2006