Keep or regain a clear conscience, quickly !

He uses this expression, “the mystery of the faith,” which is another way of designating the excellent life in Christ. A way of life so opposed to that more or less long religious period that many go through—a pedagogical phase, made up of often unfruitful efforts to try to please God, to faithfully follow His way by one’s own strength, with the help of the Lord, as people say very piously.

Galatians 3:23 – Before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, shut up for the faith which would later be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The Son of God comes down in the form of a baby, grows up on earth as a simple man, dies on the cross, atoning for the sins of the world, rises again, and then comes to live by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of those who accept Him, communicating to them what the law and commandments cannot give: the power to live true godliness, tireless consecration, unconditional love for the Father, genuine charity toward all. This is the mystery of the faith.

It is a true mystery—that is, something hidden at first glance—but we learn that God reveals it today to all who, having recognized the real poverty of their godliness, seek Him and ask it of Him.

Colossians 1:25 – Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what are the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

This is the mystery of the faith, and this mystery of the faith, once revealed and experienced, is preserved with a pure conscience. Needless to say, everything will conspire to make us lose this pure conscience. It is a strategic objective of evil.

When our conscience becomes troubled and we do not remedy it quickly, then difficulties begin, for the powerful source of all holiness, of all stable godliness, of true joy loses its strength. When the engines of an airplane lose power, the pull of gravity regains strength and the plane loses altitude.

We are in the last days; people love godliness but ignore, forget, or deny what makes it powerful.
And what makes it powerful is precisely the mystery of the faith: the life of Christ in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us therefore look at some instructions for preserving this pure conscience.

Matthew 18:21 – Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy (70) times seven.”

The Lord Jesus Christ, who asks us to forgive our neighbor up to 70 times 7, is certainly the first to set the example. He does so every day for us—and surely more than 70 times 7
We can fall 70 x 7 times a day, come to Him 70 x 7 a day, and receive full forgiveness 70 x 7 a day.

70 x 7 times already makes 490 times a day!!!

We hear the voice of our conscience protesting when we stray from the straight path, but the Holy Spirit helps us to rise again by revealing to us the scope of the Cross on which Christ died for all our sins—past, present, and future.

It is as if He were saying to us: “Make good use of the time of grace, the year of grace that I grant to all, and apply yourself to finding strength in Christ to strengthen what wavers and falls again and again.”

2 Timothy 2:1 – You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

To be strengthened in grace—this is how God could say it to us in another way:

“You are very slow to learn lessons. On this slow path, you often fall, but then remember this: you are always in My grace, which does not change for you. Make good use of this time of unconditional, total, and constant grace to take, in Me and in every area of your life, all those victories which will each time draw you closer to Me.

The Scriptures speak of Me, and I live in you. Let Me shape you, let Me instruct you in these new principles that you do not yet know and which I nevertheless inaugurated through a new covenant—a covenant sealed by the offering of My life for you, a new covenant sealed by My blood on the cross.

I have abolished the old covenant that religion taught you. I destroyed on the cross what gave it its power. I replaced the condemnation in which you struggle in vain. I replaced it with a new covenant, in which I do everything in you, I transform everything in you, if you let Me do it, if you open the door of your understanding to the gospel you have not yet understood, if you let Me instruct you, if you keep trusting in My life in you.

Let My gospel, My living word, renew your understanding, your will, and your emotions. It will restore your soul, and during your journey on this path of strengthening, if you fall 490 times, you will rise again 490 times—and quickly—because I never condemn any of My children. From the beginning I have known you. I know what you are made of. It is I who chose you, not the other way around.

Do not lose heart. Understand and accept the good news of the Gospel, and you will never again let condemnation overwhelm you and stop your walk.”

1 Timothy 1:18 – This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, have suffered shipwreck concerning the faith.

A good conscience and faith are inseparable. They go together. A bad conscience extinguishes faith; and one can suffer shipwreck. A good conscience must be preserved through a right understanding of the new principles of the gospel. They have the power to make us walk joyfully in uprightness, in love, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In case of a fall, the conscience is promptly cleansed. Condemnation is intelligently rejected because, although often guilty, we have understood that we are never again condemned.

The good conscience that you lost in an instant—learn to recover it quickly by using the grace of Christ in you. There is no condemnation for you anymore, none, ever. Understand the grace of Christ, rise up, take courage, and resume the walk.

For it is by your trust in Jesus Christ and by the transforming action of His Spirit that you can walk from progress to progress, and that what is lame and weak can be strengthened and become unshakable. But one must remain far from all condemnation, with a conscience purified in the truth.

Your spirit is the new creation, but your soul still needs many adjustments. The Lord gives it time because you belong to Him; therefore remain in His grace and walk from progress to progress.

Hear the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to your heart by His Spirit. He says to you: “Abide in My love—that is, never doubt, in any circumstance, My constant and unconditional love for you. This is how you will watch over your conscience and be able to keep it pure, light, and joyful in every circumstance.”

Matthew 18:21–22 – Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

1 Timothy 1:19 – having faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, have suffered shipwreck concerning the faith.

Proverbs 24:16 – For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.

Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 – Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God.

Hebrews 12:13 – and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

1 Peter 5:10–11 – But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen!