A Clear Conscience: Purifying Our Conscience from Dead Works

Consequences of a Troubled Conscience

Antidepressant use is widespread on both sides of the Atlantic. In England, nearly 9 million people—roughly one in seven of the population—were prescribed antidepressants in 2024/25. In the United States, CDC data found that about one in eight adults, or 33 million people, used antidepressant medication.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 45 million, or 13% of U.S. adults over the age of 18, use some type of sleep aid most days or every day to help them fall or stay asleep.

A clear conscience is the greatest need for each of us in this short life: absolute freedom from fear for tomorrow—whether life or death, plenty or want, applauded or ridiculed, admired or despised. A good night's sleep with no need for sleeping pills; getting up in the morning and casting all our anxieties on God, who truly cares for you and me. What do I have that God hasn't given me? (1 Corinthians 4:7). No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money—deceitful riches, possessions, or whatever is trusted in (Matthew 6:24).

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from dead works so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 9:14).

Paul's Life with a Clear Conscience

"Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers" (2 Timothy 1:3).

Paul is writing his last letter to his protégé Timothy. Around AD 67, Paul was in a Roman jail. Roman Emperor Nero had ordered his execution. Paul knew his days were numbered. As the end drew near, he had perfect clarity about life and what truly mattered. For Paul, it was a clear conscience.

The Dead Works of Our Lives

All the characters in the Bible—and Paul is in a league by himself—have no issue taking a good look at themselves and doing real self-examination. Here is what Paul lists as his dead works:

• "What a wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24)

• "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15)

• "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them." (1 Timothy 1:15)

This same Paul was once a proud, ambitious, pompous, know-it-all, unapproachable leader of the Pharisees, who thought he lived his life in strict obedience to the law of Moses. He knew how to boast:

"I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless." (Philippians 3:4-6)

A Transformed Life: When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong

Paul had a real encounter with God on the road to Damascus. He became a new man. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Now he says: "I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

As Paul writes his last letter to Timothy with a clear conscience, he also warns Timothy about two men. Demas, a fellow worker, deserted Paul, drawn away by worldly desires. That is very understandable—how many people sit in church pews year after year, decade after decade, before finally deciding, "This is not for me"? God does not force anyone to be a disciple of Jesus Christ; we all understand that.

There was one man who really got under Paul's skin, prompting him to write to Timothy:

"Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Be careful of him, for he fought against everything we said." (2 Timothy 4:14-15)

What a dire warning to Timothy:

• Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm

• The Lord will judge him for what he has done

• Be careful of him

• He fought against everything we said

It's clear that Alexander the coppersmith was a close associate of Paul's—an insider. "Be careful of him" carries real depth of meaning; this man had the ability to be a thorn in Timothy's side.

No, Paul did not send Timothy to seek reconciliation or to convince Alexander to change his behavior. No, Paul warned Timothy: "The Lord will repay him for what he has done." Forgiveness without repentance is a fool's errand. There are people with no conscience who have the ability to break our hearts with absolutely no remorse, no repentance, and no desire for a new beginning. Any effort made to reconcile with such people will leave you with deeper wounds. Let God deal with them in His time and His way. Be careful of that man!

This was the final advice Paul gave to his protégé Timothy. Who among us has not faced the wrath of an "Alexander the coppersmith" type of person in our own life? Do not even think of confronting them or seeking reconciliation with them. "What is crooked cannot be made straight; what is lacking cannot be counted." (Ecclesiastes 1:15). Such people are so crooked they know how to make your life a living hell; let God deal with them. "Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, 'I will take revenge; I will pay them back,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:19)

Rev. Russell Moore shared this on his podcast:

"Back when I was a youth pastor, there was a young woman who came to see me. She wanted to become a Christian—actually, she said what she'd like to do is go to heaven. This is the deal she wanted: 'I want to be able to have sex with whoever I want to have sex with, get drunk on the weekends, do a little weed, and basically run my own life, but then go to heaven at the end.' I said, well, Jesus Christ isn't offering us a deal here. There is a little more to Jesus Christ saying, 'Come and follow me.' And so we had this conversation for a long time, but she found somebody who was willing to say, 'Okay, I'll give you that deal. Just pray this prayer, and then after that, do whatever you want.' And she did."

Troubles in Paradise

You might expect that Paul, who lived before God and people with a clear conscience, would have had all things go well for him. But no matter how hard we work to live with a clear conscience, troubles will find us. Paul recounted his own:

"I have served God with all my heart! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm." (2 Corinthians 11:23-27)

This Christian life is not always a walk in the park. Our Lord and Savior warned us: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

As Dr. Russell Moore learned during his youth-ministry days, many people want heaven, but they also want a good time right here, right now. Today's many megachurches and megapastors, with their worldwide audiences, are experts at the double life: "Just repeat this prayer, then go live whatever life you want. You can worship your politicians, sleep with whoever, wherever your desires seem satisfying to you. Just have a good time—your best life now. Your youth is so fleeting; go for the gusto."

A Clear Conscience Comes with Strings Attached

"Then Jesus Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Dr. Lloyd-Jones has this to say to all who desire to live a life with a clear conscience: "A life lived near to God! If and when I realize truly who God is, making God part of all of my life—in constant dialogue with Him—the man who really keeps near to God is the man who is always talking to God. We must resolve to do this; we must decide that we will not allow the world to control us any longer, but that we are going to control it, and our time and our energy and everything else."

Our time and our energy will not be wasted on frivolous matters; knowing to whom we belong and living for God is what matters. Yes, there will be Demas figures who follow the cravings of this world. All of us can get over such people fairly easily; they have found another master who can give them the fleeting pleasures of dead works in their lives.

But those "Alexander the coppersmith" types—people we once trusted, whose poison-tipped arrows aim right for our hearts—are often the greatest calamities in this life. As James said:

"The tongue is a small member, and it boasts great things. Behold what size a fire, what size a forest it kindles. The tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself." (James 3:5-6)

Even the great apostle Paul was fooled by his fellow worker, Alexander the coppersmith, as he looked back on his own life near the end. A clear conscience for Paul came from knowing this is a fallen world; we live among sinners. Each of us will only be completely transformed into the image and character of Jesus Christ when we are absent from the body but present with the Lord. Seeking revenge, or trying to correct someone else's behavior, will only send more poisoned arrows into your own heart. The Lord will repay them—that conviction can be a great balm to our broken hearts.

Paul counted on his clear conscience as death was closing in on him. How much more should each of us count on ours in our daily lives, and even more so at the end of them? There is only one antidote for a clear conscience: the blood of Jesus Christ, which purifies our consciences from dead works so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 9:14).

All worldly desires are like drinking salt water: the more you drink, the thirstier you become, until at last that salt water kills you. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

The man who really keeps near to God is the man who is always talking to God. He or she alone lives a life of clear conscience. We must resolve to do this; we must decide that we will not allow the world to control us any longer, but that we are going to control it, and our time and our energy and everything else.

Life is often very hard and unpredictable. There are "Alexander the coppersmith" types in our lives—people with no shame, who have an amazing ability to tear our hearts apart and then behave like Mother Teresa.

If we think today's politicians are the answer to a utopian world, we are being fooled. We are simply being conned. The phrase "I have a bridge to sell you" comes from the true story of con artist George Parker, who repeatedly "sold" the Brooklyn Bridge to unsuspecting tourists and newly arrived immigrants. Your fame, wealth, popularity, an amazing portfolio that makes you wealthy in both bull and bear markets, those prosperity-gospel preachers, or whatever else you are trusting in this very moment—these are just another Brooklyn Bridge being sold to you by another con artist.

A clear conscience comes from trusting our Maker daily, moment by moment, in all matters of our lives. When our conscience is clear, there is no need for sleeping pills or antidepressant prescriptions. "It is vain for you to rise early, to retire late, to eat the bread of anxious labors—for He gives blessings to His beloved even in his sleep." (Psalm 127:2). A clear conscience is our greatest asset in this life.

As the seasons of life slip away faster and faster, the preciousness of a clear conscience becomes the greatest joy of life—especially for those with a personality bent toward "going along to get along," the most despicable way to journey through this life. Living for truth, and seeking those who are truth-tellers and truth-seekers for meaningful conversation, becomes the greatest delight, especially in a world and time where "truth is whatever is good for me." This world is now full of shameless people telling obnoxious lies while pretending to be Mother Teresa.

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). The truth both heals and nourishes the hearts of those who receive it. The truth taught by philosophers does not have this power and effect—only the truth of God does. God's words, the voice of truth, restore and replenish the hearts of men. Jesus tells us, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

There is no rest for the wicked; fight the good fight, wait on the Lord, and with a contrite heart and spirit, faith can move mountains.

—Excerpts from Crosswalk

When Jesus Christ alone is our way, our truth, and our life—that is life, and life glorious. If and when Jesus Christ is the center of our life, and God's Word is our truth, it really does not matter whether life is short or long, plenty or want, great health or poor health, applauded or ridiculed. A life lived for Jesus Christ gives us a clear conscience in the sight of our Maker. What else truly matters in this life, as we draw near to meeting our Maker?

Are you looking to be satisfied in this life? It begins with Jesus Christ and Him crucified on a cross to redeem you from a life of sin. God will never force you to turn your back on prosperity gospels, the worship of politicians, cravings for people's praise, lies, gossip, falsehoods, or the craving for more and more. If you crave those things, they will not satisfy your hunger. There is a reason a 50-year-old can look like an 80-year-old: it's called a guilty conscience. All the sleeping pills and antidepressants in the world will do nothing for that; they are merely a bandage. Jesus Christ, crucified for all our sins, wretchedness, and lawlessness, is our greatest need for life and death with a clear conscience.

As Paul's time drew near—the footsteps of his executioner's blade closing in—he could count on his clear conscience. What are you counting on, as each of us must one day meet our Maker and give Him an account for our short life? What would you boast? What can you count on?

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from dead works so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 9:14). There is no other hope but the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on a cross, to redeem us from our fallen nature and all our sins and lawlessness.

As life for Paul came to an end at the hand of an executioner, he knew one thing: his conscience was clear. One way or another, there will be an expiration date for every one of us. Only two words will matter when that day arrives: WELL DONE.

All the stuff, fame, wealth, admiration, popularity, and politicians you helped elect—who will remember you two weeks after you are gone?

All of us, flawed human beings born in sin and destined to die in sin, have just one hope: the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on a cross, alone can purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. The apostle John tells us how to arrive at a clear conscience:

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:8-10)