An Evil Conscience

What is an evil conscience?

Evil conscience meant guilt, condemnation, and consciousness of sin for those under the law. Their minds always accusing or excusing their actions (whether they broke or kept the law)

Hebrews 10:22
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water

Hebrews 9:6-14
6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered WHICH CANNOT MAKE HIM WHO PERFORMED THE SERVICE PERFECT IN REGARD TO CONSCIENCE — 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, CLEANSE YOUR CONSCIENCE FROM DEAD WORKS to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:1-3
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, CAN NEVER with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, MAKE THOSE WHO APPROACH PERFECT. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? FOR THE WORSHIPERS, ONCE PURIFIED, WOULD HAVE NO MORE CONSCIOUSNESS OF SINS. 3 But in those sacrifices, there is a REMINDER OF SINS every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Romans 2:12-15
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, THEIR CONSCIENCE also bearing witness, and between themselves THEIR THOUGHTS ACCUSING OR ELSE EXCUSING THEM…

Here’s the opposite of an evil conscience.

1 Peter 3:21
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a GOOD CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

A good conscience toward God is one believing it is perfect and pure and is not occupied with sin. Let this mind be in you.