A Perfected Conscience
10/22/25 Bible Thought (Hebrews 9)
The Christian can and should live with a clear conscience.
In yesterday’s reading, we began to see the author of Hebrews address at length the relationship between the old and new covenants and how the new covenant is likewise a better one. This theme continues in chapters nine and 10.
With this, an important distinction is made with a comment on the former covenant:
“According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation” (Heb. 9:9-10).
Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, the work was always incomplete. As such, the various sacrifices and gifts that we see detailed throughout the pages of Leviticus could not perfect the conscience of the worshipper.
There was always an understanding that they were still separated from God to some extent. For one, only the high priest could go into God’s very presence within the holy of holies, and he only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Heb. 9:7; see also Lev. 16). Secondly, because the sacrifices were continual there was a constant reminder of sin.
Everyone under the former covenant knew there was something lacking because more sacrifices would have to be made. Their consciences could not be wiped perfectly clean because more atonement would be necessary. As humans we are sinners by nature, and no one would keep God’s commandments perfectly (see Ecc. 7:20; Jer. 17:9; 1 Jn. 1:8,10). More substitutionary blood would be shed.
Here’s what I want us to see today though: this continual guilt and need for sacrifice is how it used to be.
Now, we are under a new and better covenant.
While the former covenant could not perfect the conscience, we can rest assured today that if we are in Christ our conscience can be clear! Christ has nailed our record of debts to His cross (see Col. 2:14) and there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).
Christ will never need to be sacrificed again.
His sacrifice was sufficient for all sins of all sinners of all time. I cannot fall beneath the reach of His grace.
I love the old hymn “The Blood Will Never Lose its Power” where it says concerning Christ’s shed blood:
“It reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley.”
My conscience is clear today. I have no guilt today. Why? Because Jesus Christ bore my sin upon Calvary.
He exhausted sin’s penalty. He bore every bit of suffering that my sin had earned me and now I am washed clean by His blood. Though once red as scarlet, now my sins are washed whiter than snow (Is. 1:18).
Christ will never need to ascend Golgotha’s hill again. He will never have to have his brow, hands, feet, or side pierced again. He died once for sin and with His dying breath cried out, “It is finished!” (Jn. 19:30).
Jesus did not say, “It is in process!” Nor did He say, “It is finished for now!”
No: It. Is. Finished. Period. That is the end of the story. The mission of atonement and reconciliation stands complete.
When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to both forgive us and to cleanse us (1 Jn. 1:9. Now, if my sins have been washed away and if Christ will not hold them against me, how could I live with a guilty conscience when my sins are under the blood?
This message is so rich in truth brother Josiah Thank you for reminding us that through Christ our conscience can truly be made clean The contrast you drew between the old covenant and the new perfectly captures the heart of the gospel Under the law there was only a covering for sin but through Jesus there is complete cleansing Hebrews 9:14 says How much more then will the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living God That verse beautifully echoes everything you wrote We no longer need to carry guilt or live under condemnation because Jesus already paid the full price Romans 8:1 says There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Your words reminded me that when Jesus cried It is finished He meant that every chain every stain and every burden of guilt was forever broken by His blood Thank you for writing this truth with such clarity and conviction May we all walk daily with that same confidence knowing our conscience has been perfected by the finished work of Christ