Reaching people with the gospel can be challenging. People may dislike your personality. They might reject your appearance or disregard your words. They could even question your intelligence. But they cannot argue with the impact your authenticity has on their conscience. Walt Henrichsen noted, “You do not commend the gospel message to the logic or intellect of people, but to the conscience.”[i]

I’ve always been intrigued by Paul’s clear declaration of this powerful aspect of his gospel influence found in 2 Corinthians 4:2, “…by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” Later in his letter he wrote, “…but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences” (2 Corinthians 5:11).

What is the Conscience?

One writer summarized the meaning of our conscience in this way:

Each person’s conscience serves to control all the actions and decisions that we take. As a controller, the conscience shows which actions and decisions are right and wrong, which should be accepted and which should be rejected…When the conscience is constantly renewed, with a clear conscience, people are able to accurately assess the actions they wish to do, good or bad, fair or unfair. [ii]

John MacArthur also notes,

The conscience entreats you to do what you believe is right and restrains you from doing what you believe is wrong. But don’t equate the conscience with the voice of God or the law of God. It is a human faculty that judges your actions and thoughts by the light of the highest standard you perceive. When you violate your conscience, it condemns you, triggering feelings of shame, anguish, regret, consternation, anxiety, disgrace, and even fear. Conversely, when you follow your conscience, it commends you, bringing joy, serenity, self-respect, well-being, and gladness.

4 Keys to a Life of Supernatural Gospel Impact

1. Keep a Clear Conscience

When we came to Christ, the condemnation of our conscience was cleansed from the guilt of our sin and the failure of our religious efforts (Hebrews 9:14). As believers, our renewed and awakened conscience helps us to walk in obedience and live a fruitful life.

A clear conscience maintains a sensitivity to God’s word through the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit. To have a clear conscience, we must keep short accounts with God and man. This involves constant recognition and confession of sin and a commitment to reconciliation and forgiveness in our relationships with others.

To have a clear conscience, we must keep short accounts with God and man. This involves constant recognition and confession of sin and a commitment to reconciliation and forgiveness in our relationships with others.

Before talking about the impact of his ministry in 2 Corinthians, Paul offered this inspired testimony of his own life: “For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you” (2 Corinthians 1:12). He gave the same commentary in other contexts, especially when witnessing for the gospel (Acts 23:1, 24:16).

The assurance of a clear conscience gives us confidence and power in daily living and witness. A clouded, convicted, or condemned conscience robs the effectiveness of our joyful and sincere demonstration of the power of the gospel.

The assurance of a clear conscience gives us confidence and power in daily living and witness. A clouded, convicted, or condemned conscience robs the effectiveness of our joyful and sincere demonstration of the power of the gospel.

2. Sincerely Embrace Truth

Returning to 2 Corinthians 4:2 we see that, prior to talking about the impact of his life on the conscience of others, Paul wrote,

But we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

The power of God’s truth enabled Paul to renounce shameful realities, walk sincerely, and properly understand and apply the Scriptures to his own life. As a result, Paul not only declared the truth of the gospel but he manifested it in his life.

At the end of the previous chapter, just a few verses earlier, Paul explained this reality—one that all of us can experience as the source of our life and witness: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). We cannot manifest what we do not consistently experience. Thankfully, we are invited into the daily privilege of beholding the glory of Christ through prayer and the word every day so that the overflow of that encounter is exhibited to others.

We cannot manifest what we do not consistently experience. Thankfully, we are invited into the daily privilege of beholding the glory of Christ through prayer and the word every day so that the overflow of that encounter is exhibited to others.

3. Target the Heart

Earlier in 2 Corinthians 3, Paul spoke of the impact of the gospel on the hearts of the Corinthians, not just their minds: “You are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3). There is value in having reasonable arguments for your faith. We should all be prepared to share the truth with clarity and conviction. But our own change of heart, sincerity of heart, and demonstration of heart provoke curiosity and give avenues for witness in powerful ways. As Peter affirmed, “…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15).

4. Trust the Indwelling Christ for the Impact

Finally, our confidence in affecting the conscience of others is ultimately in the reality of the indwelling Christ. He changes hearts. He renews us daily. He is the supernatural power of our witness. Paul went on to make this clear in this same passage:

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves…” (2 Corinthians 4:6–7)

Walter Henrichsen offered this encouragement: “When people observe that your life is in harmony with the message, they may not believe, but they know in their conscience that they have met truth.”[iii]

“When people observe that your life is in harmony with the message, they may not believe, but they know in their conscience that they have met truth.” Walter Henrichsen

Let’s renew our commitment to a clear conscience, an authentic engagement with the word, a daily renewal of our hearts, and fresh confidence in the influence of our indwelling Christ. Then let’s go out there and allow people to meet the truth!

Copyright © 2023 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.

[i] Walter Henrichsen, Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man (El Cajon, CA: Leadership Foundation, 2011) Day 266

[ii] https://biblicaltheology.com/Research/HakhSB01.pdf

[iii] Henrichsen, Ibid.