Good Conduct and Conscience in Christ for Well-Doing

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Be Ready to Explain and Live Out Your Hope in Christ

Followers of Jesus are called not only to know what they believe, but also to be able to explain the hope that lies within them and to show, through their lives, the impact of Christ. It is not enough to simply recite the facts of the gospel; your daily conduct and the way you treat others must reflect the transformation that comes from knowing Jesus. When you live out your faith authentically, your words and actions together become a powerful testimony to the world about who Christ is and what He has done in your life. [35:56]

1 Peter 3:15-16 (KJV):
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."

Reflection: Who in your life might be watching your actions and listening to your words—how can you intentionally show them the hope you have in Christ today?

Day 2: Good Conduct in Christ Surpasses All Other Good

True goodness is not measured by community standards or good deeds alone, but by the standard set by Christ. While organizations and individuals may do many good things, only conduct rooted in Christ and His teachings is truly good in the eyes of God. The way you live—your behavior, your choices, your treatment of others—should be consistent with the gospel every day, not just on Sundays. Good conduct in Christ is timeless and unchanging, reflecting the eternal nature of God’s standard for goodness. [41:10]

1 Peter 3:16 (KJV):
"Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to align your behavior more closely with Christ’s example, rather than relying on what the world calls “good”?

Day 3: A Christ-Shaped Conscience Guides Your Decisions

Your conscience is the inner seat of reasoning that helps you process information and make decisions, but it must be shaped by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to truly lead you in the right direction. Everyone has a conscience, but not every conscience is guided by Christ. When your conscience is shaped by Christ, it helps you discern right from wrong in every situation, even when no one else is watching. This Christ-shaped conscience not only keeps you from wrongdoing but also convicts you to do what is right, even when it is difficult or unpopular. [50:01]

Romans 12:2 (ESV):
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: Think of a recent decision you made—did you allow your conscience, shaped by God’s Word, to guide you, or did you follow your own reasoning or the crowd? What would it look like to let Christ shape your conscience in your next decision?

Day 4: Self-Examination Before Judging Others

It is easy to see the faults in others, but Jesus calls us to examine ourselves first. When confronted with the sins of others, we must remember our own need for grace and resist the urge to judge or condemn. True self-examination, guided by the Word of God, leads to humility and repentance rather than self-righteousness. Before picking up stones to throw at someone else, take time to look honestly at your own heart and actions, allowing God’s truth to convict and transform you. [58:02]

John 8:7-9 (KJV):
"So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."

Reflection: Is there someone you have been quick to judge or criticize? How can you pause today to examine your own heart and seek God’s grace before responding to them?

Day 5: Suffering for Well-Doing Has a Greater Purpose

Even when you live with good conduct and a good conscience in Christ, suffering may still come your way—not as punishment, but as part of God’s greater purpose. Christ Himself suffered, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God, and our suffering in well-doing is never wasted. God uses these trials not to break us, but to make us more like Christ and to draw us closer to Him. When you endure hardship for doing what is right, trust that God is working through your suffering to accomplish something greater than you can see right now. [01:09:40]

1 Peter 3:17-18 (KJV):
"For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."

Reflection: Are you facing hardship or criticism because of your faithfulness to Christ? How can you find encouragement in knowing that your suffering has a purpose and that Christ has already walked this path before you?

Sermon Summary

Today’s reflection centers on the call to live a life where “good plus good equals well.” Drawing from 1 Peter 3:15-18, the focus is on the necessity of both a good conscience and good conduct, both rooted in Christ. It’s not enough to simply know or explain the gospel; our lives must visibly reflect the transformation Christ brings. Peter urges believers to be able to explain the hope within, but also to demonstrate it through their actions and the way they process life’s challenges.

Good conduct in Christ is not just about following rules or doing what society deems as good. True goodness is defined by Christ Himself, whose standard never changes. While organizations and governments may shift their definitions of right and wrong, the gospel provides a timeless foundation for what is truly good. Our behavior, then, must be consistent with Christ’s teaching, not just on Sundays but every day of the week.

The conscience plays a vital role in this journey. It is the inner seat of reasoning, shaped by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Our senses bring in information, but it is the Christ-shaped conscience that discerns what is right and wrong. However, not all consciences are shaped by Christ; only when our reasoning is submitted to Him do our decisions become truly good in God’s sight. This means that even if someone does the right thing, if it’s not rooted in Christ, it doesn’t amount to the “well doing” that Peter describes.

Self-examination is essential. The story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8) reminds us that before we judge others, we must look inward. Our conscience, when shaped by Christ, convicts us not just about others’ actions but about our own need for grace and transformation.

Living with a good conscience and good conduct in Christ does not guarantee an easy life. In fact, Peter makes it clear that suffering may come precisely because of our commitment to well doing. Yet, this suffering is not meant to break us but to make us—just as Christ’s suffering brought us reconciliation with God. The promise is that God’s goodness will ultimately outweigh any suffering we endure, and our faithfulness will be counted as “well doing” in His sight.

Key Takeaways

1. Good Conduct Must Be Rooted in Christ True goodness is not defined by society or organizations but by Christ Himself. Our actions must align with His unchanging standard, which transcends cultural shifts and historical trends. Living out Christ’s teachings daily, not just in religious settings, is the mark of genuine discipleship. [41:10]
2. A Christ-Shaped Conscience Guides Our Choices Our conscience, when shaped by the Word and Spirit, discerns right from wrong beyond mere human reasoning. It processes life’s information through the lens of Christ, leading us to decisions that honor God. Without this shaping, even “good” decisions lack eternal significance. [50:01]
3. Self-Examination Precedes Judging Others Before we point out the faults of others, we must allow our conscience to examine our own hearts. The gospel calls us to humility, recognizing our own need for grace. This self-examination fosters compassion and prevents hypocrisy in our relationships. [59:04]
4. Suffering for Well Doing Has Divine Purpose Faithfulness in good conduct and conscience may lead to suffering, but such suffering is not wasted. God uses it to shape us, not to break us, and it aligns us with the example of Christ, whose suffering brought about our reconciliation with God. Our endurance in well doing is precious in God’s sight. [69:40]
5. Faithful Living Is Defined by Good Conscience and Conduct Living “faithful unto death” is not about perfection but about consistently maintaining a good conscience and good conduct in Christ. This is the assurance of well doing, and it is the foundation for confidence as we approach eternity. [77:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[11:25] - Upcoming Events and Announcements
[34:14] - Rejoicing in God’s Presence
[35:03] - Preparing for the Word
[35:20] - Introduction: Good Plus Good Equals Well
[35:56] - Explaining and Living the Gospel
[37:24] - Good Conduct and Good Conscience
[39:28] - Christ as the Standard of Good
[41:10] - The Limits of Human Goodness
[45:17] - Consistency in Christian Living
[46:36] - The Role of Conscience
[50:01] - Shaping the Conscience in Christ
[57:02] - The Power of Self-Examination
[64:20] - Suffering for Well Doing
[69:40] - Christ’s Suffering and Our Purpose
[77:02] - Assurance in Faithful Living
[79:14] - Invitation to Respond

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Good Plus Good Equals Well

Bible Reading

1 Peter 3:15-18 (ESV)
> but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.

John 8:7-9 (ESV)
> And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

Observation Questions

According to 1 Peter 3:15-16, what two things does Peter say believers should have as they live out their faith?
In the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:7-9), what caused the accusers to leave one by one?
The sermon says, “Peter is saying, I want you to be able to explain the gospel of Jesus Christ, but I need you to understand that in your explanation, you have to put good with good as well.” What are the two “goods” being referred to here? [[38:31]]
What does the sermon say about the difference between “good” as defined by society and “good” as defined by Christ? [[41:10]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Peter connect having a good conscience with having good conduct? What might happen if a person has one but not the other? [[39:28]]
The sermon explains that our conscience must be shaped by Christ, not just by our own reasoning. What does it look like for someone’s conscience to be shaped by Christ rather than just by their upbringing or culture? [[50:01]]
In John 8, the accusers are “convicted by their own conscience.” What does this teach us about the role of self-examination before judging others? [[59:04]]
The sermon says that suffering for well doing is not meant to break us but to make us. How does this perspective change the way we view hardships that come from living out our faith? [[01:09:40]]

Application Questions

The sermon says, “The same way you adore Christ on Sunday is the same way you adore Christ Monday through Saturday as well.” What is one area of your life outside of church where you struggle to live out Christ’s standard of goodness? What would it look like to change that this week? [[45:49]]
Think about a recent decision you made. Was your conscience shaped more by Christ or by your own preferences or what others expected? How can you be more intentional about letting Christ shape your conscience in future decisions? [[50:01]]
The story of the woman caught in adultery reminds us to examine ourselves before judging others. Is there someone you have been quick to judge recently? What would it look like to practice self-examination and humility in that relationship? [[59:04]]
The sermon mentions that sometimes doing good in Christ will lead to being misunderstood or even suffering. Can you share a time when you experienced pushback or hardship because you tried to do the right thing as a Christian? How did you respond, and what did you learn? [[01:04:20]]
The pastor said, “You cannot clear your conscience about something that we have done wrong without repenting of the thing that you have done.” Is there anything on your conscience right now that you need to bring before God in repentance? What is stopping you? [[01:19:14]]
For those who are older or thinking about eternity, the sermon encouraged not to wonder if you’ve “done enough,” but to focus on having a good conscience and good conduct in Christ. How does this assurance affect your outlook on your faith journey and your future? [[01:17:02]]
The sermon says, “Suffering comes with the territory, but even though suffering comes with the territory, God is able to make the territory that you are in with suffering become something greater than you ever thought you would experience.” How can you encourage someone else who is suffering for doing good right now? [[01:13:18]]

Sermon Clips

“It's just not what you are able to tell people about Jesus Christ, but it is also how you are able to show people how Jesus has affected your life. It's just not Peter absolutely encourages us and tells us that we need to be able to give a defense for the gospel of Jesus Christ, be able to explain who Christ is. But when we get to 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse number 16, what Peter then goes on to explain to them is, look, it's just not you being able to explain Jesus, but it's you being able to live Jesus as well. It's just not you being able to say, I can tell you how to be saved, but it's living a life as a saved person as well. It's just not telling you how to become a Christian, but it's showing how Christians live as well.”

“We have to have good behavior in Christ Jesus. We have to have good conduct conduct in Christ Jesus. And I need everybody to get this this morning. It's a lot of good people in this room. It's a lot of people who try to do good, who do good every day, but I'm here to tell you that your good does not amount to the good that God wants it to amount to if you're not in Christ Jesus. Because who Christ is and what Christ has done, Christ has set the standard for what is good in his eyesight.”

“You may belong to a wonderful organization in this community. And this organization may feed those who need food, may provide clothing for those who need clothing, may do after school tutorial programs to help young people. They may be a full-service organization providing a lot of good in the community. But I need you to understand that even though all that is good, in fact, I'll submit to you that it's real good, but all that good cannot measure up to the good that we do in Christ Jesus.”

“When Christ is the standard for good, since Christ is the standard for good, you don't have to worry about good changing up on you. In Christ, what was good conduct a thousand years ago is still good conduct today.”

“We don't need history to judge Christians about whether we did the good thing in life because the word of God has already covered that. See, see, see, see, sometimes folks have to allow history to vindicate them in doing the right thing because everybody else at a time that they were living was doing the wrong thing and still calling it the good thing.”

“That's why you can't rely on government to determine what's good. That's why you can't rely on organizations to determine what's good. Good is determined by the gospel of Jesus Christ. And because good is determined by the gospel of Jesus Christ, what Peter says and what Peter understands is that our conduct, our conversation in Christ Jesus must be good. And the way that it becomes good is that we abide by, we abide in Christ and we abide by the doctrine of Christ.”

“Good based upon the gospel of Jesus Christ, listen to me, means that the same way you adore Christ on Sunday is the same way you adore Christ Monday through Saturday as well. The same way we say amen to his preaching and teaching on Sunday is the same way we say amen through our behavior throughout the week.”

“Your conscience can make or break you. And what do you mean by that? And I'll show you momentarily, but when we see conscience here, what Peter is telling them is that, look, your conscience is going to be what you use in you that has been shaped by the word of God, that has been shaped by the Holy Spirit, and has been shaped by all that you have in Christ Jesus. And your conscience is going to be what looks out at a particular situation, what looks out at particular information, and it is going to be what processes that information for you to determine whether it's good or bad based upon what the word of God says.”

“Everybody who is of sound mind has a conscience. This is good, y'all. But everybody's conscience has not been shaped by the word of God. So, that tells me that I can have a conscience that is not shaped by the word of God. I can have a conscience that is not within the will of God and I still can reach decisions based upon this conscience and these decisions may be the right decisions but these decisions still won't qualify as a good conscience in the sight of God because these decisions are not in Christ Jesus.”

“You don't have to be in Christ to know that you're not supposed to steal. Right? I mean, you don't have to be a Christian not to steal. All right? But I'm telling you, it sure helps you when you are in Christ and you have a conscience and you find somebody's wallet that has $500 in it. See, being in Christ makes you understand that there's no such thing as finders, keepers, losers, weepers. Being in Christ tells you that this ain't mine and I need to turn it in somewhere to the police department to help somebody have their money back.”

“When you have good conduct in Christ and you have a good conscience in Christ, when you find yourself processing information that is good or bad, the processing of that information is done through the fact and by the fact that you are in Christ Jesus. See, so when I put good, a good, good conduct with a good conscience, I come out well, y'all.”

“As we examine others and as we make decisions with our conscience about who is good and who is bad, what is right and what is wrong, we need to always engage in self-examination. Yeah, see, see, see, see, it's easy to point out everybody else's flaws. But one of the hardest things for us to do as human beings is to engage in self-examination.”

“It's too many of us that are so ready to pick up stones to throw at others for their wrong but forget the whole time we're living in a glass house. Lord have mercy, I wish I had a church this morning that understood the simple fact about having a conscience that the conscience just does not work taking in outside information and applying it to others or applying it to situations. What the conscience also does, the conscience makes you examine yourself as well.”

“When we examine ourselves, not with the x-ray machine, not with the MRI, but when we examine ourselves with the word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, when we search ourselves with his word, what we end up realizing is I'm just like everybody else, I'm a sinner, I may not have that sin but I sure got my own sin. And what I say is that I gotta get myself right. I gotta take a look at myself. All these stones, all these rocks that I'm trying to throw but the whole time the same rocks that I'm about to launch at somebody else really should be launched at me.”

“You cannot say I have a good I have good conduct but I have a bad conscience. You can't have good conduct with a bad conscience. Alright, it's just because the decisions that we make if we have a bad conscience won't reflect good good conduct. Alright, you can't have a good conscience but bad conduct because you calling your conscience something that it ain't.”

“When you're working on your job, when you're living in your neighborhood, when you're operating within your family structure, when you're doing the things that God will have you to do in this community, when you're trying to live this life where you have good conversation, I need everybody to understand that what should be something of appreciation by others often comes often becomes a source of not appreciation but it becomes a source of defamation.”

“When you have a good conscience and when you have good conduct don't be surprised when people slander who you are because of your good conduct they falsely what Peter says they falsely accuse your good conduct but Peter says all that false accusing that they have against you eventually they will be ashamed because you will be vindicated in and by your good conduct that is in Christ Jesus.”

“Peter says look I don't need you all to fall into the trap of trying to make life easy trying to avoid criticism of the way that you're living by choosing to do evil instead of choosing to have good conduct and a good conscience. Brother Joe are you telling me that even though I have good conduct in this life even though I have a good conscience in this life in this good conduct in this good conscience the text says that that that that is considered well doing in the eyesight of God you mean to tell me that I still will suffer even though good plus good is equaling well that's exactly what I'm telling you.”

“Christ has suffered in a way that you'll never have to suffer and because he suffered in a way that you never have to suffer what what we end up seeing about the suffering of Christ that should encourage us in our suffering that when you're putting good with good and you're living a life of well doing what Christ did how Christ did it and the significance of what Christ did helps us understand that our suffering that occurs when we are putting good with good is for a greater purpose that we may not understand until that greater purpose has been revealed to us.”

“Suffering it comes with a purpose and when suffering takes place the purpose that it comes with it may be painful for us to endure it may be hard for us to deal with but the suffering that we endure was never permitted by God to break us y'all the suffering that we endure just like Christ endured was not done to break us but it was done to make us y'all the suffering that we endure it is not to break us but it is to make us into who God wants us to be.”

“The suffering we may endure may be so great that it has us feeling like we're near death but I want you to know that the goodness of God is so great that when we are delivered and however God delivers us from this suffering the testimony that he gives us the power to endure that he gives us will be greater than the suffering that we've gone through y'all hear me this morning.”

“I don't need anybody giving up on life because they're suffering right now I don't need anybody thinking about quitting because the suffering that they're going through right now I don't need anybody contemplating throwing up their hands for putting good with good to get well doing and trying to do evil doing thinking that good will come out of that what we need to appreciate is that suffering comes with the territory but even though suffering comes with the territory God is able to make the territory that you are in with suffering become something greater than you ever thought you would experience.”

“As long as you keep putting good with good God has declared and decreed that you are well doing I don't need anybody getting to the end of their journey wondering about if they've done enough in this life to make it to heaven y'all I need every believer within the sound of my voice to be convicted by what Christ has said about your life that if you had a good conscience in life had a good conscience in Christ and you had good behavior in Christ that that is well doing in the eyesight of God.”

“Be encouraged this morning sometimes we come up with different methods and different systems in our salvation y'all that we trying to guess what God really wants God God says live faithful unto death living faithful unto death can be described as having a good conscience having a good conversation both in Christ Jesus and that is well doing in the eyesight of God.”

“The feeling that we should have when we put good with good even in the face of suffering because we understand the purpose for which we are doing it to enjoy the fullness of our right relationship with God we should feel real good y'all and it's a feeling not that not a feeling that should come and go but it's a feeling that we should embrace every day of our lives.”

“When we walk in this newness of life our walk will include having a good conscience in Christ having good conduct in Christ so we can do well in Christ Jesus.”

“God is so good God is so gracious he's so merciful that he gives us the opportunity to repair this damaged relationship through repentance confession and prayer.”

“Sometimes we behave in such a way where we have to come back and clear our conscience about something you cannot clear your conscience about something that we have done wrong without repenting of the thing that you have done is that alright so repentance allow godless sorrow to work you to a place of repentance where you respond this morning.”

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