Oct 6 Devotion: Uniting Belief and Behavior

14).  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 15).  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and.unjust.  16).  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

                                    ACTS 24:14-16 (KJV)

In the passage cited, Paul was pleading his case before Felix, the Roman governor. He based his defense on living a life of integrity shaped by two things: trust in God and a deep conviction in Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Because of those beliefs, Paul claimed innocence, saying, in verse 16,  "I exercise myself, to have always  a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."   In this way, he shared how his conscience commended rather than condemned him.

What set Paul apart was his attention to both his beliefs and his behavior. He understood that our deeds flow from who we are on the inside. Jesus made the same point when He said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh. "  Luke 6:45). 

That’s why behavior change alone never lasts; in order to have long-term benefit, it must be rooted in something deeper.

Too often Christians focus on doing the right things without examining the underlying convictions. We can give, serve, and show up faithfully, but unless our deeds flow from genuine beliefs, we may be acting for the wrong reasons. 

If we submit and allow God to transform us from the inside out, then both our consciences and our testimony will be strong and clear. 

-IBC