Footnote

b The Bible shows that having a clear conscience is not always sufficient. For example, Paul said: “I am not conscious of anything against myself. But by this I am not proved righteous; the one who examines me is Jehovah.” (1 Corinthians 4:4) Even those who persecute Christians, as Paul once did, may do so with a clear conscience because they think that God approves of their course. It is vital that our conscience be both clear in our eyes and clean in God’s eyes.​—Acts 23:1; 2 Timothy 1:3.