6-25-07 1 Peter 3: 16

1 Peter 3: 16 (NAS)
and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

1 Peter 3: 16 (NIVUS)
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. .

1 Peter 3: 16 (Philips)
Make sure that your conscience is perfectly clear, so that if men should speak slanderously of you as rogues they may come to feel ashamed of themselves for abusing you for your good Christian behavior.

When you decided to make Jesus Christ your Lord, your spirit was born anew of the Holy Spirit of the Most High God. Now you are sensitive to His will and desires. You have a good and excellent conscience allowing you to distinguish between the moral and immoral and pointing you to the things that God approves. Therefore, it is your necessary duty to make good moral decisions, based on the Word of God.

Even if you discipline and align your life with God's word, you will not be free of slanderous and demeaning words. Some people will speak against you, trying to incriminate you and to defame your reputation. They will declare you to be an evildoer and malefactor, with a wicked and destructive nature.
However, your accusers will be dishonored, disgraced and put to shame; for the Lord Jehovah knows that their accusations are false. Their insults and threatenings are baseless.

Although at one time you did have a sinful nature, that is not longer true. Now your manner of life and the words you speak are good, pleasant and excellent. Your life has been completely turned around and your behavior reveals the anointing of the Messiah, the Anointed One.