Paul, of course, does not excuse sin here and supposedly assert that sin is not sin if you do it not thinking it to be sin. In truth, we all have a conscience given us by God that reveals to us the dictates of God’s holy law, convicts us with guilt when we violate it, and approves of our actions when we follow that law of God written on the heart of every man. But sin is sin because of the impure motivations and attitudes that necessarily attach to it and from which it flows. To the impure, whose very hearts and minds are defiled, everything is twisted into perverseness; but a pure mind will see the good in the things God has put in the world around us.
And we pray:
May our minds be purified day by day, being renewed by Your Word and Your Spirit that is within us. May our hearts be made single in purpose, with the purpose to honor You in all things. May our consciences be kept active and healthy, and may we not ignore them to our own peril. As Martin Luther said, so may it be our motto as well, “To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. “