And if we succeed at silencing or ignoring our conscience—Lord, have mercy! Because all we’ve accomplished is to turn off the smoke alarm before we die in the fire. Maybe washing his hands made it easier for Pilate to sleep that night, but it did not wash away his sin. To whatever extent that soothed his conscience, it entrenched him in his sin. Because who’s going to care about escaping something with which they’ve grown comfortable? It’s tragic self-deception, because even if you no longer have to answer to your conscience, you’ll still have to answer to God.