Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Paul's appeal is a request for others to pray for him, one he repeats again and again throughout his writings. Ministers may rightly make the same request, seeking God's help for their gospel work. Knowing that their hearers are praying for them encourages and strengthens them as they prepare to preach.
Asking another person to pray is Biblical, and it is proper for the one leading a public meeting to ask someone to pray. The leader should act as time, place, and need indicate under the Spirit's guidance, since the Spirit may move the leader to ask a person to pray just as truly as He moves a person to pray without being asked. A genuine request for prayer belongs with a sincere desire for God's favor and approval and with a willingness to follow Christ in holiness and bear the cross. It accords with the fellowship of the saints and the Spirit's intercession.
One who remains indifferent to sin and rejects God's law is not ready for true Christian fellowship. Prayer for such a person should seek conviction, conversion, and healing. A good conscience goes with willingness to live honestly in all things and to do one's duty as God's word reveals it. Conscience must be tested by God's word and not used to judge or excuse disobedience to it, and willingness to do one's duty as the word reveals it is the ground for trusting that the conscience is good.
Mere lack of condemnation does not make disobedience right, since conscience may be defiled, evil, or seared, and the word will judge those who disobey it. A good conscience is to be kept no matter what it costs. Willingness to live honestly includes giving up wealth for conscience' sake, as when a poor man gives up valuable found property rather than keeping it. A good conscience gives a contented mind, a peaceful heart, and the joy of having honored the Lord as its own reward even when no earthly reward is received, and such honesty moves unbelievers to recognize true religion and a living God. An approving conscience comes from doing one's work as in God's sight, seeking to please and honor Him and putting away selfish motives, rather than letting people's praise or criticism govern one's course.
Paul's appeal is a request for others to pray for him, one he repeats again and again throughout his writings. Ministers may rightly make the same request, seeking God's help for their gospel work. Knowing that their hearers are praying for them encourages and strengthens them as they prepare to preach.
Asking another person to pray is Biblical, and it is proper for the one leading a public meeting to ask someone to pray. The leader should act as time, place, and need indicate under the Spirit's guidance, since the Spirit may move the leader to ask a person to pray just as truly as He moves a person to pray without being asked. A genuine request for prayer belongs with a sincere desire for God's favor and approval and with a willingness to follow Christ in holiness and bear the cross. It accords with the fellowship of the saints and the Spirit's intercession.
One who remains indifferent to sin and rejects God's law is not ready for true Christian fellowship. Prayer for such a person should seek conviction, conversion, and healing. A good conscience goes with willingness to live honestly in all things and to do one's duty as God's word reveals it. Conscience must be tested by God's word and not used to judge or excuse disobedience to it, and willingness to do one's duty as the word reveals it is the ground for trusting that the conscience is good.
Mere lack of condemnation does not make disobedience right, since conscience may be defiled, evil, or seared, and the word will judge those who disobey it. A good conscience is to be kept no matter what it costs. Willingness to live honestly includes giving up wealth for conscience' sake, as when a poor man gives up valuable found property rather than keeping it. A good conscience gives a contented mind, a peaceful heart, and the joy of having honored the Lord as its own reward even when no earthly reward is received, and such honesty moves unbelievers to recognize true religion and a living God. An approving conscience comes from doing one's work as in God's sight, seeking to please and honor Him and putting away selfish motives, rather than letting people's praise or criticism govern one's course.