Ephesians 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. I. FAITHFUL MINISTERS FEEL THAT THEY OUGHT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL BOLDLY. 1. This will appear, if we consider that they really believe the gospel is true. 2. Their knowledge, as well as belief of the gospel, carries conviction to their minds that they ought to preach it boldly. 3. Faithful ministers feel the sacred obligation of their sacred office, to preach the gospel boldly. II. WHY THEY DESIRE CHRISTIANS TO PRAY FOR THEM THAT THEY MAY PREACH THE GOSPEL BOLDLY as they feel in conscience bound to preach it. 1. Here the first reason that occurs is, because they are sensible of their own insufficiency to surmount the difficulties that they expect to find in their way of preaching the gospel with Christian freedom and confidence. 2. They desire Christians to pray for them because they feel their own insufficiency to preach the gospel successfully. Though they should preach the truth plainly and boldly as they ought to preach it, yet they cannot command success. They can only speak to the ear; they cannot speak to the conscience or to the heart. (1) Though the success of the apostles was partly owing to their preaching boldly, yet their preaching boldly must be ascribed partly to the Christians who perpetually prayed for them, that a Divine blessing might accompany their bold and faithful exertions. (2) This subject teaches Christians that they may do a great deal to assist their ministers in their laborious and arduous work. (3) Since faithful ministers need as well as desire the prayers of their fellow Christians, it is their privilege as well as duty to pray for them. (4) Since faithful ministers desire and request the professors of religion to pray for them, they must be extremely ungrateful and inconsistent if, instead of complying with such a reasonable desire and request, they complain of them for preaching boldly as they ought to preach. (N. Emmons, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.WEB: for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. |
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