Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading Saturday, March 1, 2025

Comment: Anyone without a pure conscience in Christ cannot be a genuine leader in the Church of God. A common denominator of many who claim to be clergymen today, who assume high-sounding titles and lead large congregations of Christians, is the lack of a clear conscience or the fear of God. In that they, bereft of the truth of God’s word, lead gullible followers, and make merchandise of them, and by this, set them on the path to eternal destruction. (Matthew 15:14; Isaiah 9:16) St. Paul gave an example of himself and admonished leaders to lead and do things in good conscience in the fear of God. “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” (Acts 23:1; 2 Samuel 23:2, 3) The requirement for leaders in God’s house to have a pure conscience is therefore mandatory if they are to lead the people on the path of righteousness and salvation. See 2 Timothy 4:2-4.