“…for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
– 1 Timothy 2:2
As way of reminder- I Timothy 2:1-8 is Praying for the lost. Evangelistic praying. PRAY…FOR THE LOST.
PLEASE NOTE; THE passage does not say pray for wisdom for them BUT pray for their…. salvation!!
“FOR KINGS AND ALL IN HIGH POSITIONS”
Paul wants the church “of first importance”- v 1, to pray for the salvation of the lost, for “all people”-v 1. He wants there to be no exclusions and a part of the “all people” he now focus’s in on a group that may be left out for their cruelty, or for dislike, or inaccessibility or for whatever reason, namely,”kings and all in high positions.” Nero at the time was Emperor and was a cruel dictator who eventually would light his gardens with burning Christians. Paul wants prayer for Nero. Did not Jesus say in Matthew 5:43- 45 , “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU, that you might be children of your Heavenly Father.”
God desires His church pray for the lost. He is well able to make Himself known to them. He can by His Spirit, convict of sin and righteousness.
He can lead someone like Philip beside the Eunuch who was reading the Scripture and wondering of Whom it referred to. God circumstances the circumstances and Philip was able to give the answer that the Scriptures the eunuch had been reading spoke of Jesus Christ. The eunuch was saved. God is able! He can cause circumstances and bring to remembrance perhaps a scripture that was heard in childhood to the persons attention, He can use a loved one to testify and cause SPIRITUAL Life to be imparted.{ 1 Peter 1:3 } He can use someone’s testimony as He did with a friend of mine who had been flicking through TV channels looking for a ball game and heard a man sharing the Gospel and God saved him. God is able! He is able to circumstance the lives of “kings and all those in high positions” that they may hear the Gospel and be saved. He is Able.
Jonah know of the mercy and compassion of God , but in his own hatred and bitterness towards the Ninevites in light of their cruelty and evil did not want to deliver the message because he Knew God’s character and mercy. “BUT GOD…” got him to deliver the message and God had mercy on that people- and He was glorified. God is able! We must rejoice in Him and His desire to save and OBEY HIM in faith continue to pray for the lost and indeed continue to ” Pray for salvation of …Politicians!” God is able! {John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5 }
Do you complain about opposition leaders or do you… pray for their salvation? If you instead of complaining chose to honor God and prayed for them. How many prayers for their salvation would God receive on their behalf, offered for you? God commands that His church would pray for their salvation. Do you? Do I?
E-MAIL’S
From time to time I receive email’s passed on to countless complaining about leaders of certain countries, calling for change. That is not a problem. What is a problem is if we do not pray for those in leadership and pass on chain letters mocking leaders and DISOBEY GOD by FAILING TO PRAY FOR THOSE IN LEADERSHIP- THAT IS…SIN!
The person’s in a high position may not be your flavor, your party preference and you if you live in a democratic country you have the right to vote for change. You have the right to run and support change. But you and I DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT NOT TO …PRAY FOR THEIR SALVATION!
For once I would love to see someone pass on a chain email REMINDING CHRISTIANS of their HEAVENLY CALL TO, “PRAY FOR …POLITICIANS.” IT IS GOD’S WILL FOR HIS CHURCH. Pray for their …salvation! – 1 Timothy 2:2
*And if by chance you are one who loves to pass on chain letters mocking leaders- ask yourself , is this pleasing to God?
*Will this cause God’s people to pray …for their lost soul’s?
*Am I furthering God’s kingdom or more interested in a temporal kingdom where my comfort, ease and welfare is the end to the neglect of God’s call to pray for the benefit of others, their salvation that utterly JESUS CHRIST may RECEIVE the glory and worship rightly due to Him?
“THAT WE MAY LEAD A PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIFE.”
There is a goal in Praying for..the lost and in the case of verse 2, praying for “kings and those in high positions” which we could speak of as politicians and those in society who have places of authority. Praying… for their salvation that His church might lead a “peaceful and quiet life.”
Who does not want that?
But the PROBLEM is we often misunderstand this passage at best, and at worst desire it for the wrong motives- we want it for ourselves, when the passage 1 Timothy 2:1-8 is about The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ having their priorities right and “of FIRST IMPORTANCE” is praying…for the lost, and within that group praying for “kings and all who are in high positions” to the end that there may be an avenue for the SPREADING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST”. Not that life’s end , may be easy for us nut that life’s end for every generation of the church be FOR HIM!- HIS GOSPEL! HIS KINGDOM COMING IN THE LIVES OF THE LOST! This is the purpose of the prayer,”…that we may lead a PEACEFUL and QUIET LIFE!” It is For His Benefit and the Benefit of the LOST! What a prayer. What insight the Lord gives us for praying! We are to pray for those in authority and that the atmosphere be one where the Gospel in that society may go forth.
“LEAD”…the word can also be translated, “SPEND” OR “TO PASS.”
The purpose must not be forgotten, that peace in a community, society, is that the Christian must not sit back in ease but be diligent in looking for ways to advance the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and thankful He has provided such an environment.
The word “PEACEFUL” … the idea if the absence of INSIDE “disturbance or turbulence.” So the church in prayer is not praying from wrong motives but the RIGHT MOTIVE which is the SALVATION of the souls of those in Authority
The word “QUIET” refers to the absence of OUTSIDE Disturbances or anarchy. THEY ARE NOT TROUBLED FROM…WITHOUT!
Again the goal, THE FOCUS of the Believer is God’s glory and the persons benefit in the salvation of their soul and the ability in that society to share and spread the Gospel. Is that your view? Is that mine? It is God’s! So who needs to change?
THE TESTIMONY OF THE PRAYING CHURCH IS MARKED BY….
Praying with compassion and concern for those who are lost, and is marked by living lives described as …
“GODLY AND DIGNIFIED IN EVERY WAY.”
The word “godly” speaks of reverence . The word has the idea of an attitude of reverence. Reverence for God, we pursue lives that reflect we live to honor Him in love, holiness with His glory our highest end and the welfare of people around us. This is to be our ever increasing ATTITUDE. God-Like in our attitude which is to MOTIVATE and INFLUENCE our living in every and all aspects of life. One way this is manifested is in “Praying for the salvation of kings and all who are in high positions.”
“It ought to be that when someone says the word “Christian,” all they think of is holiness, godliness. They think of people whose hearts are turned to the living God.” -John Mac Arthur
We pray for the salvation of leaders and we live in such a life not to be threat to the government in anarchy but as a a testimony to them of a caring people who PRAY…FOR THEIR SALVATION. A people who live lives in reverence to God and holy living.
The word “Dignified,” The Greek word used here “semnotes” its basic translation is “moral earnestness” and refers to RIGHT BEHAVIOR. Godliness refers to RIGHT ATTITUDE and “DIGNIFIED” refers to RIGHT BEHAVIOR.” It is to connect the “dots” between knowing truth and Living it in a God honoring way! This is to be the TESTIMONY among the lost whom we pray for… “in every way…” in all aspects of life.
The church is TO BE “serious” about it’s assignment to pray for the lost…and to live as model citizens before the lost ! Evan as I write I am convicted!
God through Paul was correcting a flaw in the church at Ephesus. In 1 Timothy 3:15-16 he tells them how they “ought to conduct themselves in the church of the Living God.” In 1 timothy 2:1-8 he addresses the problem – “OF FIRST IMPORTANCE I URGE that Prayers… be made on behalf of all people.” None to be excluded! And he zones in on those in positions of authority “kings and all in high positions”…indeed some as we would say today which include POLITICIANS.
He desires prayers be made SPECIFICALLY for their salvation… and in doing so CHANGE OF ETERNAL CONSEQUENCE BE BROUGHT ABOUT- GOD BEING GLORIFIED! And as a result lives been free to live and the Gospel being furthered and the church in compassion been seen not as enemies but people who genuinely love other and those in authority and PRAY FOR THEM and lead lives that reflect their COMMITMENT TO JESUS CHRIST AS LORD though their godly and dignified way of living. This is to be the TESTIMONY to those in AUTHORITY.
IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE!
indeed wherever you live in whatever part of the world you are in who read this…it is time to PRAY FOR CHANGE- and it begins with ourselves FIRST!
It is time we CHANGED in our ATTITUDES towards POLITICIANS. Even the NERO of Paul’s day who was an evil and wicked man was to be …PRAYED FOR. It is time for you, me HIS CHURCH TO CHANGE AND … BEGIN TO STOP BELITTLING PEOPLE AND PRAY FOR THEIR …SALVATION. Christ died for the ungodly, Christ died for…sinners- Rom 5:6,8
IT IS TIME TO CHANGE Our attitudes and see that it is not for our comfort as the end that we pray for but the GLORY of OBEDIENCE AND LOVE EXPRESSED TO JESUS CHRIST through the salvation of the lost!
APPLICATION;
- MEMORIZE THIS VERSE- Write it on a 3 by 5 card and you can place it on a mirror in your bathroom, above the sink in your kitchen, in your purse or wallet and when possible look at, word for word memorize , meditate what it says and what God REQUIRES of you and your Congregation.
- APPLY- The application is simple to read, but is a call to compassionate commitment to “Pray… for the lost” including those “kings and all in high position!” PRAY …PRAY…PRAY…for those politicians who are included in “high positions.” Perhaps you may need to repent of your bad/ bitter attitude towards some and determine for the LORD’S SAKE to pray that He in mercy may do for them what HE HAS DONE FOR YOU…. SAVED YOU- Though you like me – DID NOT AND DO NOT DESERVE IT!
People often want to save their way of life in a country and care less about the saving of souls- whom Christ died for! Is it time to repent and be about God’s business and “PRAY for all people…. kings and those in high position”….
- BEGIN NOW
WHO is the Head of your country? state, county, region? What is God’s desire for you to Influence them for all eternity?In this passage we see one way for His people is to PRAY…FOR THEIR SALVATION…. TIME TO BEGIN TO PRAY…..
- BE A GODLY INFLUENCE. …BE SALT!
“salt” was used to stop erosion and also to preserve meats etc from rotting. In your sphere of INFLUENCE, among friends, colleagues DARE TO HONOR GOD the next time someone criticizes, belittles a politician who may be evil, we are not discarding that but we want to FOLLOW GOD AND HIS DESIGN FOR HIS PEOPLE AND “PRAY…. FOR THEIR SALVATION.” Go ahead try it, the next time someone batters a politician verbally in your presence say, “Let’s follow the Lord’s command in this issue and pray for his or her salvation…” Hmmm…. may get people to think twice about complaining in your presence, but more importantly it will give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to lead and guide others in the way that is right and God honoring response’s.
CHOOSE TO FOLLOW GOD AND PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF “…KINGS AND ALL THOSE IN HIGH POSITIONS.”
THIS IS A GOOD MEMORY VERSE; Write out on a 3 by 5 card… and begin Praying …for Politicians- v2…for their souls and the Gospel’s sake!