1 Timothy 2 Instructions on Worship
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. 8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.
We read these words and assume that the Roman ruler at this time must have been a good man. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Paul wrote the letters to Timothy during the reign of Emperor Nero. Nero ruled the Roman Empire from AD 54 to 68, a period marked by significant persecution of Christians, particularly following the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, which led to widespread scapegoating of Christians. Paul was imprisoned in Rome during this time, and his letters were intended to encourage Timothy in his ministry.
Nero was a horrible man who murdered his mother, one of his wives, and his step brother. Most Roman sources offer overwhelmingly negative assessments of his personality and reign. Most contemporary sources describe him as tyrannical, self-indulgent, and debauched. The historian Tacitus claims the Roman people thought him compulsive and corrupt. Suetonius tells that many Romans believed the Great Fire of Rome was instigated by Nero to clear land for his planned “Golden House“. Tacitus claims Nero seized Christians as scapegoats for the fire and had them burned alive, seemingly motivated not by public justice, but personal cruelty. Eventually, Nero was declared a public enemy and finally committed suicide on 9 June AD 68. (Wikipedia)
All over the world, believers find themselves at the mercy of ungodly rulers. Christians in North Korea and other closed countries are routinely slaughtered in gruesome ways to deter others from believing. I am writing these words just before mid-term elections in America, and undoubtedly there will be many people unhappy with the results if their favored candidate fails to win. Sometimes we even find that the candidates we have backed change their behavior once in office, leaving us appalled and ashamed for having supported them.
So, if candidates can disappoint us and rulers can prove evil, why should we pray for them?
“1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” These words used to be part of the liturgy in the church in which I grew up, and I really didn’t understand them well at all. As a teen-ager, living a peaceful life sounded simply BORING! Now, decades later, I realize that few things are more precious than being able to live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness. When I first heard those words, the internet didn’t exist and online pornography and sexual trafficking were virtually unknown in my small midwestern town. Now godliness and holiness are under constant attack, and peace is a precious commodity. Parents must scrupulously watch their children’s online presences, lest their children fall victims to online predators. Those shopping must be equally vigilant to avoid being kidnapped in parking lots.
It’s paradoxical but true that the worse political situations become, the more strenuously we should be praying. Shakespeare once wrote “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” and rulers face all kinds of stresses, many of which their subjects are unaware. The temptations to abuse power are always present, and powerful interests are than willing to pay so that their plans will be approved.
So, your candidate won? PRAY!!! Your candidate failed to win? PRAY EVEN HARDER!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to pray for all rulers so that we can live in peace, holiness, and godliness. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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