A young boy was in the lobby of the church with his dad. The boy saw a plaque on the wall with names on it and asked his father about it. Dad explained that it was a memorial plaque to honor the men and women who had died in the service. Wide-eyed, the boy asked, “Which one, the 8:30 or the 10:30?”
To all who have served or are serving in the defense of our nation, please accept my personal thanks and admiration. I want to join in the chorus of honoring you, appreciating you, and giving you the respect that you deserve.
I have been alternately amused and irritated by politicians who throw accusations back and forth about who is more patriotic, who is less patriotic, and what position you need to have on one issue or another to be “truly” patriotic. The noise increases when we approach a holiday such as the upcoming Independence Day, filled with parades and fireworks.
Perhaps even trickier has been the historical perspective of the relationship between the follower of Christ and human government. While it is true that our only eternal ruler is God Himself, we are subject to human rulers here. How do we respond? What do we need to do? Should we post on social media, march in protest parades, or stand on a corner with a bullhorn and posters? There is no question that it is good for a Christian to be involved in important issues and stand for truth and promote what is right, but it is sometimes difficult to define what is appropriate and wise or what is foolish and lacking sense.
Paul’s instructions to Timothy in Ephesus make plain what is foundational and indisputable. The apostle urges Timothy to conduct himself properly, live righteously, and teach correctly. In chapter 1, he exhorts Timothy to watch out for and stop false teachers from infiltrating the local church. In chapter 2, Paul turns his attention toward what to do for all, especially those who hold public positions.
First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
— 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NASB)
At first glance, we can heartily say “Amen!” We have no problem praying for people we like and agree with, asking God to bless them, but Paul outlines instructions which certainly grabbed the attention of the readers. He specifically states, even urges, to pray “for kings and all who are in authority.”
No matter your political leanings or situation, clearly prayer for governmental leaders is foundational and greatly needed.
Wait a minute, Paul; now you’ve turned to meddling! The kings and rulers at that time were almost universally enemies and persecutors of Christians and understandably the last people the believers wanted to include in their prayers. Nevertheless, Paul wants to be sure those people are on the prayer list and included in the prayer meeting.
Paul uses four words to describe communicating with God on behalf of others. While there are some differences in what each of these words mean, the fact that he uses four of them primarily serves as an emphasis on how important it is to do this. Some suggest that they may describe slightly different kinds or aspects of prayer. Matthew Henry gives these definitions: “Supplications for the averting of evil; prayers for the obtaining of good; intercessions for others; and thanksgivings for mercies already received.”
This is not the only place which describes the relationship between believers and human government. For example, in his letter to the church in Rome, Paul wants to make sure we understand the very practical reality of living in a nation with those who exercise earthly rule over us. “Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God” (Romans 13:1).
No matter your political leanings or situation, clearly prayer for governmental leaders is foundational and greatly needed. Again, this is not based on whether you like your leaders. It is generally held that Nero was in power during the early years of the church. He was a hideous, wicked, grossly immoral man. And yes, the people were to pray even for him!
Think about the elected political leaders in our country now – national, state, and local. Remind yourself of those who are not often in the spotlight but still have a significant impact on your life by determining all sorts of policies and procedures. For example: judges, school board members, the park board, county commissioners, code enforcement personnel, the tax assessor, the police and fire department and on and on.
A few years ago, I served on a Neighborhood Council leadership team. I was surprised how influential that group was in the city. I also helped with organizing and monitoring precinct caucuses for a presidential election. It too was an eye-opening experience that exposed me to the need to pray for leaders.
So how do we pray? I think Matthew Henry’s distinctions can help us do so wisely and effectively:
In a very real sense, this is the most important connection between our faith and the government. Personal involvement in hearings, meetings, even pursuing a public office is great, but that must also be bathed in prayer, especially when the days look dark.
In a culture where patriotism can cause division, the Christian’s mandate is clear: Pray.
I read a newspaper story of a little boy who asked to pray before a family meal. His parents were delighted, so they bowed their heads as he began, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…”
The child got it right in this sense: We need to have our nation and its leaders on our prayer list. Whenever we pray, we are to pray for “all who are in authority.”
In a culture where patriotism can cause division, the Christian’s mandate is clear: Pray.
Why the big deal? The passage in 1 Timothy 2 doesn’t leave us dangling. Paul tells us why:
… so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
Wow! There is benefit for us when we pray for them! A tranquil, quiet life is good. Who doesn’t want that? The idea is to be in a place of rest, of solace, a place of peace and contentment. With a settled life, we can more easily be marked by godliness and dignity.
When we are all “worked up” about something, it is sometimes hard to refrain from bad thinking, inappropriate words, and embarrassing actions. To do so is not a good reflection of who we are in Christ, and we certainly want to be a good witness of Him in a sin-sick society.
In modern, metropolitan, computer-frenzied America, perhaps someone asks you, out of courtesy and habit, “Hi, how are you?” Imagine giving this response: “I’m tranquil and quiet, godly and dignified.” Try that one at the office this week and see the reaction!
When the world sees a man or woman or teenager or boy or girl who has a peaceful, dignified life, they notice. At some level, they want it too, and it opens doors to share the source of our behavior. Why is this so important? Verses 3 and 4 complete the instructions, providing the final “why” in a powerful sentence:
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
God desires us to have a life of peace, not turmoil. He doesn’t want us to be marked as irritated, irritable, or irritating to others. And hopefully we don’t want that either! A person who passionately follows Christ gives God great pleasure, because God’s desire is that the gospel spreads. He wants all to come to Christ, all to receive His grace, that all might come to the truth, including and especially our leaders.
God uses leaders for His purposes, many of which we will never understand...
It is God’s business who He puts in places of authority, but it is often difficult to understand why. Names come to mind, from history and the current day, which raise our eyebrows. That is a topic for another time, but I like what was said of Martin Luther at his funeral. We look at Luther with great admiration for his courage and commitment to Scripture, and so we should. But it has been said we might not like him very much if he preached in our church; he was a very strong character in many ways. His friend Philip Melanchthon (quoting the language of Erasmus) said of Luther: “God has sent in this latter age a violent physician on account of the magnitude of the existing disorders.”
God uses leaders for His purposes, many of which we will never understand, but He doesn’t wring His hands as if He wonders what will happen next. We can wonder why He sovereignly chooses or allows one person or another, as it makes no sense to us, but He has plans and they will be accomplished.
So how can we be truly patriotic on this Independence Day? I hope you will enjoy the flag waving and the burgers on the grill. Have fun sitting on a blanket mesmerized by the fireworks display. Be grateful for the freedoms we have in our country.
But will you add one more thing to your festivities this year? I encourage you to set aside some time to pray for our nation and for our leaders. Pray so that you might lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. God says it is a “good and acceptable” thing to do.
Chris is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL (M.Div.) and has served as a pastor in churches in the Midwest. Chris and his wife Marty have been married for 40 years. Chris currently teaches the Fundamentals of the Faith class and serves in the Prayer Ministry here at Faith Bible Church.
View Resources by Chris Tornquist
Imagine a famed tightrope walker who stunned the crowds at the circus with his balancing dexterity. He invited all to come watch him walk the tightrope across a huge waterfall. They applauded with wild cheering as he skillfully crossed. He...
