1 Timothy 2 is an often-cited passage in America during an election cycle. 1 Timothy 2:1–2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (ESV)
We often treat this passage the same way we treat Jesus’ statements in all four Gospels concerning prayer.
Matthew 18:19 - Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. (ESV)
Matthew 21:22 - And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (ESV)
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (ESV)
John 14:13 - Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (ESV)
John 15:7 - If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (ESV)
John 15:16 - You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (ESV)
John 16:23-24 - In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (ESV)
These passages, along with with1 Timothy 2, are often treated without proper qualification and treated like blank checks. However, understanding these passages in context will leave little room for anything other than the advancement of God's mission. God's mission is spelled out in the rest of the verses of 1 Timothy 2:3-7:
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV)
The trajectory of this verse gives the reason Christians have advocated for religious freedom. What is religious freedom? Robert Louis Wilken says, “Religious Freedom rest on a simple truth: religious faith is an inward disposition of the mind and heart and for that reason cannot be coerced by external forces.” (Wilken, Liberty in the Things of God, 1). Though there is more to Religious Freedom than simply Wilken’s definition, Wilken hits the broad strokes. Citing Tertullian, the Latin Father from the early third century, “It is only just and a privilege inherent in human nature that every person should be able to worship according to his own convictions the religious practice of one person neither harms nor helps another. It is not part of religion to coerce religion practice, for it is by choice not coercion that we should be led to religion.” (Wilken, 1)
Often, people confuse religious freedom with tolerance. Tolerance “is forbearance of that which is not approved, a political policy of restraint toward those whose beliefs and practices are objectionable.” Religious freedom, on the other hand, is grounded in the idea of a natural right that “belongs to all human beings, not an accommodation granted by ruling authorities.” (Wilken, 5) One is an accommodation; the other is a recognized and ineligible right endowed by the Creator.
Freedom is more than toleration,
and the early Christian thinkers knew the difference and advocated for the difference to be realized in the hostile world of the Roman Empire.
1 Timothy 2 encourages Christians to pray for the environment most conducive to the advancement of the gospel. Believer’s desire to live a quiet life, but we also understand that our faith is more than a matter of personal opinion. Faith has implications for every portion of life.
The pressure from some to suggest we can live our faith in private reveals a misunderstanding of what faith in Jesus means.
In one of his letters, Tertullian said, “When we meet together, we offer prayer to God for the emperor and all those in authority, and for the public good. In our gatherings, we read sacred writings that nourish our faith and exhort one another to live virtuously…” (Wilken, 12). Robert Louis Wilken says this of the Diocletian persecution:
Diocletian’s persecution went on for several years, but it could not be sustained. Christians were too numerous, their communities too cohesive, and their leaders too adroit to be done in by the sword. By forcing a choice between Rome and Christ, the emperor badly misjudged the doughtiness and residency of the Church. In 306, Diocletian abdicated and handed authority over to [another] Galerius. (Wilken, 21)
After Diocletian, Galerius loosed the grip of persecution. He allowed Christians to gather on two conditions: First, behave with decency, and second, “he [asked] Christians to pray ‘to their God’ for ‘our safety and that of the state’ so that from every side the commonwealth may be kept unharmed.” What Galerius didn’t understand about Christians is the substance of our praying. Galerius asked for the Christians to pray for the welfare of the state. Christians respond and say, "we will pray for the advancement of the state; we will pray for renewal, revival, and a movement of the Holy Spirit all through the empire!"
Those in authority should carefully consider when they ask Christians to pray. We only know one way: Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done. Our prayer for leaders is not for their ends so much as it is for our ends! What is our end? It’s spelled out in 1 Timothy 2:3-6. Our end is the glory of God in all things.
Why do we pray? The that of verse 2 answers. We pray so that the gospel ministry can be unhindered by those in authority. We pray for favorable conditions for continued gospel proclamation. This is what we mean by religious freedom; we desire conditions to be favorable for the spread of the gospel. Not freedom from affliction, consider the persecution of Paul serving to spread the church. Consider Tertullian, who said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Consider our contemporary condition - China and the persecution and rise of Christianity. There are over 100 Million Christians in China and counting!
A Chrisitan focus is the mission of God. We pray for its advance because God’s desire is for all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Jesus is the one mediator who gave himself a ransom for all. We pray to him for them.
God has given his people a great and mysterious ministry called prayer. Legislation or courts do not direct the affairs of this world. They merely cast a shadow.
The saints of God who pray know better than to rest our hopes in the ballot box. The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it where he will. (Prov. 21:1). God gives his people a ministry of prayer not only to assure us as we live but to hasten the day. Legislation reveals the authorities' heart, but God uses the prayers of his people to turn the tides towards his gospel purposes. God’s ear is towards his people, and he commands us to pray for the world to turn towards him.