Kato Mivule | July 26, 2009
Why is it that Paul was very much interested in having Christians at Ephesus pray for their secular leaders? Was it that Christians were somewhat given to Political agendas and unrest with secular authorities?
Prayers for those in Secular Authority…
1 Timothy 2:1-15
(1) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
(2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
We must remember that to many folks especially of the Jewish community, the Roman Empire was really very unpopular… During the same period of time, many Christians were persecuted and killed for their faith in Christ Jesus. It might have been that many Christians became resentful towards the secular rulers and got sidetracked into joining secular opposition movements that sought to some kind of change in Rome favorable to Christianity.
Yet a major question remains as one reads Paul’s Letter to Timothy… What has Sound Bible Teachings to do with praying for the secular leadership? Why was Paul asking Christians to pray for the very secular Leaders who heavily persecuted Christians and had successfully placed Paul under chains on Death row?
Many Christians today especially in America are caught up in Political Christianity in which they view America as a Land destined for Christians that is supposed to be a pure Christian Utopia with Christian Laws. These Right wing Evangelical Christians have been and continue to be very vocal and militant against Liberal America and yet in their endeavor to “Take Back America” through Politics, the True Gospel has been lost.
Yet still Christians in America have not arrived to the point were they are killed and persecuted for their faith but through sensational Political Evangelical Christian Radio and TV Talk Shows, many Christians in America are being sidetracked and have lost the preaching of the True Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Amazingly Paul speaks about leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty… These are words that come out of a man who was on death row, about to have his head chopped off because of the gospel… Why is it that Paul never encouraged Christians to cause insurrections in Rome and force a Christian Government into Power?
Paul commands Christians to even be thankful for ALL men, Kings First… Is it possible to be thankful for government leaders that are persecuting you?
Paul was not calling Christians to agree with Secular Leaders and their policies… Paul was not condemning Senators in Rome or Christians who happened to be civic leaders. I believe what Paul was pointing out here was that Christianity could not be used as a vehicle for political power simply because it corrupts the True Gospel and the Message of Jesus Christ is seen as a Political philosophy aligned with some secular political force. This is exactly what is happening in the USA; Evangelical Christianity is seen as one and the same as the Republican Party…this ought not to be so.
Perhaps Christians then just like Evangelical Christians today in America had become deceived by a form of political Christianity in which they thought that they would have redemption from the ‘Immoral’ policies of the Roman Empire… If Christians then endured persecutions and injustice because of their faith in Jesus Christ, so can we today.
Therefore Paul would exhort Christians today to…
- Pray for their Kings – Secular Leaders, Presidents, Governors, regardless of political affiliation…
- Thanksgiving be made for leaders…
- That we live peacefully and quietly…
- That we live in all honesty and godliness…
However, let our prayers for secular political leaders not are turned into some political showbiz grandiose and pompous event. I know some Evangelical Pastor in Uganda who demanded that he be included in every Presidential Government State Function so that he could publically “pray” for the president… The Ugandan Government finally heeded to his request, of course for political reasons…yet such actions are not what Paul meant…
Political Christianity hinders the True Preaching of the Gospel…
1 Timothy 2:3-4
(3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
(4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
We see that verses 3 and 4 are a continuation of the above verses 1 and 2… We see that verses 3 and 4 are in context with verses 1 and 2…
It is very likely that as Christians mingled with secular politics of Rome and got sidetracked with the political business of how to remove from power the secular empire and impose Christian morality, The True Gospel became hindered…
How could one preach repentance to Roman Soldiers and Senators if at the same time they were involved in the politics of removing the ‘heathen’ political figures from office?
Would not the preacher of the gospel be seen as partisan and thus the gospel viewed as a political philosophy?
In Africa is a saying that behind the Cross was the Flag…in other words, the missionaries that came to Africa from Europe presented a ‘Jesus’ with and by the gun… Many who had believed the gospel at first were offended… To this day many folks in Africa still view Christianity in that light…as a tool for Western Expansionism…
Secular Politics has always stood as a hindrance to the pure preaching of the gospel. Yet The Lord desires all men to come to the knowledge of Truth and His will is that all will be saved… However when Christians mingle politics and the gospel, the truth is hindered and thus the pure undefiled Gospel is lost in the mix…
There is nothing wrong with Christians voicing for the Unborn Babies and being a voice for the Institution of Marriage as between a man and a woman. Yet these ‘voicing’ for the Unborn Babies and Marriage Institution have been turned into political agendas. In the USA the ‘voicing’ for the Unborn Babies and Marriage have become a Republican Political tool and as such Evangelical Christians with legitimate concerns for the Unborn Babies and Institution of Marriage are seen as Republican Party surrogates and puppets.
Yet still hypocrisy is seen in the mix, the Evangelical Christians who join the Republican Party to voice concern for the Unborn Babies and Institution of Marriage never voice for the Poor and Underprivileged, they always attack the poor and are seen as one and the same with the elite, rich, wealthy, greedy, exploiters, and corrupt of the Western World.
Brethren, this ought not to be so…such actions are a hindrance to the True Preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a Republican Party Philosophy and should be separated from such. However, to their shame, many so-called Evangelical Christian Leaders in America still see the Gospel as a Tool for Political Power.
The Message of the Cross is Central…
1Timothy 2:5-8
(5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
(6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
(7) Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
(8) I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Paul the apostle clearly makes a point here from verses 5 to 8 in context with the earlier verses we have discussed in this chapter that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is central in our conduct with all peoples including secular leaders. Our conduct towards the outside world should not place impediments to the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Message of the Cross of Jesus Christ is central and of great importance.
Paul ends this piece of scripture by reiterating the need to pray, this time placing emphasis that men ought to lift up holy hands and pray without wrath and doubting. Why was Paul concerned that men ought to pray without wrath?
Remember this is in context with the need to pray for leaders that Paul opened with in this chapter. Was it that some folks had become embittered towards their secular rulers? Was it that some folks were bitter because of the heavy persecution and killings that Christians faced at that time?
Why would Paul command men to pray without bitterness and wrath in their hearts yet Paul himself was on death row awaiting execution and writing letters from prison? Why pray for those who persecute you? Jesus Christ Himself stated it clearly in Matthew Chapter 5 that we must pray for those who persecute us because of our faith in Christ Jesus. Paul was emphasizing the commandment of Jesus Christ...a commandment that Western Christianity and its comforts seek to ignore...
Matthew 5:10-12
(10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
(12) Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:43-45
(43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
(45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
