A good government paves the way for the Church.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)
1:18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 1:19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.
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2 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.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 36: The Civil Government
We believe that
because of the depravity of the human race
our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers.
He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies
so that human lawlessness may be restrained
and that everything may be conducted in good order
among human beings.
For that purpose he has placed the sword
in the hands of the government,
to punish evil people
and protect the good.
And being called in this manner
to contribute to the advancement of a society
that is pleasing to God,
the civil rulers have the task,
subject to God’s law,
of removing every obstacle
to the preaching of the gospel
and to every aspect of divine worship.
They should do this
while completely refraining from every tendency
toward exercising absolute authority,
and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them,
with the means belonging to them.
They should do it in order that
the Word of God may have free course;
the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress;
and every anti-Christian power may be resisted.
Moreover everyone,
regardless of status, condition, or rank,
must be subject to the government,
and pay taxes,
and hold its representatives in honor and respect,
and obey them in all things that are not in conflict
with God’s Word,
praying for them
that the Lord may be willing to lead them
in all their ways
and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life
in all piety and decency.
And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists,
and in general all those who want
to reject the authorities and civil officers
and to subvert justice
by introducing common ownership of goods
and corrupting the moral order
that God has established among human beings.
Summary
Paul begins this second chapter with a plea for prayer as being the first instruction he gives to his young protégé. But his reason for making prayer his top request comes in the paragraphs at the end of chapter one, in which Paul describes Timothy's calling in violent terms; Timothy must fight the battle and avoid the shipwreck resulting from letting go of faith and good conscience. This same language applies to you!
But notice that Paul doesn't instruct us to pray for ourselves in this passage! Rather, the petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings are to be made for all people, but especially kings and all those in authority. Of all the people Paul could instruct us to pray for - elders, deacons and pastors, missionaries, people engaged in acts of mercy like doctors and nurses - Paul first and foremost calls us to pray for the government!
We don't need to look far to find out why Paul puts the government at the top of the prayer list. It's governing authorities, more than any other sector, who have the ability to create and maintain an environment in which we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Such a tranquil community pleases God, but not just because God wants us to have a high quality of life. Peaceful and quiet communities please God because He wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth.
Dig Deeper
The role of government in forming and shaping society is arguably the most contentious issue of our time. Ironically, both those on the far right and the far left want the same exact thing: they want the government to conform society to their particular worldview. The problem, of course, is that their worldviews are often mutually exclusive and incompatible, so only one or the other can be implemented in society.
Our Confession here provides an excellent tool to untie this Gordian knot. But like any powerful and precise tool, if it's not handled with skill & understanding it can quickly do damage. The task of government, according to our Confession, is to remove every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship.
Read that very carefully! It is NOT the role of the government to impose the gospel or divine worship. A good and godly government must simply remove obstacles that either it or anyone else places in front of those doing the work of the Church. Christ's Church can do her evangelistic work the best in places whose kings and all those in authority govern well, subject to God's law, as it fosters communities in which all citizens can enjoy peaceful and quiet lives.
The primary role of the government is to provide liberty so the Church can freely do the work God has commissioned her to do of helping people come to a knowledge of the truth. Such a gift will only be given to people who follow the Holy Spirit's command to offer petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— and especially for kings and all those in authority.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for kings and all those in authority that they may govern according to God's law;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Jude
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