Patriotic In Prayer Series

Paul was a man of authority who respected the authority of others.

In Acts 23 it is recorded that he was struck on the mouth, and he

began to rebuke the one who did it. Those who were near by asked,

"Would you revile God's high priest?" Paul answered, "I did not

know brethren that he was the high priest; for it is written, you shall

not speak evil of a ruler of your people." Paul was patriotic, and we

do not find him anywhere trying to stir up opposition to those in

authority. He loved his own people and their government. He was a

leader in it as a Pharisee, and he also had a high respect for the

Roman government. It's laws of protection for its citizens saved him

on several occasions.

In his letters he encourages believers to be the best possible

citizens, and to obey their rulers. We want to examine his advice to

Timothy along this line and see if can gain a new vision of how we can

be more patriotic, and have it be a spiritual exercise. Patriotism is not

good in itself, for one might be devoted to a very evil government and

be a party to its evil by being so devoted. Christian patriotism, as

brought out in this passage, is always good, even if one is a Christian

under an evil government. It consists in a devotion to that

government's highest well being by praying for its leaders. It is being

patriotic in prayer that has been characteristic of the church in its

relationship to the state.

In verse 1 Paul says that one of the first duties of believers is to

pray for all men. When our daughter was very young she began to

pray in her own words, and one of her most common prayers was,

"Make everybody grow up and be good." This seems a little too

comprehensive to be meaningful, and yet the attitude behind it is

basic, for that is what Paul is saying in this passage. Prayer is to be

comprehensive and all-inclusive. There is the concept of universality

that runs all through this passage. We have words like all men, all in

authority, and ransom for all. Prayer is to be universal and for all

men.

Paul breaks prayer down into 4different categories. First you have

supplications, which refers to a request for God's aid in fulfilling

a specific need, which is keenly felt. Then you have prayers, which is

more general, and is a requesting for those needs, which are always

present, such as the need for wisdom and guidance. If I desperately

need to know what to do in a specific situation, it is supplication. If I

simply ask God to guide me in His will, it is prayer. The urgency of

the need seems to be the main distinction. Then you have

intercessions. This is a pleading for others, and it seems to imply that

you are fulfilling a role, which they cannot do for themselves. Finally

you have thanksgiving, which is an expression of gratitude for

blessings already received. Paul feels this is a vital part of the prayer

life, and we need to make sure we do not forget it by including it in all

of our prayers.

Paul says that all these kinds of prayer are to be offered for all

men. It is obvious that we cannot be praying for everybody. We

would need the infinite mind of God for this. We cannot take this

literally, and yet we dare not dismiss the universality of Paul's

intention. He did not expect Timothy and the Christians he

shepherded to pray for all those living on the earth, but he certainly

meant that all people are included as objects of prayer, and objects of

God's love and concern. It is a paradox, but I take it both literally

and not literally at the same time. If you take it literally to mean all

people then that includes the dead, and so this has been a proof text

for prayers for the dead. It is obvious to the unbiased reader that

Paul had no such thing in mind. So I do not take Paul's language as

that inclusive, but I do take it to include all living people.

All people are to be prayed for, and none are to be excluded.

Even evil men are to be prayed for. Many evil men become godly men

because people have prayed for them. The leaders who oppose all that

is Christian are to be prayed for. They may repent and become

Christians, but even if they do not they can make decisions that effect

everyone, and they can make those that are of benefit to everyone.

We need to remember that the man on the throne when Paul wrote