1 Timothy 2:1-7

In recent years a rhetoric of "warfare" has dominated the evangelical church's commentary on social issues in the public square. Our Christian leaders tell us we are "soldiers" in a "war" for family values, and that "battles" are being waged in public school classrooms, courts, and media. Followers of Jesus are urged to "stand firm" and to "fight" to oppose the hostile forces that seek to plunge our culture into further moral chaos.

As we look back on the legacy of this kind of rhetoric, we find mixed results. On the one hand, we can point to modest gains in certain areas. However, other results have been more negative. Many unchurched people now view evangelical Christians with distrust, fearing that given the opportunity most Christians would eagerly use government coercion to enforce behavioral and doctrinal standards. Former "religious right" activists Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson point out the weaknesses of this "culture war" approach in their 1999 book Blinded by Might.1 Among other things, Blinding by Might is a public apology for siphoning off so much money from the Christian community that could have gone into evangelism, discipleship, and compassion ministries. Although the authors of this book don't think Christians should retreat from the public square, they clearly question the "culture war" mentality that fights with the weapons of politics.

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What alternative does a Christian have in the midst of a decaying culture? Are Christians caught on the horns of a dilemma between culture wars and isolation? The apostle Paul addresses this very issue in 1 Timothy 2:1-7. What might we learn about how to balance our roles as concern citizens with our divine mandate to communicate the good news of Christ?

The Power of Prayer (vv. 1-2a)

Paul begins by emphasizing the efficacy of prayer. Clearly Paul believes that prayer works, that intercession unleashes God's power in people's lives. The focus of our prayers here is on all public leaders. For the Christians living in Ephesus, few if any of these leaders would be overtly Christian. Yet Paul urges followers of Jesus to make it their business to spend time in prayer for public leaders.

Sometimes it appears that Christians today spend far more time criticizing their political leaders than praying for them. Yet Paul appears to retrain himself from such actions. Even though the political leaders he encountered were far more corrupt and far less godly than ours might be, he restrains himself from being one of their critics. Instead he becomes their ally through prayer.

The Lifestyle of Believers (vv. 2b-6)

No one would disagree that Christians ought to pray for their leaders. But aren't we also to confront our politicians when they do wrong? Shouldn't we hold them accountable when they make decisions contrary to our values? Clearly Paul expects that government leaders will make such decisions. For the earliest Christians such decisions will be the rule rather than the exception. However, Paul's primary concern in 1 Timothy is that Christians live "peaceful and quiet lives" that reflect "godliness and holiness." Rather than antagonizing political leaders, such a lifestyle enables Christians to live lives that are attractive, that "adorn" the message of Christ. Paul wants us to live this way because Christ died for all people (including political rulers) and because God desires that all have the opportunity to come to faith in Christ.

Although we live in a different context than first century Rome, we see here that the focus of our efforts is not to renew our culture (which is part of an age that is passing away) but to further the good news of Christ. Clearly for Paul the good news of Christ meant everything. Only the good news could bring people hope and transform their lives.

I suppose it would be easier for us to apply Paul's words were we to live in a culture that had no Christian roots. For us who live in the West, it is hard to accept that our previous culture-with it's Christian heritage-is part of the age that is passing away, and not part of the Kingdom of God. I suppose we are a little like the Montreal Expos. For the last two seasons, the Expos have been a "wandering team," splitting their "home" games between Puerto Rico and Montreal. In their "home" stadium, small crowds of 3,000 to 5,000 show up to root for the Expos. In Puerto Rico, the Expos play in a stadium that's foreign to them after traveling thousands of miles. The Expos no longer have any "home field" advantage.

The same is true of the Church in the West, that we no longer have a "home field" advantage. Like the Expos, we are wandering pilgrims on foreign soil. The good news is this gives us the opportunity to live out the New Testament mandates in clear and direct ways.

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Sermon brief provided by: Timothy Peck, Pastor, Life Bible Fellowship Church, Upland, CA

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1. Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson, Blinding By Might: Can the Religious Right Save America? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1999).