This text makes it clear that the way Christians will be able to live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity is through God's saving work among all classes of people - the great (kings and those in high positions) and the small (the working classes).First of all...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. 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. 1 Tim 2:1-5
Living in godliness means that we seek His kingdom and righteousness here on this earth - that we support what God supports and stand against what He stands against. One of the things we must stand against is the daily slaughter of innocent lives. We are commanded to defend the innocent.
"Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." Ps. 82:3-4We should be actively concerned (without making political issues an idol) that President-elect Obama has promised to make the signing the Freedom of Choice Act his first order of business in the White House. With a Democratic Congress, he will have no problem in overturning all of the advances made for the protection of the unborn and to somewhat limit abortion since 1973 (click here, then scroll down on the page to see the list of these successes that will be undone). He is even opposed to administering protection and nourishment to a child born alive during an abortion. It would be considered a crime to assist such a baby.
"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Prov 31:8-9
We should begin today to pray earnestly that God would have mercy upon our new leader - to turn his heart against this legalized slaughter of the "least" among us, and even more, that God will cause Him to be born again. It is God's desirous will for men and women to be saved. It is also His will for His people to be able to live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.
Since we have a promise in 1 John 5:14-15 that if we pray according to God's will (His desirous will is all we can know and that is the expressed thing we are commanded to pray for in the 1 Timothy text), we should have great confidence that He will answer.
"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that if He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked of Him. " (1 John 5:14-15)
Let us ask with confidence for our new President and other governmental leaders! In this we will be found faithful to the call to ask God that we might live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. This is how we should pray so that ultimately we may openly, (even in public) declare the glories of Christ, the only One who can right all wrongs and forever change the hearts of those who slaughter the innocent for personal convenience and forgive their sin as He has our own. All for Christ's honor and glory! (For more from John Piper in this regard, click here.)
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