After a person has gotten saved, become a Christian, and is following the Lord in their life, there are several things that they should do in order to keep in close fellowship with God. They should be faithfully reading their Bible, attending worship services regularly, and loving the Lord and their neighbor, among other things. There is another very important thing that a Christian should be doing on a regular basis, which is highlighted in our Scripture passage for today, and that is prayer. Let us take a quick look into what the Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy in his letter to him.
The Apostle Paul was a mentor to Timothy, who was a young man from Lystra in Asia Minor, and who became one of the leaders of the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy to help and encourage him as he ministered to the Ephesians. One thing that he stressed early on in this first letter was the importance of prayer in a believer’s life, both private prayer, and prayer with other believers. Prayer is foundational, both in our personal life, and in the life of every church.
As we begin reading our Scripture, Paul lists several different types of prayers that Christians should be making (vs. 1). He mentions supplication, prayer, intercession, and giving thanks. Each one is somewhat different from the other, as we shall see. Supplication is earnest prayer for some specific need. Perhaps you are unemployed and need a job. Maybe you have been given a serious medical diagnosis. Prayers for these types of situations are “supplications”. Next Paul lists “prayers”, which would be general communion with God. A Christian can come and commune with God at any time about anything. We don’t always have to be asking Him for this or that. We can just spend time in conversation with Him. Next we have “intercessions”. This is prayer made on behalf of someone else, other than ourselves. We all know someone who needs prayer for all sorts of different needs, and we, as believers, should be praying for them. The last one listed here is “thanksgiving”. We need to always remember to express our gratitude to the Lord every day.
As believers, we are called upon to pray for all people (vs. 2). We shouldn’t limit our intercessions to just our immediate family and friends. If we hear that someone in our neighborhood is sick, pray for them. If we hear of an accident with injuries, or an earthquake clear across the globe, pray for them. Paul specifically mentioned political leaders in this verse. He didn’t say to pray for them only if we agree with them or if they were particularly righteous. The Bible says for “all who are in authority”. The goal of praying for leaders is to be able to live godly lives, unhindered by persecution or chaos.
As we continue on, we read that God desires that all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (vs. 4). This is not a verse proving “universal salvation”, a false doctrine which teaches that ultimately everyone will be saved and be in heaven. That is false teaching. God would love it if all people were saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, and He provided a way for that to happen through Jesus. However, not all people avail themselves of that. God will not deny His holiness and justice to reward men who have rejected His love and grace. Not everyone will be saved (John 3:18). Unrepentant people who reject Jesus will not be ultimately saved and go to heaven. They will end up separated from God in eternal punishment. “Knowledge of the truth” implies doctrinal clarity. Salvation is not emotionalism, but is grounded in the truth. Our prayers should reflect God’s heart for the lost.
One verse of doctrinal truth that helps to bring us to “knowledge of the truth” follows in verses 5 and 6, and that is that there is only one God, and only one Mediator between God and men, that being Christ Jesus. Jesus is the only One who is able to bridge the gap between us and God. He chose to die the brutal death that we deserve, which broke open the gates of heaven, allowing us to live in His presence. This excludes all other religions. No other religion or their leaders can bring one to salvation and heaven, only Jesus Christ. His death was sufficient for all, though only effective for those who believe.
Paul continues by reminding both Timothy and anyone else in the church that he was appointed a preacher by God (vs. 7). This was ordained by God, not something he chose himself, which his enemies often accused him of. God appointed him to bring His message, both to Jewish people, and also to the Gentiles. Finally, he concludes this segment by repeating that people everywhere are to pray, lifting up holy hands without any doubts or anger (vs. 8). This isn’t just a physical posture to have in prayer, but also speaks of our being pure, free from known and deliberate sin, free from anger and doubts, but instead having moral integrity.
In conclusion, let’s make prayer a daily practice. Pray not only for your own needs, which are important, but also for the needs of others, and also for our national leaders. Pray for the unsaved to come to know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. We also need to teach our children and new believers the importance of doctrinal truth, especially that regarding salvation. False doctrine, such as universal salvation, leads people astray, and brings many to their eternal doom.
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