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7: Paul’s Civil Mandate
Not only Jesus but also the Apostle Paul declared for the churches to have a Civil Mandate. Moreover, Paul declares that the church’s civil mandate should be its “FIRST” priority!
In Paul’s same letter he begins by declaring Jesus to be the top civil leader for all nations, with His civil royal title (1 Tim. 1:17):
“King eternal!”
Next Paul gives Timothy his command (1 Tim. 1:18 TLB):
“Now, Timothy, my son, here is my command to you: Fight well in the Lord’s battles.”
Then Paul gives the battle plan (1 Tim. 2:1-4):
“ 1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Paul declares this battle to be the “FIRST” priority for the church. And Paul “urges” for it to be done – “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.” But Paul specifies this specifically – “for kings and all who are in authority.” In other words, in this way God is commanding Christians to influence and affect all civil leaders! This is Paul’s CIVIL MANDATE.
But for what purpose are Christians to affect civil leaders – “so that WE may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” In other words, God wants civil leaders to rule in such a way that benefits Christians! Some rulers may persecute Christians, but that is not God’s desire. Civil leaders are for God’s purpose to even “honor” Christians and to do them “good”:
“For the king sends his officials … to honor those who do right” (1 Peter 2:14).
“Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good” (Rom. 13:3-4).
The big question:
* WHY does God want Christians to have “a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” and WHY is this so “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”
The big answer:
* “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Instead of Christians being persecuted or suppressed in any way, if Christians can “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness” and be viewed with “dignity,” that gives Christians freedom to spread the gospel and fulfill “God’s desire for all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” And if Christian messengers are viewed with “dignity” their Christian message will be viewed with dignity and respect.
In summary, fulfilling Paul’s civil mandate is necessary - to reach a whole nation and the message be respected, as God said - “ALL men … to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Paul knew this was necessary for him to be successful in reaching nations with the gospel (2 Thess. 3:1-2 TLB):
“I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and triumph wherever it goes, winning converts everywhere. Pray, too, that we will be saved out of the clutches of evil men.”
The end goal of Paul’s civil mandate is to influence and affect civil leaders so that “all men,” whole nations, will “come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Is Paul’s civil mandate to influence and affect civil leaders by prayer only when Christians have opportunity to do more? Of course not! The Lord even gave Paul directly a civil mandate far more than just praying (Acts 9:15):
“But the Lord said, ‘Go, for [Paul] is my chosen instrument to take My message … to kings.’”
Paul and the other Christians were turning the civil order upside down in the nations of the Roman Empire (Acts 17:6-7):
“’Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down, and now they are here disturbing our city,’ they shouted, ‘and Jason has let them into his home. They are all guilty of treason, for they claim another king, Jesus, instead of Caesar.”
The Apostle James makes it clear that if we only pray when we can do more, our faith and prayers are dead and useless (James 2:17, 20, 26):
“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless … How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless … Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”
In America we can do so much more to help fulfill God’s civil mandate than only pray. There are many good works that we can do.
* Do we always vote and for capable godly men?
* Are we able to financially contribute to their campaign?
* Are we able to physically go and help in their campaign?
* Do we ever contact our civil leaders to promote God’s civil Law?
* Then do we pray what Paul said to specifically pray for our civil leaders?
If we do all this the best we can, then God will hear our prayer and heal our land. Every miracle that Jesus ever did was only when His people could do nothing more themselves to help the situation.
The Apostle Paul’s letter that starts with his “first” civil mandate priority - concludes declaring Jesus’s civil royal titles (1 Tim. 6:15):
“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords!”
Get full access to Jim McCotter LIVE at jimmccotter.substack.com/subscribe
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By JIM MCCOTTER LIVENot only Jesus but also the Apostle Paul declared for the churches to have a Civil Mandate. Moreover, Paul declares that the church’s civil mandate should be its “FIRST” priority!
In Paul’s same letter he begins by declaring Jesus to be the top civil leader for all nations, with His civil royal title (1 Tim. 1:17):
“King eternal!”
Next Paul gives Timothy his command (1 Tim. 1:18 TLB):
“Now, Timothy, my son, here is my command to you: Fight well in the Lord’s battles.”
Then Paul gives the battle plan (1 Tim. 2:1-4):
“ 1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Paul declares this battle to be the “FIRST” priority for the church. And Paul “urges” for it to be done – “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.” But Paul specifies this specifically – “for kings and all who are in authority.” In other words, in this way God is commanding Christians to influence and affect all civil leaders! This is Paul’s CIVIL MANDATE.
But for what purpose are Christians to affect civil leaders – “so that WE may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” In other words, God wants civil leaders to rule in such a way that benefits Christians! Some rulers may persecute Christians, but that is not God’s desire. Civil leaders are for God’s purpose to even “honor” Christians and to do them “good”:
“For the king sends his officials … to honor those who do right” (1 Peter 2:14).
“Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good” (Rom. 13:3-4).
The big question:
* WHY does God want Christians to have “a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” and WHY is this so “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”
The big answer:
* “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Instead of Christians being persecuted or suppressed in any way, if Christians can “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness” and be viewed with “dignity,” that gives Christians freedom to spread the gospel and fulfill “God’s desire for all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” And if Christian messengers are viewed with “dignity” their Christian message will be viewed with dignity and respect.
In summary, fulfilling Paul’s civil mandate is necessary - to reach a whole nation and the message be respected, as God said - “ALL men … to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Paul knew this was necessary for him to be successful in reaching nations with the gospel (2 Thess. 3:1-2 TLB):
“I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and triumph wherever it goes, winning converts everywhere. Pray, too, that we will be saved out of the clutches of evil men.”
The end goal of Paul’s civil mandate is to influence and affect civil leaders so that “all men,” whole nations, will “come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Is Paul’s civil mandate to influence and affect civil leaders by prayer only when Christians have opportunity to do more? Of course not! The Lord even gave Paul directly a civil mandate far more than just praying (Acts 9:15):
“But the Lord said, ‘Go, for [Paul] is my chosen instrument to take My message … to kings.’”
Paul and the other Christians were turning the civil order upside down in the nations of the Roman Empire (Acts 17:6-7):
“’Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down, and now they are here disturbing our city,’ they shouted, ‘and Jason has let them into his home. They are all guilty of treason, for they claim another king, Jesus, instead of Caesar.”
The Apostle James makes it clear that if we only pray when we can do more, our faith and prayers are dead and useless (James 2:17, 20, 26):
“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless … How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless … Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”
In America we can do so much more to help fulfill God’s civil mandate than only pray. There are many good works that we can do.
* Do we always vote and for capable godly men?
* Are we able to financially contribute to their campaign?
* Are we able to physically go and help in their campaign?
* Do we ever contact our civil leaders to promote God’s civil Law?
* Then do we pray what Paul said to specifically pray for our civil leaders?
If we do all this the best we can, then God will hear our prayer and heal our land. Every miracle that Jesus ever did was only when His people could do nothing more themselves to help the situation.
The Apostle Paul’s letter that starts with his “first” civil mandate priority - concludes declaring Jesus’s civil royal titles (1 Tim. 6:15):
“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords!”
Get full access to Jim McCotter LIVE at jimmccotter.substack.com/subscribe