MOOR of the Word with Pastor Chuck Pourciau

This at the beginning of this verse points back to the admonition of pray for the lost in the first two verses of this chapter. To do so is “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” “Good” refers to that which is intrinsically and morally good. Praying for the lost is the noble and spiritually proper thing to do, and our consciences will affirm that. 

The lost suffer the agony of sin, shame, and meaninglessness in this life, and the eternal hell of unrelenting agony in the life to come. Knowing that, fervently praying for their salvation is most definitely good and acceptable. 

I don’t know about you, but I like quiet and tranquil as opposed to loud and chaotic. The adjectives quiet and tranquil are rare to the New Testament. Tranquil, appearing only here in the New Testament, refers to the absence of external disturbances. The latter, translated quiet, appears only here and in 1 Peter 3:4, refers to the absence of internal disturbances. When the church manifests its love and goodness toward all and pours itself into compassionate, concerned prayer for the lost, it will lessen the hostility that may exist and the saints may enjoy freedom from both internal and external disturbances. It will certainly lead to a lack of internal disturbances as such behavior cannot guarantee that we will not be attacked externally. 

To promote a tranquil and quiet life, believers must pursue “godliness and dignity.” Godliness is a common word in the pastoral epistles and carries the idea of reverence toward the Lord. We re to live for the majesty, holiness, love, and glory of God. 

We can be tempted to pray for our political leaders in ways contrary to what Paul is directing here. We may be tempted to ask God to sick them instead of save them, but that would be contrary to Scripture’s counsel. The injunction here calls for the Ephesian assembly to pray for the emperor, who at that time was the cruel and vicious blasphemer, Nero.

The request for kings and all who are in authority is not limited to just a petition that they would be wise and just, but that they would repent of their sins and believe the gospel for the sake of their eternal souls.

These characteristically evangelistic prayers are to be made on behalf of all people, including kings and all who are in authority. Our prayers are all too often narrowly confined to personal needs and wants and rarely extend beyond those of our immediate circle of friends and family. In sharp contrast, however, Paul calls for evangelistic prayer on behalf of all men. There is no place for selfishness or exclusivity. We are not to try to limit either the gospel call or our evangelistic prayers.

Are we to pray for the lost? Or are we just to pray for those who are laboring among the lost as Jesus commanded in Matthew 9:37-38: Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Some have contended that we should only pray for those witnessing and not for the lost. I cannot agree with such assertions, and the first part of 1 Timothy 2 is one reason why. 

A good conscience means that we are what we declare ourselves to be. H.L. Mencken, 20th century American journalist, essayist, and satirist, defined conscience as “the inner voice which warns us that somebody may be looking.” Morally speaking, you act the same when you are alone as at other times.

Faith and a good conscience are three times joined together in this Epistle, showing the inseparable connection between faith and morals. If you claim to know Christ and even have strong Biblical doctrinal beliefs, you are deceived if your morals aren’t also Biblical.

Paul began his instruction to Timothy with a strong statement by saying “This command I entrust to you . . .” This military language is utilized to provide force to what he is yet to say. The word translated “command” references an urgent command handed down from a superior officer. Timothy is solemnly reminded that the ministry is not a matter to be trifled with, but an order from the commander-in-chief. In other words, what follows is not a suggestion.

Paul understood his need and, for this reason, he “found mercy.” He then stated the primary reason that he found that mercy. It wasn’t so that he could go to heaven instead of hell. It wasn’t so that he could bring the gospel to the Gentiles. It wasn’t so that he could be the most prolific writer of New Testament documents. It was so that “Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

As important as all the things Paul did were, God could have used someone else for those purposes. The primary purpose of salvation, his our ours, is to display God’s grace, power, and patience and to produce a true worshiper of God. The primary reason we are saved is for God’s glory. Whatever benefit we receive is secondary.

What Paul gave in just a few words is a distilled version of the gospel. Jesus came into the world to save sinners is both succinct and complete. Bound up in the two words, Christ Jesus, is all that he is. Christ is the anointed one who came to redeem. To do so he came in human form as Jesus at the incarnation.

Paul considered himself the chief of sinners and described himself as a former blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor. But notice what he wrote in verse 14. In spite of all this, “the grace of our Lord was more than abundant.” How beautiful. As great as was his sin, the grace of our Lord was more than abundant. This is a powerful message for every sinner of every generation.