Weekly Thoughts
Election thoughts, 11/1/08
Hi all,
The week before Father's Day I wrote about something I'd been thinking on that week; Fatherhood, but was criticized by one reader who replied I wasn't led by the Lord but merely took advantage of the holiday to write. Of course he overlooked the possibility that doing so might be Spirit-led anyway, in the same way Jesus took advantage of the Feast of Tabernacles aka Feast of Living Waters to proclaim that he is the Source of Living Waters (John 7:38), or that he taught spontaneously based on his observation of a widow putting in the last of her money, to teach on what heaven values, etc, etc.
So at the risk of criticism, the truth is I've been thinking about the elections in an indirect sort of way.
What motives in prayer?
Paul instructed Timothy to pray for those in authority; this we know. But the reason he told him to pray was this: "...that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." (I Tim 2:2-3)
Time for a word study, because amidst the cacophony of emails calling for "urgent" and "emergency" prayer for our country, I'd like to know for what purpose I am to pray! Frankly, most of these emails seem rather fear based rather than peace of God based, not to mention a bit hyper. And that brings me to this little study.
The motive behind praying for leaders and those in authority, is first that we "may lead a quiet and peaceable life"... It isn't to make this a Christian nation, it isn't to pray a sort of Christian witchcraft to keep someone(s) from getting into office. It's not panic prayer. It's prayer for leaders that "we" (disciples of Jesus) may lead quiet and peaceable lives.
"Quiet" is 'eremos' and "peaceable" is 'hesychion' in the Greek. "Eremos denotes quiet arising from the absence of outward disturbance; hesychion tranquillity arising from within." (Vincent)
The first motive therefore, is that we disciples of Jesus may live without "outward disturbance", meaning the policies of government be such as to allow the practice our faith without interference. Obviously, if you have no outward disturbance coming from government, that allows "tranquillity arising from within". We can lead a normal life, conduct business as everyone else, not have to be in hiding, and so forth - peace in life.
The next part of the verse goes on to say: "...in all godliness (eusebeia) and honesty (semnotes) for this is good and acceptable to God our Savior."
Godliness means piety or a God-ward attitude and lifestyle, honesty has to do with reverence or respect. The New American Standard Bible translates it "dignity" and the NIV renders it "holiness".
The summary is this: Pray for those in authority that we disciples of Jesus may live lives without outward interference from government, which allows us peace within, with respect, reverence, and dignity.
Past that point?
Paul wrote those words requesting prayer for leaders within 18 months or so of his beheading. In a letter written about a year earlier from Rome to the church at Philippi, he closed by saying "All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household." (Phil 4:22)
There were disciples in Caesar's household, Timothy was praying, yet Paul died for his faith anyway. Hmmm
What strikes me is that outside of Paul's private letter to one man, Timothy, nothing is said in the New Testament about praying for leaders.
That isn't to say prayer isn't important - but it speaks volumes about where the writers of the New Testament were focused, at a time government persecution was killing Christians left and right. To put it another way, only those 2 verses out of 113 in that letter talk about prayer for leaders.
Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, James, I Peter, The Revelation, et al - Their letters weren't filled with prayer requests to change government policies, rather they urged disciples to live out their faith. For instance, when Acts 12 opens with the matter-of-fact statement that Herod killed James by the sword and took Peter too, there is no verse that says "So the church sent hundreds of letters and messengers throughout the countryside calling for emergency prayer". No, a small group met in Mark's mom's house, but we don't have an "emergency letter" recorded in our New Testament.
What if...?
Could it be that the writers of the New Testament were focused on believers becoming disciples and actually living their faith as a means by which to change culture and society from the grassroots up as the long term means by which God would work?
Historically we know that as Christianity grew the Roman Empire changed from the bottom up rather than from the top down. The 10 Caesars who persecuted the body of Christ didn't change laws to allow disciples to live without interference in spite of Paul's request for prayer; the empire changed from the bottom up as more and more people became disiples.
In our day the Iron Curtain fell (in part) and the Bamboo Curtain is being affected in much the same way, and the Veil of Islam and Hinduism are being shaken as well, from the grassroots up. It seems history records that for the church to become large, it must first become small, one person at a time.
The message then
Consider Paul's instructions leading up to his famous teaching in Romans 13 that all authorities are allowed by God, that we are to be subject to them, pay our taxes, render respect as due, and not resist them.
Just before teaching about rulers he says (in part) "Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor evil, hold fast to good. Love each other like brothers, in honor preferring the other, not slothful in business, giving to the needs of the saints, bless those who persecute you, pay no man evil for evil, work honestly to provide for your needs, as much as is possible be at peace with all. Don't seek vengeance, but if your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty give him drink...let every soul be subject to the authorities..." (Romans 12:9-21; 13:1)
One would think that since he was writing to disciples who lived in Rome, the center of persecution, he would have said something about praying for Caesar and a change of heart, or the right Senate members, or Godly bills to come before the Senate - but no, his focus was on living life as disciples of Jesus should
The sum of it then
I am not against prayer by any means, for I regularly pray for our leaders right down to the local level. But the truth is that no matter who is elected, I am charged before God to obey Him in all things. I will pray God's highest and best be elected, but I am focused on being more Christ-like rather than afraid of the next administration's policies.
I'm more concerned that if the government comes after me for being a Christian, will there be enough evidence to convict me? If that was the focus of all the letters of the New Testament, should ours be so to?
I'll be gone next week in the Netherlands as previously mentioned, but will return 11/15/08.
Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
