Religion and Politics

“for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1Tim 2:2).

If you want to stir up a boring conversation, toss these two handy dandy grenades that are guaranteed to get folks fired up. Politics and religion. If you’re like me (and that’s not necessarily a good thing!), your Facebook and Twitter feeds are chockfull of one or the other, if not BOTH. And it’s coming from both sides. (Insert elected official’s name here) is the antichrist and has a secret plan to steal all your money and give it to (insert a demographic group you’re not a part of here) and turn our country over to the (insert your worst nightmare nation here). If that’s not bad enough, everybody you know is more than happy to tell you who’s headed straight for heaven or hell. Sometimes I feel like Stealers Wheel got it right. “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right.” 

Well, our old buddy Paul wasn’t afraid to toss BOTH at the SAME TIME! In his first letter to Timothy, the apostle fires both barrels. He tells Tim that we should pray “for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (v2). He’s encouraged his spiritual son that we should use every kind of prayer to pray for every person we can think of (1Tim 2:1). Now he gets more specific. Pray for those who are in charge. The purpose? So that we can give God glory by being good citizens. Let that sink in for a minute.

Our prayer list of political leaders starts at the top. We’re to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions” (v2). Chances are if you’re reading this, you don’t live under the reign of a king or queen (if you do, I’m pretty stoked that someone from another country actually took the time to read this!). Here in the good ol’ U.S. of A., the President is our highest elected official. It’s no tough stretch to understand that Paul call us to pray for the POTUS. But wait just a New York minute. Am I saying we should pray for our President even if you didn’t vote for him? If that’s the case…ESPECIALLY if you didn’t vote for him! 

This is where you try to argue with the apostle that he really doesn’t have a clue what kind of Commander-in-Chief we have right now. Pray for him? You’ve GOT to be kidding me! If I’m praying anything, it’s that God will supernaturally impeach the Prez. Here’s the dealio. We’ve got a little problem. It’s called the Bible. According to Scripture, it doesn’t matter. Conservative. Liberal. Republican. Democrat. Red state. Blue state. Pray for your President. No exceptions. No loopholes. 

Here’s the little fact-a-rooni that shuts up any argument you throw Paul’s way. The apostle calls his Ephesian brothers and sisters to pray for Nero. Yes, THAT Nero. One of the most corrupt and bloodthirsty dictators in human history. The ruler of the Roman Empire didn’t exactly have a soft spot in his heart for the followers of Jesus either. At more than one instance, Nero slaughtered countless Christians. Yet, the man from Tarsus tells his readers to pray for their king. 

Nero may have been ruthless and wicked but he rules over Rome because God has placed him there. As a result, we’re to do what our government leaders tell us to do. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Rom 13:1). Again, Paul writes these words to the followers of Jesus who are living in the capital of the empire. If anyone knew how awful Nero is, it’s the church in Rome. So here’s the deal. If first century believers can pray for this vicious emperor, I’m pretty sure can ask God to bless whoever is in the Oval Office. Besides, we place our trust in the King of ALL kings!

So how do we pray for our President and other governmental leaders? Pray that God would bless them. Pray that He would provide them with the wisdom needed to make difficult decisions. Pray that He would keep them healthy. Pray that He would provide them with level heads. And of course, pray that He would save them. We see in the very next couple of verses how our Savior “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:3-4). It’s happened before. Ever heard of Constantine? If not, take a moment to Google the guy. We’ll wait for you.

The point in praying for kings and other leaders in authority is so we can lead a “peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (v2). Peaceful. Quiet. Godly. Dignified. THIS is what good citizenship looks like for believers. It’s another way of describing the life Paul states back in chapter one. “The aim of our charge is love, that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1Tim 1:5). The bottom line is that God’s people should be a pleasure to govern. They shouldn’t be loud, annoying, obstinate, and a pain in the neck.

Check out the adjectives the apostle uses to describe Jesus’ followers as citizens. Peaceful. Quiet. Godly. Dignified. Who wouldn’t love neighbors who are like that? “Peaceful” (Gr. eremos) describes a lack of external disturbances. All is calm on the outside. He’s talking about someone who isn’t loud and obnoxious. Nobody’s calling the cops because the party’s still cranking at 3am. Are you living in a constant state of drama and continually dragging others into your hot mess? This doesn’t mean believers don’t need others to come alongside when life gets tough. And be sure that God’s people know how to party. Oh, we can celebrate with the best of them. But God calls us to be peaceful people.

Upstanding citizens of Christ’s kingdom should also be “quiet” (v2). No, this isn’t somebody who always talks in a whisper or thinks life should be like a library. While the previous word described what’s going on outside, hesuchios pulls the curtain back on an inward tranquility and rest. We’re “peaceful” on the outside because we’re “quiet” on the inside. Once we place our trust in who Jesus is and what He has done for us, a supernatural calm. We’re not continually anxious and constantly freaking out…especially when it comes to politics! 

An important characteristic for every Jesus follower everywhere is to be “godly” (v2). Paul uses a compound word here (Gr. eusebeia) that literally means “good worship.” It’s reverence toward God in all that we do. Everything we do is an act of worship to Jesus. It’s living life with our eyes on heaven. You’ve probably heard about someone who was so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We become effective spreaders of His salt and shiners of His light when we remember all that He’s done for us that we could never do for ourselves. We need to pray for those in authority so that we can continue to be a blessing to our neighbors and coworkers.

The idea of godliness is one of the really big ideas in this letter. Women who love Jesus should “profess godliness” (1Tim 2:9-10). Even Paul can’t wrap his brain around the “mystery of godliness” (1Tim 3:16). As followers of Christ, you should “train yourself for godliness” because “godliness is of value in every way” (1Tim 4:7-8). The adult children and grandchildren of widows are “to show godliness” to these ladies (1Tim 5:4). What we learn about Jesus must always encourage us with a lifestyle “that accords with godliness” (1Tim 6:3). Spiritual hucksters have cook up a scheme to make a fast buck because they think that “godliness is a means of gain” (1Tim 6:5). What they’ve missed is “godliness with contentment” is the key to true success and satisfaction in life” (1Tim 6:6). Instead chasing the almighty dollars, we should be sprinting after “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1Tim 6:11).

Paul also tells Tim that we’re to be “dignified (Gr. semnotes)” (v2). It’s the idea of being honest, honorable, and respectable. Before you think you need to wear a monocle and start acting all snooty, think again. The Pharisees nailed the whole holier-than-thou deal and it went very badly for them. The apostle is describing someone who doesn’t take themselves seriously but takes Jesus VERY seriously. A little later, Paul applies this idea as a key trait for an elder. “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity (Gr. semnotes)” (1Tim 3:4). He tells Titus to be a teacher who demonstrates “integrity, dignity (Gr. semnotes), and sound speech that cannot be condemned” (Titus 2:7-8). Do you treat those around you with dignity and respect? Remember, EVERYONE you meet is made in the image of our Creator. As hard as it is to believe at times, that includes politicians and our elected officials.

God calls us to be good citizens. Jesus’ church isn’t to be a team of agitators who make life miserable for our fellow citizens. We’re to be God’s firehose of blessing to our neighborhood, our community, our state, and our nation. That’s independent of what kind of government ruling over us. Do you follow the laws and ordinances? Are speed limits simply a suggestion? Do you fudge on your taxes? Remember, how we live is a direct reflection of the One we worship. 

Maybe living under what you consider to be a godless government gives you a free pass. Folks like Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all thrived under governments who didn’t exactly fit the label of Christian nations (whatever THAT means!). Were there times they had to take a stand to follow God when a law was leading them into sin? You betcha. But you didn’t see them going off the grid and living in some remote compound to keep themselves far from the filth of the fallen world.

As a matter of fact, God specifically tells His people to be good citizens while they’re prisoners in Babylon. “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jer 29:4-7). Did you catch that last part? Seek your city’s welfare. Pray for your city. When things go well for your city, they will go well for you.

While Paul mixes religion and politics, he never tells Tim to force anyone to follow God’s rules. There’s no ramming of godliness down the throat of a nation. That’s just not how the kingdom of Christ works. In the same way that God changes us from the inside out, He does the same with society. When He changes our hearts, our lifestyle will follow. But that’s another discussion for another day.

In the meantime, let’s make a point of praying for our governmental leaders. Yes, that means the President, whether you voted for him or not. Pray that God blesses them. Pray that God saves them. Pray that He uses them to bring glory to His name. At the same time, let’s be a blessing to our friends and neighbors. Being citizens of God’s kingdom means being good and godly citizens of your city, state, and nation. See, you CAN mix politics and religion.