1 Timothy 2:1-7 – The place of prayer

The importance of prayer can never be over emphasized. So we see Paul urging Timothy concerning prayers. He began in verses 1-7 by showing the scope of God’s work. It is universal in scope. Therefore, prayers ought to be offered for all men (verse 1) because the desire of God concerns all men (verse 4); and Christ’s atoning work for all (verses 5-6); and that he, Paul himself was an apostle, a preacher and teacher to the Gentiles, that is, all nations (verse 7). So we see Paul was encouraging that prayers be offered for all men, kings and all in authority as well as all men (the commoners).

Prayers should take first place and not be relegated to the last resort. It should be the church’s top priority. When Paul said “First of all …,” he was dealing with priority not in the order of time but in the order of importance. Here we also see a few significant role that prayers play. Firstly, praying would help to create an environment for believers to live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and holiness. Without peace, the environment would not be conducive to godly and holy living. Godliness here implies devotion to God, while holiness refers to being morally upright. Secondly, praying is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. To accomplish the concern of God to save and impact all men, prayers would be needed. The saving grace of God could only be made more effective when undergirded by prayers.

To assist in understanding the Gospel, verses 5-6 encapsulates it in a nutshell. The message of the Gospel is about God’s work through Christ that contains several elements. The Gospel tells us that there is only one God. It reveals that the only way to approach God is through Christ Jesus the Mediator, Who is God in the flesh. As the only Mediator, Christ Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all.

In verse 7, Paul reiterated his calling and appointment as a preacher and an apostle to the Gentiles. He was a teacher to the Gentiles in matters relating to faith and truth.

The invitation to pray is an invitation to co-labor with God. Like it or not, in prayer we are forced to think about God and the world we live it. When we pray we have to grapple with the assignments God has for us in the world we live in.  Through prayer we can bring God’s plan to bear in the governmental authority, in our environment and in our redemptive mission of effecting change in the spiritual climate and destiny of our nation and world. Let’s enter in to meet the Almighty God and effect changes for His glory!