Category: Devotionals

Read 1 Timothy 2

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 2:1,2 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, the we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”

In the world of Paul’s day, the common thing was to pray to emperors. Many Caesars of that time erected statues of the themselves and required, by law, worship from their people. To pray for an emperor therefore, was a radical and dangerous notion.

There were two critical implications in praying for “kings and all who are in authority”: 1) it implied that kings were not deities, but human, and 2) there was some higher Deity to whom even this world’s leaders were subject and accountable. What’s more, in terms of verse four, these men were just as much in need of salvation as anyone else.

Paul had a high view of prayer. He saw it as a central aspect, both in the life of the church and in the life of nations. He linked it with decisions made “at the top” which would produce “a quiet and peaceable life” in everyday experience. Whether the nation’s leaders were believers themselves apparently was not the issue. The issue was that nation’s welfare was inextricably tied to the prayerfulness or unprayerfulness of the church.

There’s a subtlety in praying for leaders. We don’t always like them or agree with their policies, but we’re to pray for the leader, not for his politics. We’re to pray, “Thy will be done on earth…” In other words, we pray that God’s agenda will be fulfilled–not our agenda, not the leader’s agenda, but God’s. We’re to pray for justice and righteousness. And if we live justly and righteously, we will discover eventually that “righteousness exalts a nation”.

Read 1 Timothy 1

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15 “This is faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

Paul is quoting something he, and presumably Timothy, have both memorized–perhaps it’s part of an early Christian creed or hymn: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This “saying”, Paul says, is “faithful and worthy of all acceptance.” You can trust it.

Let’s look at its component parts. The subject of the saying is Christ Jesus. The word “Christ” means “The anointed one”, or, in the Jewish context, “the Messiah”. To this day in Israel, Jewish believers refer to Jesus as “Yeshua ha Meshiach” — He is the One spoken of by Isaiah as “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is.9:6). The Verb “came” speaks of movement, in this case “into the world”, from the eternal dimension into and onto our temporal earth (see Philippians 2:5-11). This movement is called “incarnation” — God becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14)/ The infinitive “to save” describes the purpose of the incarnation. Mankind was terminally diseased and unholy, without hope and eternally lost, apart from some redemptive act on God’s part. That’s why God sent His Son. The blood He shed on Calvary’s cross once and for all atoned for our sin. All we must do is confess our need and put our trust in Him.

The final words of the sentence, “of whom I am chief”, tell us that Paul is not speaking merely in theoretical terms. He recognizes his need of salvation, so much so that he sees himself as chief of sinners. There’s no rationalizing of behaviour here. Rather there’s a strong acknowledgement that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

Read 2 Thessalonians 3

Key Verse: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 “…If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”

One commentator entitled verses 6-15 as “Off come the gloves.” Paul very bluntly confronts the members in the Thessalonian church who are living “disorderly and not according to the tradition which [they] received from us” (v.6). The “disorder” is very clear–they’re idle spongers, living off the honest work of others.

Paul refers to the example he, Silas, and Timothy had set, “we [didn’t] eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labour and toil night and day” 9v.8). They had a strict and consistent work ethic and expected the Thessalonians to have the same. In face, Paul (probably quoting a Jewish proverb) says, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” Off come the gloves.

He goes on to rebuke “busybodies,” those ubiquitous souls who do everybody’s work but their own; negligent of their own responsibilities but utterly opinionated about everyone else’s responsibilities and/or irresponsibilities. You can spot these types very quickly; in fact, Paul says we are to “note that person” (v. 14) and “not keep company with him.”

But he then compassionately give a wise word. He tells the readers not to over-react. Sometimes displeasure is guilty of overkill, and someone who is a “brother” is given the impression he’s an “enemy” (v.15).

Nevertheless, the point is clear. Commit yourself to productive work. Idleness will smother you. Work will liberate you, both from dependence on others and from the sickness of insignificance.

Read 2 Thessalonians 2

Key Verse: 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.”

Paul, Silas, and Timothy heard that the Thessalonian church had been “shaken” by the rumour that the Day of the Lord had already come. They wrote this second letter to allay Thessalonians fears and quash the rumour. They state categorically that the “Day will not come unless the falling way [rebellion–NIV] comes first, and the man of sin [man of lawlessness–NIV] is revealed” (v.3). What they mean has given rise to endless speculation. Over the years, this “lawless” one has been dogmatically identified by would-be interpreters as Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and others. And, of course, all these speculations have been proven dramatically wrong. So a strong caution should be encouraged here–avoid vain speculations.

But what can we gather from these words? First of all, remember that Paul was very well educated in the thought of Judaism, which had been deeply influenced by the apocalyptic writing of Daniel (Dan.9:27; 11:36,37; 12:11). Jesus also knew of Daniel’s warnings (Mt.24:15; Mk.13:14) and had incorporated them into His teaching. Secondly, history had seen the rise of despicable despots with aspirations to deity. In Israel’s past, Antiochus Epiphanes had slaughtered a pig in the Holy of Holies; and just twelve years before 2 Thessalonians was written, Caligula had tried to set up his statue for worship in Jerusalem’s temple. The “lawless” one would be someone with similar characteristics–someone who would declare himself God. Thirdly, this band and the accompanying “rebellion” are seen as future realities. Paul doesn’t identify the man nor give a date, and neither should we. But we should be warned–the man and the “falling away” are coming.