In The Interest Of

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6 ESV)

[Greek interlinear of verse 1: “I exhort therefore first of all to be made entreaties prayers intercessions thanksgivings on behalf of all men.”]

“On behalf of” – “In the interests of a person, group” (Oxford Languages). 

“In the interest of” – “In order to achieve a particular goal/result” (MWD).

And what is “in the interests of” all people? What is the intended particular goal or result? The answer is found in verses 3-4:

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

We need to be praying for the salvation of all people, including those people in high up positions within our nations, that they would all come to the knowledge of the truth of the gospel of our salvation. We must pray for them that – by the grace of God, and because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on that cross in putting our sins to death with him, and by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ – they would deny self, repent of their sins (die to sin daily) and follow our Lord Jesus in walks of obedience to his commands from this day forward, to the end of time on this earth or until they die.

[Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Acts 26:16-18; 2 Chronicles 7:12-15; Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 4:17-24]

Today in America

*The Lord has been having me write these devotions 2 weeks in advance, so this was originally written on November 6, 2024.*

Yesterday was voting day in the USA, and this morning Donald Trump was declared to be the next president of the USA, beginning his term of office in January of 2025. Many (not all) professers of Christianity here in America apparently voted for him because they believe he is “the chosen” of God at this time to lead our nation, and that he is going to make life better for us than what we have had under the present administration. And so they are thanking and praising God that this man is going to be our next president.

But is that biblical? No! It isn’t! For they are treating this man as though he is our “savior” instead of Jesus Christ being our only Savior and Lord. They are looking to this man to save them from what ails us as a nation, but what ails us are the sins of the people, and only Jesus Christ can deliver us out of our slavery to sin and empower us to live godly and holy lives for the glory and praise of God. And they are trusting in the words of human flesh when that man may be lying to the people with a grin on his face.

We are not to look to other humans to save us from what ails us as a nation, but we are to be looking only to God. We are not to put our trust in princes who cannot save, but our trust needs to be in God and God alone, who is the only one we can trust in 100%. For this man very well could be the man of perdition, the antichrist, our betrayer, who betrays with a kiss but who is truly our enemy. He may be a “Pied Piper” leading many people of this nation to their deaths while he portends to have our best interest at heart.

So, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save” (Ps 146:3). “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes” (Ps 118:9). “They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction” (Hos 8:4). “Where is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your towns, of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?” (Hos 13:10).

“..and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Co 2:1-5). “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men” (1 Co 7:23). “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph 4:14; cf Col 2:8; 2 Pet 3:17).

The Purpose of Our Prayers

So, if we are going to pray for our leaders, we need to pray first of all for their salvation, but salvation from sin as defined by God and by the Scriptures, taught in their appropriate context. For just because they call themselves “Christians,” as some of them do, and they profess the name of Jesus as their Savior, it does not mean automatically that they are truly the children of God, saved by God’s grace, and on their way to heaven. It could mean that they are proclaiming Christ as their Savior falsely, and perhaps even with the intention to deceive those who profess to be his followers.

And do not look to those humans to be your “saviors,” to save your nations from what ails them. Look to God and to God alone. Do not make idols of men who are flesh and blood. Do not raise them up above other men to where you have blinders on and cannot see who they might really be when they are behind the curtain. All flesh is flesh. For there is ONE GOD and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, and that man is CHRIST JESUS, who gave his life as a ransom for all, that we might all be saved from our sins.

If you have not done so before, I would encourage you to play the video of the following song, not for the purpose of being entertained, but for the purpose to grasp the meaning behind the words and the images which tell us the story of my nation (USA), but any nation, in reality, which is governed by human beings who lie, cheat, steal, and betray their own people:

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

https://vimeo.com/379406352