1 Timothy 2:1-7close1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) close1 Timothy 2:1-7close1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV)
There is an old story among Hasidic Jews that tells about a great celebration that happened in heaven after the Israelites were delivered from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, and the Egyptian armies were drowned. According to the story, the angels were cheering and dancing. Everyone in heaven was filled with joy.
Then one of the angels asked the archangel Michael, "Where is God? Why isn't God here celebrating?" Michael answered, "God is not here because He is off by Himself weeping. You see, many thousands were drowned today."
That story illustrates the truth that is a key point in 1 Timothy 2:1-7close1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) close1 Timothy 2:1-7close1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) . In this passage, the apostle Paul teaches us that God does have a "heart" for all people. As the Great Commission states, the Good News of Jesus Christ is for all nations because God loves and cares about all people.
Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7close1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) close1 Timothy 2:1-7close1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) Pray for All People 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) .
How is this truth -- that God loves all people -- emphasized in vs. 1?
What does vs. 4 say is the desire of God's heart?
According to vs. 6, for whom did Christ give Himself?
Look at 2 Corinthians 5:18-19close2 Corinthians 5:18-19 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (ESV) close2 Corinthians 5:18-19close2 Corinthians 5:18-19 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (ESV) 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (ESV) . Who is reconciled to God through Christ?
Read John 3:16closeJohn 3:16 For God So Loved the World 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV) closeJohn 3:16closeJohn 3:16 For God So Loved the World 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV) For God So Loved the World 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV) . For whom did God send His Son?
What claim does Jesus make in John 12:32closeJohn 12:32 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (ESV) closeJohn 12:32closeJohn 12:32 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (ESV) 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (ESV) ?
Look again at 1 Timothy 2:5close1 Timothy 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) close1 Timothy 2:5close1 Timothy 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) .
Some have suggested that it is a logical contradiction to say that Jesus is both fully human and fully God. The argument goes that either Jesus was 100% human or 100% God or a mix of the two -- 50% divine and 50% human -- but He cannot be fully both. Someone has pointed out that this is not a contradiction any more than it is a contradiction to say that according to physics, light consists of both waves and particles. The real question is: why would God take on the form of a human being in the first place?
1 Timothy 2:5close1 Timothy 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) close1 Timothy 2:5close1 Timothy 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) tells us that God taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ was so that God the Son could become our mediator. Tim Peck points out that "for a mediator to settle a dispute, that mediator must fully represnt both sides yet be distinguishable from both sides as well. Jesus had to be both God and human for salvation to become a possibility for us. If Jesus was not truly God, He could not truly save us. If Jesus was not truly human, He could not save humans like us."
The truth taught in the Bible is that since Jesus was both fully God and fully man, He is uniquely qualified to bring us into a relationship with God. At the cross, the God-man Jesus Christ died the death we deserved to die in order to pay the blood-price necessary for us to know God personally.
In 1 Peter 3:18close1 Peter 3:18 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (ESV) close1 Peter 3:18close1 Peter 3:18 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (ESV) 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (ESV) what does Peter teach us about why Jesus was put to death on the cross?
According to Colossians 1:20closeColossians 1:20 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV) closeColossians 1:20closeColossians 1:20 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV) 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV) , what gift do we receive through Jesus's death on the cross?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:15close2 Corinthians 5:15 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (ESV) close2 Corinthians 5:15close2 Corinthians 5:15 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (ESV) 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (ESV) . In light of the cross, what is the purpose of a believer's life?
Duane Feldmann
