“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:17
In Paul’s letters to Timothy, of which there are two in the Bible, he writes to his spiritual son in the faith, and this in light of “that Day,” that moment when there will be the meeting of Christ with every believer, either sooner or later, but also, with regard to God’s meeting with every soul that lives or has lived. For the one who has believed, it will be an overwhelming day when death is swallowed up in victory, faith will become sight, and the eternal transformation will be completed of the saved sinner being changed perfectly into the image of Christ for the glory of God. It shall be a day of great reward, and recompense, to the one who has lived by faith, howbeit imperfectly. In that day, all that is not of Christ, of God, will fall away, and take its place in the grave, never to be seen again, only to be destroyed forever from the presence of the Lord. That which shall come forth will be the believer, perfect in Christ, without fault or blemish, filled completely with the Spirit of God, filled with the joy of His Lord.
As for the unbeliever, it will be a day of great sorrow, regret, anguish, and hopelessness, for there will be revealed to the soul, as being brought into the brightness of an eternal Light, all that is ungodly, unrighteous, and sinful which has incurred the wrath of God. There is no escape from the gaze of the eternal Holiness in Christ, only the fearful certainty of judgement and rejection. What should have been the realization of, the eternal Hope, knowledge of the love of God in Christ, and the experience of Life Divine, now has become the moment of greatest dread when time, and the patience of God, has run its course. Instead of a continuation of the “acceptable year of the Lord,” now has come “the day of vengeance,” when all things will be put right, sin will be dealt with, and Satan’s reign will cease.
The age of grace and mercy in which we live in today, more specifically, the age of the church, is gradually approaching its end, for even in Paul the Apostle’s day, and that of John the Apostle, much was said concerning the last days, leading up to Christ’s quick return. At present, the Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. The King Eternal, awaits the command of the Father to come first for His bride, the living church, in whom is presently revealed the saving truth in Christ, and the very Life of Christ by His Spirit. How then are we to PRAY with such a living God in the heavens, being present with us, and yet, there existing with such a vast sea of need, the souls of men, stretching out beyond the horizons of earth?
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he writes: “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made FOR ALL MEN.” (1 Timothy 2:1) Why is this the first thing? Paul explains: “…God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (v.4) Paul then adds later, “…For to this end we labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” (4:10)
Secondly, Timothy is instructed to teach all believers to pray for “…kings and all who are in authority, that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” (v.2) The peace and order of God is a gift, a blessed context in which to live and proclaim Christ to the ends of the earth.
Thirdly, just before His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus prayed the Father that His disciples would be kept from the evil one and also BE ONE as He was with the Father.
Dear Father, Make us increasingly prayerful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.