Since false teaching had entered the church at Ephesus, the members had stopped praying for the salvation of the lost. Paul wrote the words in chapter 1 to combat these false teachers who were instructing the church that only those who converted to Judaism could have a relationship with God. Because of the confusion, the church had become discouraged and felt that praying for the unsaved would be useless since salvation supposedly hinged on obedience to the law. Paul set his readers straight and challenged Timothy to bring prayer back into the church. He writes “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.” (2:1) Supplications carries the idea of need and communicates a desperate need for the salvation of the lost. The concept of intercessions is asking on behalf of someone else, specifically that they would be saved. These types of prayers should be offered for everyone, including those in authority (2:2). Why does Paul ask Timothy and the church to pray for everyone? “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2:3-4) The church should fervently pray for the lost to find salvation in Jesus Christ because it is God’s nature to desire everyone to know the truth. After all, Jesus Christ became the “Mediator [one who restores peace between two people] between God and men…who gave Himself a ransom [payment so that the sinner could be released from the bondage of sin] for all.” (2:5-6) Since Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin when He died on the cross, the believer should pray that many will put their faith in Him as the only way to salvation. The church has been given the responsibility to pray, especially for the lost. Paul urges Timothy to once again restore the passion for the lost by challenging them to pray. God loves those who are far from Him and desires, more than anything, that they would become true worshippers of Him. The church can play a major part in seeing the lost come to salvation when they pray!
Dear God, I pray for those who do not know the truth to encounter Your grace in a real way. Bring many who are lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
