A Tranquil and Quiet Life in Godliness and Dignity

  1. INTRODUCTION

    1. It is necessary for Christians to pray for all men, including those in authority, according to 1Timothy 2:1-4:

      1First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

    2. Notice that the objective of our prayers for all men and for those in authority is "so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."  Let us consider this objective carefully so that we may appreciate it and contribute our part to it.

       

  2. TRANQUILITY AND QUIETNESS

    1. The prayer that is required in 1Timothy 2:1-2 recognizes that tranquility and quietness are largely the products of good government.

      1. Tranquility and quietness are blessings from God, but He grants them providentially by means of the governing authorities He has ordained.

        1. According to Romans 13:1-6, our governing authorities are established by God, and they are "servants of God" (v. 6) acting as "a minister of God to you for good" and "an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil" (v. 4).

        2. Similarly, 1Peter 2:13-17 shows that kings and governors exist "for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right" (v. 14).

        3. These passages are not teaching the "divine right of kings," but rather they are stating the general rule concerning God's intentions and designs for government.  God ordained government to suppress evil and protect the good, thus promoting tranquility and quietness.

      2. Concerning those in authority, we are to ask God that they would govern us in such a way that we may have tranquility and quietness so that we may live in a godly and dignified way.

    2. The blessings of tranquility and quietness are often undervalued and underappreciated.

      1. We are blessed in our nation with peace and prosperity, yet we often complain about our circumstances.

        1. Consider how our fellow Christians often suffered in the past and how much they would have welcomed the conditions in which we live (Acts 8:1-4; 2Thess. 1:3-4; Heb. 10:32-34; 1Pet. 1:6-9; 3:17; Rev. 2:8-11).  How can we complain?

        2. God did not tolerate the complaints of Israel against Moses and Himself when He generously provided for them (Num. 11:1-35; 14:1-45).  Can we expect His to tolerate our complaints?  Notice Philippians 2:14-15:

          14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.

      2. Many people choose not to have tranquility and quietness by causing strife in their own lives.

        1. The word of God says, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Rom. 12:18).  The Lord even gave a special blessing on peacemakers (Matt. 5:9).

        2. However, many men reject peace because they love sin.  The Scripture says, "He who loves transgression loves strife..." (Prov. 17:19).

    3. Quietness and tranquility do not indicate inactivity, for the Scriptures teach us to work in quietness.

      1. The Scripture says "to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands" (1Thess. 4:11).

      2. Similarly, 2Thessalonians 3:12 says, "Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread." See also Ephesians 4:28.

      3. A tranquil and quiet life gives an opportunity to be productive in every good way.  We should not waste our quiet time in inactivity, but rather we should use it as God wills.

    4. We should not ask for quietness and tranquility simply for our own pleasure.

      1. In James 4:3, we learn that asking for God's blessings merely for our own pleasure will cause Him to reject our requests.  God does not grant tranquility and quietness so that we can take our ease, eat, drink, and be merry (Luke 12:19).

      2. Instead, we should seek tranquility and quietness so that we can live in all godliness and dignity.

  3. GODLINESS AND DIGNITY

    1. If we pray for the people in authority as described in 1Timothy 2:1-2, then we commit ourselves to making every effort to live in godliness and dignity.

      1. There are many ways in which we cannot control whether we have tranquility and quietness in our lives.  This is why we pray for God to intervene with the governing authorities.

      2. When God grants our requests, we are obligated to live in godliness and dignity.

        1. Godliness is sometimes defined as God-likeness, but it is even better understood as a disposition that is turned toward God.  In other words, our minds and hearts are to be focused on God and directed by Him.

        2. Dignity is closely related to honor.  In the original language of the New Testament, dignity is connected to the idea of worship, and it indicates that we should behave properly as worshipers of God.

      3. When we receive God's blessings, it is not a time to forget our commitment.

    2. In our nation, God has graciously granted us tranquility and quietness according to our prayers.  Is our nation using these blessings to live in all godliness and dignity?

      1. As we pray for our nation, let us remember the principle of Proverbs 14:34, which says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."

      2. This principle is not only for our governing authorities, but it is also for every citizen of the nation.  If we want to see our nation do well, then our people must be righteous.

      3. Politicians and news media focus on the need for prosperity, but the nation already has this.  The nation's real needs are godliness and dignity.

      4. As a nation, we need to be careful lest we become like Israel and abuse the blessings of God.  Notice the warnings given to Israel in Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 17-20:

        10"When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.  11Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; 12otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, 13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, 14then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery...17Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.'  18But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.  19It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.  20Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God."

      5. Our nation must learn that God grants quietness and tranquility along with liberty, peace, and prosperity so that we may live in godliness and dignity.  If we live otherwise, then we are likely to forfeit God's blessings just as Israel did.

    3. Even as the nation descends in moral decline, Christians must maintain God's high standard of godliness and dignity.

      1. The world around us is degrading in violence (assaults, murders, abortions) and immorality (fornication, adultery, homosexuality). Rather than being swept up in this wave of wickedness, we who are Christians must resolve to be righteous. Notice 1Peter 2:11-12:

        11Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.  12Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

      2. As we enjoy tranquility, quietness, liberty, and prosperity, we must make proper use of these blessings.  Notice 1Peter 2:16, which says, "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God."

         

  4. CONCLUSION

    1. Therefore, let us pray for tranquil and quiet lives as we are directed in 1Timothy 2:1-2.

    2. Let us also keep our commitment to God to live in godliness and dignity.




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