We Should Pray For Rulers

"First of all, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for rulers of states, and all in authority, that we may enjoy a quiet and peaceful life, in godliness and respect.  This is good and pleases GOD.  For HE wants all to be saved, and come to the knowledge of truth.  As there is one GOD, there is one mediator between GOD and humankind, CHRIST JESUS, HIMSELF human, who gave HIS life for the redemption of all.  This is the testimony, given in its proper time, and of this, GOD has made me apostle and herald.  I am not lying, I am telling the truth: HE made me teacher of the nations regarding faith and truth.

I want the men, in every place, to lift pure hands, in prayer, to heaven, without anger and dissension." - 1 Timothy 2:1-8 

(I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made.  Paul wants Christians to be in solidarity with their compatriots, loyal toward their nation and praying for them.  In spite of its sins and superstitions, the pagan world was religious.  Religion accompanied their every action.  This explains why, some years later, Christians were persecuted as rebels and traitors because they did not worship the emperor, nor his gods.  Perhaps this insistence on prayer for rulers is due to the fact that the paragraph was written when there already was some suspicion about Christians: it was necessary to remove these suspicions.

Faithfulness to CHRIST does not prevent loyalty to the nation unless the nation becomes an idol, and this happens when, in the name of the nation, people are asked to obey its rulers blindly.  We cannot give up criticizing their errors, nor stop considering as our brothers and sisters those who do not agree with us.

We should pray for rulers. Does that mean that we cannot look for more honest and better rulers?  Of course, we can: see Romans 13.)

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