Paul warns of perilous times in the last days where “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). In this light, it seems pointless to pray against the evil (men) that is (are) growing each day, since Scripture also states that “lawlessness will increase” (Matt. 24:12). So is praying against the increase of crime and corruption consistent with God’s Word?
How then ought we to pray? According to the Lord’s Prayer?
DR LEONG TIEN FOCK clears the fog.
Most evangelical Christians assume that the two verses refer to the end-times. Even if we accept this assumption, praying against the increase of crime and corruption is not inconsistent with these verses, for 2 Tim. 3:13 is not about the increase of corruption and Matt. 24:12 is not about the increase of crime. This is because the “evil men” are the “impostors”, false teachers who are “deceiving and being deceived”. They have departed from Scripture.
In response, Paul admonished Timothy to remain in the things he had learned from Scripture (3:14–15). Having then affirmed Scripture as the inspired Word of God and hence, its usefulness in teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness (3:16–17), he charged Timothy to preach it, whether it was “in season” to do so or not (4:1–2).
For in light of the impostors becoming worse, a time will come when many will no longer endure sound teaching (4:3–5).
As R. T. France says in his recent commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, “lawlessness in Matthew refers not only to criminal activity, but to a lifestyle which is outside the law of God; even the morally scrupulous scribes and Pharisees have been accused of lawlessness (23:28)”.
The “lawlessness” in Matt. 24:12 is evidently similar to that of the scribes and the Pharisees, as it is applied to those whose love (for God and other people) have grown cold (Matt. 24:13). Thus they “are lovers of pleasure rather than God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:4–5).
Even if Scripture clearly teaches that in the endtimes crime and corruption will become increasingly and irreversibly intensive and extensive, we still cannot assume that we are already in those times. The outcome of the recent general elections shows that at least in Malaysia the increase of corruption and crime is reversible.
In fact many Christians believe that their prayers affected this outcome. Hence prayer against the increase of crime and corruption is not inconsistent with Scripture; in the current Malaysian context, it is also very meaningful.
How then shall we pray?
Yes, the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–14) is the best place to learn how to pray, even to pray against social evils like crime and corruption. The first thing to note is that, before teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus told them how not to pray (Matt. 6:5–8).
They are not to pray like the unbelievers who suppose that they would be heard for their many words. For God the Father already knows our needs even before we ask. He does not need to be informed through our prayers. So in answering a prayer He is not responding to the information presented to Him. What then is He responding to?
Obviously He is responding to our faith in Him, expressed through the prayer. So we need to be careful that our faith is not in fact in the prayer itself but in the God who answers prayer. And needless to add, He is also responding to the whole-heartedness and sincerity with which we pray. So we cannot truly pray for something that we do not really care about. All this is assumed in the Lord’s Prayer.
For the Lord’s Prayer is not so much about what to pray but how to pray. If we are to pray whole-heartedly and sincerely, “Your kingdom come”, that is, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10), we must really care about God’s will even when we are not praying.
This means we have a heart that has no other agenda except to see God’s will done. Certainly this includes praying according to God’s will. But to pray for God’s kingdom to come is to pray for His reign to be established, resulting in His will done, on earth as it is in heaven. To pray this wholeheartedly and sincerely presumes a desire for God’s will done not only in our own life and family but also in our nation and in the world.
Praying against social evil is only one expression of this desire, which will express itself beyond praying. Hence having prayed, “Your kingdom come,” we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
So, when more and more Christians truly pray against social evil, it means less and less Christians will be involved in any form of corruption or wrongdoing. It also means more and more Christians will do something about the increase of social evil beyond praying. And for many of them, this will be more than just through the ballot box.
If this is how the Church is to pray against the increase of social evil, it will not do to just challenge as many Christians as possible to pray as though we are heard for our many words, thus putting our faith in the prayers rather than in God. There is the need to sensitise Christians so that they whole-heartedly and sincerely care about God’s will done not only in and through their lives but also in the nation.
Tien Fock’s Ph.D is in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (University of Calfiornia). He is Research Coordinator at Malaysia Campus Crusade of Christ and a freelance lecturer at several seminaries. God. There is the need to sensitise Christians so that they whole-heartedly and sincerely care about God’s will done not only in and through their lives but also in the nation.
|
