Not long ago I received a request from a reader to help her understand the first verse of Romans 2 as it might apply to praying for God’s judgment against one’s wicked abuser.
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
She told me that because of this Scripture in particular, someone she knew had refrained from naming her abuser’s actions as wicked, and had thus continued for a long time to be in a dangerous relationship.
So here is a modified version of my reply.
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First of all, your question brings up the issue of Pronoun Trouble, which I’ve blogged about before (link).
I was taught, either implicitly or explicitly, that wherever there is a pronoun I should insert my own name and identity (unless it’s painfully obvious it doesn’t fit) and apply the statement to myself. I simply accepted this teaching as true as the way the Bible “comes alive” to me.
That is, until about twenty years ago when I received the challenge that this method of interpretation was not only incorrect but potentially downright detrimental to our understanding of God and His Kingdom. Though at first this revelation almost upended my world, ultimately it revolutionized my Bible study.
So, that to say, I’m working from the hermeneutical understanding that when you read a pronoun, it doesn’t apply to you. I mean, MAYBE it does, but first of all, it applies to someone else, the person or people it’s being written to.
Then, if you’re in the same category as that person, then it applies to you. Otherwise it doesn’t. As my husband has observed, “When we read the epistles, we’re reading over someone else’s shoulder.”
Second, it’s important to remember . .
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Go here to download your free Guide, How to Enjoy the Bible Again (when you’re ready) After Spiritual Abuse (without feeling guilty or getting triggered out of your mind). You’ll receive access to both print and audio versions of the Guide (audio read by me). I’m praying it will be helpful.
This resonated with me strongly. I have sat under a lot of preachers who don’t know how to preach to believers differently than unbelievers — they preach as though the audience is all unbelievers. It’s demoralizing, to say the least.
Loved this Rebecca! I had a question – You stated that you don’t pray imprecatory prayers because those are not prayed in the New Testament. I’m curious about the reasoning behind that statement. Does something have to be in the New Testament in order for it to still be legitimate or practiced today? Or could one apply the logic you gave before – a person is in the same situation as David (evil men setting traps for them and pursuing them, pushing them violently that they might fall, etc.), so she could also pray the way David did…. Just curious what understanding might have informed your decision to not pray in an OT way because it is not in the NT? Thanks!
Hi Stonescry~ It’s so good to hear from you. I know that some people disagree with me, and I don’t hold this belief so strongly that I would say it’s wrong in every case, but I’ll give you my reasoning.
We Christians are in the New Covenant, which was initiated in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is a *different* covenant from the Old (I understand this is a statement many Reformed Christians would disagree with) and is a *better* covenant than the Old (I understand this is a statement many dispensational Christians would disagree with). In the Old Covenant there was no discernible concept of winning the hearts of one’s enemies, only destroying them or routing them. There was also little to no expression of spiritual warfare in the life of the believer.
In the New Covenant, which is written on our hearts instead of on tables of stone, the way we become “more than conquerors” is that in the spiritual warfare so vividly described in various places in the New Covenant writings, not only do we defeat the enemy, but **some who were actively wicked servants of the enemy actually change sides.** Of course this was most clearly and immediately evidenced in the life of Saul-who-became-Paul, to show the power of the Holy Spirit in the exaltation of Jesus Christ. So, by this precept and this example, I’m hesitant to pray destruction on the head of someone who may yet still come to repentance.
And yet . . . Paul said God showed mercy on him because “I did it ignorantly and in unbelief.” That’s a statement I’ve struggled with some, but figured it was sort of as if Paul had grown up in a cult and that was why he just didn’t know any better (and also why he needed three years of untwisting before he was sent out).
So . . . if, on the other hand, there are some who have actually been in the world of Christianity (Paul had not been) and learned the truths of Christianity, but are “reprobate” with “jettisoned consciences,” such as are described in Paul’s writings, then that seems to be a step beyond the wickedness of Paul. If imprecatory prayers are to be prayed, it would be about these stone-hearted people. And it may be completely right to do that. I believe that for any Christian questioning whether or not they should in a certain situation, the Holy Spirit will be a faithful guide.
“At the same time that they’re loudly and proudly proclaiming ‘We are the holy people,’ at the same time that they may be condemning some other group of people (according to race or religion or political affiliation or whatever), they’re secretly breaking laws they purport to keep.” I’m reading this 3 years after you wrote it, and am struck by the extent to which God seems to be working to smash the “secretly” part. He is exposing how very many active churchgoers and revered church leaders are living this double life, and how very evil it is.
Thank you for untwisting so many important truths that have been turned inside out, and used to keep evildoers hidden and to vilify people who are truly seeking to follow God. Thank you also for you insights into how to pray for judgment on the wicked. I needed to hear that today.
Oh goodness, this is so important. Yes, I pray much light will be shone on those who are doing evil in secret. Blessings to you, friend.