Love and Prayer

Love & Prayer:

Much has been made of the exponential removal of the Ten Commandments from public buildings across the United States over the past 20+ years. While it is certainly a sign of the times, i.e. postmodernity, secular humanism, egocentrism, new atheism, etc., the Ten Commandments were never intended to be reduced to historical décor. They were certainly never intended as a cure for universally depraved humanity.

In Galatians 3:24 Paul gives us a very concise statement on the purpose of the Law, “Therefore the law was our guardian (παιδαγωγός) until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. The word “παιδαγωγός” is often translated as guardian, tutor, schoolmaster, or trainer. It was a technical term used for the person in charge of training a young man in manners, morals, and the foundational ‘stuff’ of life. The παιδαγωγός was never intended to walk around with a young man indefinitely. At some point a boy must transition to manhood; similarly, at some point a culture must transition from plaques, signs, bumper stickers, and superficial ‘churchy’ Sunday gatherings to authentic faith - or implode.

The testimony of a Christian culture is whether people have truly been ‘born again’ by the Spirit of God, thus making individuals into new creations in Christ and members of His Bride - the Church. The authentic Christian is not rattled by the removal of external signs and symbols, rather we are concerned with the eternal destination of those who are motivated to perform such actions. Our goal is not to defend God’s honor amidst a depraved heathen culture since God’s character is eternally immaculate and above reproach. Instead, our goal is to obey the King. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus said, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Jesus commissioned his disciples to go to all nations, baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, and teaching folks to obey everything He commanded (Matt 28:19-20). Jesus never wasted time demonstrating, picketing, protesting, or lobbying to gain human support. Instead, Jesus did the ONLY thing with infinite power, eternal influence, and omnipresence - He prayed. After having prayed - He obeyed. Why then do countless Christians waste time, energy, money, and effort doing things Jesus neither did nor commanded rather than simply following His example and obeying His commission? Why do we fail to pray and obey?

If you want your time, talent, and treasure to count for the Kingdom of God then don’t follow the pattern of the world,which wastes time with social media campaigns, lobbying, and catchy slogans. Instead, do what Scripture teaches - “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Pray that you would become so intimately identified with the community of God (Father, Son, and Spirit) that His goal becomes your goal, that His obedience becomes your obedience, and that His power becomes your power.

When that happens there is no more need for stone tablets, the παιδαγωγός, because as the Bible tells us, “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

God doesn’t need you to defend Him. He doesn’t -NEED- anything from us. What He invites us into is a privileged relationship whereby we can choose to participate in His mission of bringing the Good News of the Savior, Jesus Christ, to the ends of the earth. God gives us the only two things we need:

1) His Presence, which allows us to love as God loves, and

2) His Ears, which brings our prayers into His heart

Love and prayer. That’s exactly what Jesus used to change the destiny of humanity forever.

Blessings,

-Kevin