Back to Sender Prayer is not Christological!
Back to Sender Prayer is not Christological!
Richard Kwabena Amoah Kwaning
(Chaplain Firm Foundation Senior High School - Sapeiman)
There is this kind of prayer topic called "Back to Sender" prayer that goes on in almost every prayer session held in the Christendom today, which is not Christological. (Or which Christ doesn't support it.) In this article we will know Christ and the apostles' view on this kind of prayer and know actually what prayer is. Let us first commence with what prayer is?
Prayer is where the mortal human being meets with the divine, omnipotent God. Prayer is holy ground. Prayer is the greatest resource a Christian has in this life. Prayer is a proven, active and prevailing reality. Prayer is a personal contact with God Himself. According to Leonard Ravenhill: "No man is greater than his prayer life." Using your time with prayer is the chief way to redeem the time on this earth. If you are not praying you are straying. The quality of our prayer life then determines the quality of our relationship with God. Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is enjoying the presence of God. It can take many forms for example: worship, confession, thanksgiving, praise, petition, waiting and warfare. We can also pray in the spirit, since "Prayer starts or Germinates from the mind of God." Specifically in the New Testament Scriptures, there are 3 Greek words expressing the action of prayer.
The First word for prayer in Greek is "proseuchomai" which means to pray to God, supplicate, worship, make prayer, and ask.
The Second word for prayer in Greek is "parakelo" which means to call or bid.
And the third word for prayer in Greek is "deomai" which means to have want, to desire, or to long for. Having known these words, Let us closely look at the first one to get some insight into this great privilege and commandment of prayer we have been given.
The First word for prayer in Greek is "proseuchomai" which means to pray to God, supplicate, worship, make prayer, and ask. This Greek word is a compound word with these two parts: "Pro" a preposition of direction (suggests that our prayers must be directed towards a specific person). It also suggests a nearness to God, or being in access to His presence. "euchomi" means to wish, will to desire. The idea of "proseuchomai" prayer is that, we enter into the presence of God to make our request known directly to Him. Therefore why should the request of a mortal being, to the immortal being, who is the creator of the mortal being, bee a request of destroying another mortal being. We telling God to destroy what he has created is not Christological. How can one advice God to destroy his handwork. "Back to Sender" prayer, which goes on in almost every prayer session held in the Christendom today is not Christological, because it is against the teachings of Jesus, the Christ. Christians must have "Christological grounded Proseuchomailogical mind." Thus, a prayer mind which is deeply rooted in Christ, because of the name that we bear as Christians. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch just because of the way they lived their lives. Their lives were just as Jesus, the Christ. They taught the people what Jesus taught them. So there were named Christians. (Acts 11:26) what ever we do as Christians must rest on Christ. Those who pray this kind of prayer usually believe that, their causalities of inabilities to make it in life or their afflictions, sicknesses etc are coming from their families which could be their paternal or maternal and sometimes their spouse's family. For there is a saying in Akan language which says "S aboa be b ka woa na efi wo ntoma mu." Meaning any insect that bites you comes from your dress or cloth. Because of this, most Christians pray to send back the kind of afflictions, sicknesses, and inabilities etc to those that are the cause (or think they are the cause.) some even say in their prayers that they do not care if it is their father or mother who is the cause. Others go to the extent of cursing and pronouncing death in their prayers. This is purely African traditional religious way of thinking and praying. In fact this has even extended into our gospel music of today. Those who lead or exhort Christians to pray this kind of prayer, normally uses Psalm 35:1-2 which says: "Oppose, LORD, those who oppose me; war upon those who make war upon me. Take up the shield and buckler; rise up in my defense." as their reference. But the question here is, whether this is Christological? The fact that we see this and other destruction prayers or event in the bible does not mean it is Christological or Christ supports it. Christians shouldn't forget that, prayers like this are normally found in the Old Testament which is base on Law. David in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. Many Christians think and pray like this, because one way or the other, their next door neighbour or someone in their maternal or paternal family or someone at the work place is troubling him/her. Sometimes there is clear evidence that shows they are being troubled or persecuted, but this does not mean we should pray to God to destroy them. Because one way or the other, we all have persecuted or wronged someone consciously and unconsciously. And if that person had prayed to God for destruction, all of us would have been dead by now. And there wouldn't be a single creature on earth. One typical example is the case of Saul who was also known as Paul and now St. Paul. If the disciples had prayed for his destruction, what would have happen to his great impact in the Christendom? Who would have addressed all the problems in the various churches and Christians in places such as Colossae? Just look at the wonderful letter he sent to the Christians in Colossae to inform them about Jesus, the Christ's supremacy and fullness in their wondering whether Christ alone is adequate for fullness (Plroma). We use to say, Paul did not come early, but he is above all the disciples and the apostles. Yet he was the one who persecuted the disciples extraordinarily. Praying against our neighbours whom we consider to be enemies is totally out of Christian context so far as Jesus' teachings on prayer and enemies are concern.
In Exodus 21:24; God gave Moses a law to the people of Israel which says "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Leviticus 24:20 also records "fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured". And Deuteronomy. 19:21 says; "Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." But in Mathew 5: 38 -39 Jesus Christ who is God's incarnate said: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Verse 43- 44"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." The words Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth come from several Old Testament passages (Ex.21:24; Lev. 24:20; Duet. 19:21); they are called the lex talionis, the law of retaliation. This law was given to protect the innocent and to make sure retaliation did not occur beyond the offense. Jesus pointed out, however, that while the rights of the innocent were protected by the Law, the righteous need not necessarily claim their rights. The apostle Paul carries this further in Romans 12:17-21 that, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" This was seen to its greatest extent in the life of the Lord Jesus, the Christ Himself, as Peter explained in 1Peter 2:23 that "when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." This implies that, God has turned a new page in his governance, since he spoke through his incarnate Jesus, the Christ. The same God, who said an eye for an eye, now says we need not to do so again. In verse 44 he said it clearly. 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This is what I call "Christological grounded Proseuchomailogy" thus a prayer that is deeply rooted in Christ Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to destroy the law, but he came to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Christians must take Christological Hermeneutical approach to the Bible. When ever anyone interprets the bible, he/she must do so in accordance to Jesus, the Christ. The one God was pleased to have all his fullness of deity dwell in him. Summary of What True Prayer Is and Isn't Prayer is the channel of fellowship and communication with the true and living God. It is the greatest resource we have in life. It is God's gift to be enjoyed. Any man or woman can do anything when he or she learns to pray successfully. Prayer is where the mortal, weak human being meets the all wise, omnipotent and ever loving Creator. It is the meeting place where Divine and human desires are discussed. Prayer is a proven, active and prevailing reality. It is not an empty formality of religious exercise. Prayer is a personal contact with God Himself. Prayer has no substitute. God promises to answer our prayer when we follow His guidelines for doing so one hundred and ninety (190) times in the Bible. Here is one of those references... "Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results." James 5:16 (TLB) It is my pray that all Christians read this article and be conscious of what prayer is and how they have to pray. Back to Sender prayer is not Christological but praying for our enemies ("sender(s)") is Christological. Christological grounded Proseuchomailogy is what Christ demands from us. May God bless us all? Amen.
Bibliography: Walvoord. F. John, Roy B. Zuck "The Bible Knowledge Commentary" SP Publications, U.S.A 1983. Catholic Official Bible, "The New American Bible", catholic world press. U.S.A 1970. The New International Vision "The Holy Bible" Zondervan Corporation. U.S.A 2005. http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=23417 http://letspaga.com/Documents/The Definition of Prayer.doc
Back to Sender Prayer is not Christological!
By: Richard Kwabena Amoah Kwaning
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