Faith Frauds

05.31.10
J.A. Matteson

"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:14

These words of the Lord Jesus Christ express the delightful reality of God’s sovereign oversight and providential activity in bringing to pass the simple petitions of His people. But the saint needs to exercise vigilance while interpreting and applying this wonderful promise for there are in the twenty-first century faith frauds who grossly distort it for their own benefit, leading the simple astray.

It is fashionable these days in word-of-faith teaching (a.k.a. positive confession) to view faith as a “force” able to turn the universe in any direction one pleases. The key to this odd practice is to employ a faith formula, focusing attention on the words “in Jesus’ name,” repeating them ad nausm. Proponents of word-of-faith theology hold to and espouse a deficient Christology, failing to correctly understand what praying in the Savior’s name entails. In this dangerous system the sovereign Lord of creation becomes subservient to the desires of depraved fallen creatures, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” And characteristically the faith frauds make requests along the lines of the temporal, beseeching the Almighty for perfect health, abundant wealth, exalted position, and unbridled power. Often these petitions are cloaked in religious garb and often deceive the naïve’.

Central to this faith formula is the metaphysical application of positive confession whereby the fulfillment of petitions are viewed as an absolute certainty, regardless of their essence, if the one making the request does not waiver in belief that God will deliver what they have asked for. If the request does not come to pass it is due to the petitioner’s sin or lack of faith. Beloved, this interpretation and application of our blessed Lord’s words is a sinister warping of His intent and is in direct contradiction to the entirety of holy writ. This grave distortion does not represent biblical faith and is, in fact, not Christian; rather it finds its roots in metaphysics and is eerily similar to the faith practices of pagan cults worldwide.

To the charlatan word-of-faith teachers one must never utter a petition with the words, “Lord, if it be Your will”, for these words are viewed as a “negative confession”, sure to undermine the petition. But let us appeal to the Scripture, how does it instruct the believer to pray? Beginning with the Lord Jesus Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, we note a subservient attitude before His Father, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done" (Matt.26:42).

The Apostle’s followed the Lord’s example by placing their petitions in subjection to the perfect will of God, for Paul confesses before the church in Corinth, “But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power” (1 Cor. 4:19). And he makes a similar statement of contrition to the elders at Ephesus, “but taking leave of them and saying, ‘I will return to you again if God wills,’ he set sail from Ephesus” (Acts 18:21). Again, speaking to the Corinthians he humbly states, “For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits” (1 Cor. 16:7). The Apostle James also exhibits the Lord’s model of subservience to the will of God in his petitions and teaching, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that’” (Jas. 4:15). And then there is John who stated, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 Jn. 5:14). While dozens of other similar passages may be cited, believers may safely make four conclusions with regard to our Lord’s instruction in John 14:14.

First, biblical faith is in prayer is the assurance that God is able to answer our petitions as uttered, not that He always will grant them as uttered, in this regard the Lord Jesus instructs blind men seeking sight, “When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord" (Matt. 9:28).

Second, to submit your petitions to the will of God acknowledges His Lordship and absolute sovereignty over His creation, including your life. A submissive attitude is pleasing to your Heavenly Father who desires your complete dependence and trust in His wisdom concerning the variables that make up your life; this attitude of submissiveness to the will of the Lord is seen in Mary, the Lord’s mother, “And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her” (Lk. 1:38).

Third, to submit your petitions to the will of God is to acknowledge his omniscience in light of “working all things together for good” (Rom. 8:28). Believers do not have complete knowledge of the will of God concerning specific situations are wise to submit their requests to Him who knows all things perfectly. The Apostle Paul, knowing that God is able to do all things, was satisfied when his petitions regarding the thorn in the flesh was not answered as he had originally requested, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor. 12:19).

Lastly, to pray according to the will of God is to confess your position as a servant to the One who is Lord of all, and Who knows all; Job models a contrite attitude and confession as an ignorant mortal man before the Almighty, “Then Job answered the LORD and said, ‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes’" (Job 42:1-6). Praying in Jesus’ name is to pray in accordance to His perfect will, and like Job believers do not know the perfect will of God; therefore, they are wise to follow his example by submitting their petitions before God who is perfectly righteous, just, merciful, long-suffering, and Whose lovingkindness endures forever. In the final analysis God’s will for our lives is far better than anything we might imagine ourselves, and so we are wise to submit our petitions to the Providence of God Who shed His blood as a ransom for our sin.

May the Church rise up against the faith frauds and rebuke them for their heresy that they might be restored to fellowship with God and His Church.

Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).