Praying for Our Enemies: Love, Redemption, and Justice

Should We Pray for God to Punish Our Enemies?

As Christians, we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). However, when we are wronged or hurt, it can be difficult to follow this command. Our natural inclination is to seek revenge and justice, to ask God to punish our enemies for the harm they have caused us.

But is this the right way to pray? Should we be asking God to punish our enemies, or is there a better approach to dealing with those who have hurt us? In this article, we will explore these questions and examine what the Bible has to say about praying for our enemies.

Why Do We Want God to Punish Our Enemies?

Before we can address whether or not we should pray for God to punish our enemies, we need to understand why we would want to do so in the first place. Why do we feel the need to seek revenge and justice when we are wronged?

One reason is that we want to see justice done. When someone has hurt us, we want them to be held accountable for their actions. We want them to experience the consequences of their wrongdoing. This desire for justice is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it is motivated by a desire for righteousness and not simply a desire for revenge.

Another reason we may want God to punish our enemies is that we want to feel vindicated. When we are wronged, we feel hurt and wounded. We may feel like we have been unfairly treated, and we want to be proven right. Asking God to punish our enemies can give us a sense of validation and satisfaction, as we see those who have hurt us get their comeuppance.

However, these motivations are not always pure. We may also want God to punish our enemies out of a desire for revenge or a desire to see them suffer. These motivations are not in line with the teachings of Jesus, who tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

What Does the Bible Say About Praying for Our Enemies?

The Bible has a lot to say about how we should treat our enemies. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Paul echoes this sentiment in Romans 12:14, where he says, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."

These commands are not just empty words. Jesus himself modeled this behavior when he prayed for those who were crucifying him, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Stephen, the first Christian martyr, also prayed for his enemies as he was being stoned to death, saying, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60).

Praying for our enemies is not just a nice sentiment. It is a powerful act of love and forgiveness that has the potential to transform our hearts and the hearts of those who have hurt us. When we pray for our enemies, we are acknowledging that they are human beings, created in the image of God, who are in need of grace and redemption, just like we are.

But what about praying for God to punish our enemies? Is there a biblical basis for this kind of prayer? Some would point to passages in the Psalms, where the psalmists cry out for God to avenge them against their enemies. For example, in Psalm 109:6-15, the psalmist prays:

"Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!"

At first glance, this kind of prayer may seem to justify our desire for revenge and justice. However, it is important to remember that the psalms are not prescriptive, but descriptive. They describe the emotional state of the psalmist, who is crying out to God in his distress. They are not necessarily providing a model for how we should pray.

Furthermore, even in these psalms, there is a recognition that vengeance ultimately belongs to God. The psalmist may cry out for God to punish his enemies, but he also acknowledges that it is God who will ultimately judge them. In Psalm 94:1-2, the psalmist says, "O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!"

So, while there may be times when we feel angry and hurt and want to cry out for God to punish our enemies, it is important to remember that vengeance ultimately belongs to God. Our role is to love our enemies and pray for their redemption, even as we seek justice and hold them accountable for their wrongdoing.

How Should We Pray for Our Enemies?

If we are not supposed to pray for God to punish our enemies, how should we pray for them? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Pray for their redemption. The ultimate goal of our prayers for our enemies should be their redemption. We should pray that they would come to know Christ and experience his grace and forgiveness. We should pray that their hearts would be softened and that they would turn away from their sin.

2. Pray for their well-being. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:27). One way we can do this is by praying for their well-being. We should pray that they would be blessed, that their needs would be met, and that they would experience joy and peace.

3. Pray for reconciliation. When we are wronged, it can be difficult to imagine a future where we are reconciled with our enemies. However, as Christians, we are called to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) and to seek reconciliation with those who have hurt us. We should pray that God would bring about reconciliation between us and our enemies, and that we would be able to forgive them and be reconciled to them.

4. Pray for justice. While we should not seek revenge, we should seek justice for those who have been wronged. We can pray that God would bring about justice for those who have been hurt, that the truth would be revealed, and that those who have done wrong would be held accountable for their actions.

Conclusion

Praying for our enemies is not easy. It requires us to set aside our desire for revenge and justice and to instead focus on the redemption and well-being of those who have hurt us. However, as Christians, we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. When we do this, we are participating in the work of God, who desires to redeem all people and bring about reconciliation and peace.

So, should we pray for God to punish our enemies? No. Instead, we should pray for their redemption, their well-being, their reconciliation, and for justice to be done. When we do this, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus, who loved his enemies and prayed for their forgiveness, even as they were crucifying him.