Avoid Religious Fads Like the Plague

“The principal rule of interpreting Scripture is that Scripture interprets Scripture.” – R.C. Sproul

Do you remember the Prayer of Jabez? It was a book by Bruce Wilkinson that was published in 2000 and took the evangelical world by storm. Based on two seemingly obscure verses in I Chronicles 4, the book became an international sensation, topped the New York Times bestseller list, and won the Gold Medallion Book of the Year award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

The crux of the book was an admonition to pray the following prayer, preferably verbatim: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” After all, Wilkinson reasoned, God “granted him [Jabez] what he requested,” so why wouldn’t He answer my prayer (and yours) for an abundant and pain-free life, too?

And so, not only did millions of well-meaning Christians plunk down money for Wilkinson’s book, but they also bought Prayer of Jabez t-shirts, bookmarks, key chains, coffee mugs, and other paraphernalia. They also began and ended each day by reciting Jabez’s prayer by rote.

Sadly, when their territory didn’t increase immediately and exponentially… and their life wasn’t as “successful” as they had hoped… they became disillusioned, and their faith began to waver. Not to worry, however; they simply moved on to the next religious fad.

The problem with the Prayer of Jabez movement, as I see it, was two-fold. First, the two verses were taken out of context… or at least misapplied. God answered Jabez’s prayer for His own reasons and purpose – perhaps because Jabez was so honorable – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that He will grant us the same worldly blessings. Simply put, God’s plans are not one-size fits all. He may want you to succeed or He may want you to suffer… probably a mixture of both. Otherwise, you and I might become prideful and arrogant, both self-important and self-reliant. Just ask the Apostle Paul (see 2 Corinthians 11-12).

Second, Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:7 to avoid “vain repetitions” when they prayed, and He offers the same wise counsel to us today. There are no magic words that will unleash God’s storehouse of blessings, just like reciting the Sinner’s Prayer without meaning it will not save you.

Like R.C. Sproul said in today’s quote, let Scripture interpret Scripture… and avoid religious fads like the plague.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.” Ephesians 4:14 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President