# Praying for family's sins like Job did.



## satz (Jan 29, 2006)

Job 1:
4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 
5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 

Do any of you folks make prayers for your family or friends like Job did?

how does this apply if the people in question are not believers? I don't want to read to much into the passage but it does seem Job is not praying that his sons repent per se, but offering a more general kind of intercession.

How should we apply this today?


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## BobVigneault (Jan 29, 2006)

Remember Mark this was the age of the patriarchs and sacrifice hadn't been instituted yet. The father, Job, acted as the priest for his family in that he interceded for them and made sacrifice.

As fathers we fulfill parts of the 3 offices represented in the atoning work of Christ. We are priest in that we intercede for our family and point to the sacrifice of Jesus. We are prophets in that we represent God to our children in speaking forth the Word of God to them. Lastly, we are under-kings, having authority in our family, providing for their safety and being ultimately responsible for their discipleship.


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## satz (Jan 29, 2006)

Thanks Bob, i think over that.

sigh..i realized that i phrased my opening post pretty badly. I guess what i was getting at is if we have children who do not believe is there any point praying for them as we know they will not repent of those individual sins.


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## BobVigneault (Jan 29, 2006)

I remember reading this recently and envying Job. I have two daughters who are unsaved and living sinful lifestyles. I wish I could offer sacrifices for them as Job did. In answer to your question, yes you should pray for them. It is God who grants repentance and I pray that he will grant repentance to both my daughters soon. I pray this everyday. We trust that when God turns their hearts that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient to cover their sins. We take comfort that my redeemer can redeem my daughters if He will. Praying that God will grant repentance is our duty in recognizing that God uses secondary means.

[Edited on 1-30-2006 by BobVigneault]


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## Dag Fish (Jan 30, 2006)




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## Anton Bruckner (Jan 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BobVigneault_
> Lastly, we are under-kings, having authority in our family, providing for their safety and being ultimately responsible for their discipleship.


that's if you haven't gotten hit with a no fault divorce, with the court granting custody to the wife.


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## BobVigneault (Jan 30, 2006)

Ouch, Keon, Ouch!


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## Anton Bruckner (Jan 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BobVigneault_
> Ouch, Keon, Ouch!



sorry man. I guess the Theonomists can jump on this, and provide some insights as to how the culture got to unbiblical and ungodly, where the Messiahship of the Husband, and Father, gets legally usurped by the Courts and then relegated to the Wife and Mother.


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## crhoades (Jan 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Slippery_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by BobVigneault_
> ...


No jumping needed...To quote what a wise man once said, "Ouch, Keon, Ouch!"


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## cultureshock (Jan 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by satz_
> Job 1:
> 4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
> 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
> ...



Pray for your kids. Don't sacrifice any burnt offerings, though. Before Sinai, church, state, and family were one entity. Sinai made church and state into an entity distinct from family, but the family (under leadership from the head of the family), still had spiritual responsibilities (see Deut. 6:7-9). This continues into the New Covenant (see Eph. 6:4).

So, pray for your kids, but don't presume to fulfill the role of the church. In other words, don't withdraw from the church as though the family is enough (as some radical homeschoolers do). Use both family and church as God intended.

Brian


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## caddy (Mar 19, 2006)

Very well Said Bob

I find myself repetitively and geniuninely praying for my kid's ( 22 & 19 ) spiritual maturity, physical health and for their future mates. They both have made professions of faith, but both are in that age bracket where it seems so little "fruit" is produced. 

quote]_Originally posted by BobVigneault_
Remember Mark this was the age of the patriarchs and sacrifice hadn't been instituted yet. The father, Job, acted as the priest for his family in that he interceded for them and made sacrifice.

As fathers we fulfill parts of the 3 offices represented in the atoning work of Christ. We are priest in that we intercede for our family and point to the sacrifice of Jesus. We are prophets in that we represent God to our children in speaking forth the Word of God to them. Lastly, we are under-kings, having authority in our family, providing for their safety and being ultimately responsible for their discipleship. [/quote]


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