By Tom Damour · February 2005
Jesus taught the importance of enduring faith and consistent prayer. Consider the lesson of the parable of the unjust judge.
Jesus taught His disciples through several parables, but one of them ended with the question, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7).
Some have mistakenly thought this parable teaches that we should beg and plead for God to intervene for us, and maybe if we plead long enough, He might give us the answer we seek. But this is not what the parable means at all.
Two lessons
There are two main points we should glean from the parable. First, Jesus wanted us to learn we should be consistent in our prayer life. This is clearly brought out in verse 1, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).
The other point Jesus wanted them to understand is that ultimate justice for Christians would not come about until His second coming. In Luke 18:6-7 we read, “Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?’” The Phillips Translation reads, “Notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved. Do you suppose God, patient as he is, will not see justice done for his chosen, who appeal to him day and night?”
Christians must never give up praying for the Kingdom of God to be established on the earth. That is when God will bring justice and peace to the earth. We should continue to pray, even if the answer we seek is long in coming. Jesus concluded His parable by asking if He would find people of enduring faith when He returns. The point of the parable was to remind Christians that we must not lose heart (faith) no matter the circumstances and that we should continuously pray for the day Jesus Christ will return and restore God’s government on the earth.
Necessity of faith
In this month’s issue of Virtual Christian Magazine, you will see several ways faith can be expressed. Each article illustrates faith in action, but under different circumstances. Growing in faith is an expensive endeavor. By that, I mean we must be willing to take the time and effort necessary to learn what God says to us, and then apply His Word in our daily lives. Jesus Himself said, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). We must be willing to obey Him no matter the cost to us.
It is our hope that as you read, “the eyes of your understanding” (Ephesians 1:18) will be opened so that your walk of faith will continue to mature as you learn more about the truth of God and how it applies in your life.
Questions & Answers
Q: What does the parable of the unjust judge NOT teach?
A: It does not teach that we should beg and plead for God to intervene, hoping that if we plead long enough He might give us the answer we seek. That is a mistaken reading of the parable.
Q: What are the two lessons of the parable?
A: First, consistency in prayer: “men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Second, ultimate justice for Christians will not come until Christ’s second coming — God will avenge His elect who cry out day and night to Him.
Q: Why should Christians keep praying even when the answer is long in coming?
A: Because we must not lose heart, no matter the circumstances. We pray continuously for the day Jesus Christ returns and restores God’s government on the earth, when God will bring justice and peace — and Jesus’ closing question asks whether He will find such enduring faith on the earth when He comes.
Q: Why is growing in faith an “expensive endeavor”?
A: Because it costs time and effort: we must be willing to learn what God says to us and then apply His Word in our daily lives — to bear our cross and obey Him no matter the cost (Luke 14:27).
Summary Test
Answer each question, then open “Check your answers” to see how you did.
1. True or false: the parable of the unjust judge teaches us to beg and plead until God finally gives in.
a) True
b) False
2. The first lesson of the parable is that we ought always to…
a) Pray and not lose heart
b) Wait silently
c) Pray only in a crisis
3. Ultimate justice for Christians will come about…
a) Through human courts
b) At Christ’s second coming
c) Within our lifetime, guaranteed
4. Growing in faith is “an expensive endeavor” because it takes…
a) Money
b) Time and effort to learn what God says and apply it daily
c) Travel
Check your answers
1. False — That is the mistaken reading this editorial corrects.
2. Pray and not lose heart — Luke 18:1 — consistency in our prayer life.
3. At Christ’s second coming — God will avenge His elect — justice and peace come with His Kingdom.
4. Time and effort to learn what God says and apply it daily — Obeying Him no matter the cost — bearing our cross (Luke 14:27).
End of Part 1.
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