Is it wrong to bow during a prayer offered by someone who does not live a Christian life?
Question:
My brother often leads prayer at family gatherings. I have a problem with this. He drinks alcohol daily, often is intoxicated, and lives a sexually immoral life. When he says, "Let’s pray," everyone bows their heads. My husband is always present and sometimes he does lead the prayer. My brother is not a member of the Lord's church. He attends the Baptist church. He never studies and knows very little about God's word. Are we doing wrong here?
Answer:
When we bow our heads in prayer, it is to acknowledge our submission to the Lord God. When others wish to talk with the Lord, it is best to be respectful, though we know that God said that He does not listen to the prayers of sinners (Isaiah 59:1-2; Proverbs 28:9). Thus, I often use the time to silently say my own prayer.
There are times when I need to make a point that what is taking place is wrong. For instance, when a woman takes it upon herself to lead a group in prayer, in violation of I Timothy 2:12, I do not bow along with them. If asked why, I calmly state that I don't support a mockery of God's teachings. If not asked, I try to work the point into the conversation. Sadly, most people don't care.
Response:
What you said is exactly what I do. Actually, when anyone leads prayer, I always whisper my own prayer.
Thank you for your response.
