160
March 1928
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
May we Use the Lord’s Prayer?
1.
To put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself (Heb. 9 :26 ). 2. As the Lamb of God (1 Pet. 1:19, 20). 3. To take away sins (1 Jn. 3 :5). Other direct and categorical statements o f the objects before the Lord Jesus in His coming into the world a re : 1. T o call sinners (Matt. 9 :13 ). 2. T o seek and to save that which was lost (Lk. 19:10). 3. To do the will of the Father (Jn. 6 :38 ; cf. Heb. 10: 7, 9 ). 4. For judgment, that they which see not may see; and that they which see might become blind (Jn. 9 :39 ). 5. That they (the sheep) might have, abundant life (Jn. 10:10). 6. In order to die (Jn. 12:27; cf. Heb. 2 :9 ). 7. That whosoever believeth on Him may not abide in the darkness (Jn. 12:46). 8. To bear witness to the truth (Jn. 18:37). •9. To save sinners (1 Tim. 1 :15). 10. To die, and through death to destroy the devil (Heb. 2 :14 ). 11. To deliver those who were in fear of death (Heb. 2 :15 ). 12. To be a High Priest, and so to make propitiation for sins (Heb. 2 :17), Settle the question of what our Lord undertook to do in His first advent, and you will have no difficulty as to the placing of the prayer He taught His disciples, and which He told them to teach to the whole world (Matt. 28:19-20). Remember, also, that it occurs in a sermon which ends with the words: “ WHOSOEVER heareth these: sayings o f mine and DOETH them, I will liken to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.” His teachings are defined as those o f ." grace and truth” (Jn. 1:17). It was Dr. Howard A. Kelly who said some time since, in an article in The Sunday School Times : “ I do not think our Lord, through His Spirit, would have allowed this prayer all through the centuries to continue to- be the universal prayer of the church had it not been His will.” Bear in mind, also, that the prayer is grounded upon relationship to God as “ Father.” It is only those who have received Jesus Christ as Saviour from sin who can address God as “ Father” (Gal. 4 :6 ). As to the name of Jesus not being in it, remember that only when we can say: “ These things thy. Son desires for me,” do we truly pray “ in Jesus’ name,” and since He is the teacher of this model prayer, to add His name at the close would be super fluous. It is true that, as to position, we are “ seated in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,” yet as to state we are still on earth and we are created to LOOK UP. “ Let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God,” warned the wise man, “ fo r God is in heaven and thou upon earth” (Eecl. 5 :2 ). Is it improper to seek forgiveness for sin? Does this put salvation upon the basis of our forgiveness of others, as some teach? The writer will never forget how he once brought this objection to the late. Dr. A , C. Dixon, that great student o f the Scriptures. “ Do you not see/’ he asked, “ that you start out by calling God your Father,
Our attention is called to some recent comments on “ The so-called Lord’s Prayer” and we are asked for our judgment o f the views expressed. Here are some quotations: “ It is not for us to use as a prayer.” “ ‘Our Father who are in heaven.’ W e cannot say this if we are already in His presence. W e are a heavenly people seated in the heavenlies in Christ.” “ We cannot ask Him for the forgiveness of sins, for He has already forgiven us according to the riches of His grace. W e might as well ask Him for a head on our shoulders.” “ ‘Thy kingdom come.’ This is utterly impossible until Christ has taken the Church up to Himself.” “ ‘Thy will be done.’ This cannot he done during the present dispensation.” “ ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ W e have bread which the world knows not of. It is not proper for us to ask for that which we already have.” “ ‘Deliver us from evil [one].’ This refers to the anti christ, who does not appear until after the Church is taken.” “ The prayer is Jewish. The name of Christ is not in it.” “ It is for use in that terrible time when the remnant Jews are to be brought under the despotic rule of the beast and false prophet.” “ The Father is not pleased to have this prayer so per verted and inappropriately used.” This view o f the prayer o f which our Lord says: “ A fter this manner pray YE,” has been rather widely propagated in recent years. The interpretation is devised to fit in with the teaching now known as “the postponed kingdom,” a theory which,, although taught by Several well-known teachers, is o f comparatively recent origin. It should be remembered that the early church, and the church up to within the last 75 years knew nothing, so far as we can discover, o f the idea that our Lord’s earthly ministry had to do with the offer of the earthly kingdom to Israel, that, this had to be postponed because official Israel was not ready to cooperate with Him, and that, therefore, His kingdom teachings are all to be associated with the temporal kingdom, not the present age of grace. This view retains the teachings of the Gospels for direct application to the Great Tribulation and the future king dom. It seem§ to the writer that this entire theory topples before the plain statements of our New Testament as to the purpose for which Jesus Christ came into the world This is : 1. That the world might be saved through Him (Jn. 3 :17 ). • 2. That He might give life to the world ( Jn. 6 :32, 33). 3. That He might be an offering for sin (Rom. 8 :3 ). 4. That men might live through Him (1 Jn. 4 :9 ) .' 5. That He might be the propitiation for our sins (1 Jn. 4:10) . 6. That He might be the Saviour of the world (1 Jn. 4 :14 ). In a few passages the phrase “H e was manifested” is found :
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