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| by Erik Wait |
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If there is one means of grace that is neglected or misused more than any other, it is probably prayer. We often fret and become anxious about our circumstances rather than go to God in prayer. We often treat prayer as if we are writing a “wish list” to Santa Claus in order to get what we want. Or, we fail to pray because we lack faith in that we think that God will not answer or because we think that He does not listen. It is therefore crucial for our spiritual health and the proper worship of God that we ask, as Westminster Shorter Catechism question 98, “What is prayer?” The catechism then tells us, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.”
The catechism states that prayer is do be done with “things agreeable to his will.” Are we to pray according to God’s decretive will? His revealed will? While the English language only has the one word “will,” the Greek has several but all of which fall into two related basic categories. Two examples are thelema which means “desire” or “wish” (Ephesians 2:3) and boulema which means “a deliberate design” or “that which is purposed or determined” (Romans 9:19). God’s “will” may be understood either as His moral will found in His Law, that manner in which God wants us to live, but has not necessarily decreed that we do so and God’s eternal decree - that which God has determined shall come to pass from before the foundation of the earth.
The “will” that to pray in agreement with in our prayer is in accordance with God’s moral law, for we do not want to pray for sin to occur. Also, in our prayers we are to pray in accordance with his eternal decree. But how can we pray win according to His eternal decree if much of what He has foreordained is not revealed, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
It is here we must in our prayers acknowledge God’s sovereignty and our willingness to be content with what God has determined shall come to pass. Even Jesus when He prayed in the garden just before his arrest and crucifixion prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot not pass away from me unless I drink it, Thy will be done.” (Matthew 26:42). Likewise, James states that we should we should say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”
Prayer is not twisting God’s arm to get what we want or changing God’s mind as to what He has already determined shall come to pass, but rather is our communing with God and learning to think His thoughts after Him. Prayer changes us, not God.
The catechism also teaches that we are to pray “in the name of Christ.” His name is not a magic mantra which we are to repeat in order to get what we want like a magician who says, “Abracadabra!” When Moses was commissioned by God to go into Egypt and command Pharaoh to set the Israelites go free God gave Moses His personal name, “And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you'” (Exodus 3:14). It is from “I AM” that we get the English equivalent of YHWH, a tetragram from “I Am that I Am” the identity of God given to Moses and claimed by Jesus in John 8:58, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM." YHWH is then often translated either as “YaHWeH” with the added vowels or the Germanic form of “Jehovah.” At the beginning of Moses’ ministry he was given God’s personal covenantal name which He was to declare his actions to be in the name of, to the effect of saying, “In the name of YHWH, Let the Israelites go!”
When we pray in the name of Christ we are praying in accordance with our being associated with the name of the One who has made the New Covenant - Jesus Christ. If however, one is not a Christian invoking His name is not only meaningless and invalid but in one particular case rather dangerous:
“Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.’ And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:13-16)
The catechism goes on to state that part of our prayer is to be for the “confession of our sins.” God is omniscient (all knowing) and already knows what we need, “...for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”(Matthew 6:8) He is also already aware of the sins we have committed. So we may wonder, “Why should we ask for what He knows we need and confess what He is already aware of?” Confession is not telling God what He does not know, as if we could inform Him of anything. We are admitting that what we have done is wrong and agreeing that His law is right. Rather that living in denial of our sin, which causes us to continue in it, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 2:8) In confession we admit our sinfulness and turn from it but if we fail to admit a problem we will continue in it. This is why the first step in drug and alcohol recovery programs the first step is to admit that one has a problem. However, the downfall of many such programs is the failure to recognize that addiction to such substances is not the problem but merely a symptom of the real problem - one’s bondage to sin and need for atonement.
The catechism goes on to state that we are to be “thankful acknowledgment of his mercies. It has been said that there are four basic components to prayer enumerated by the acronym A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). Yet, many people treat prayer as if it were merely the bringing of a shopping list to God. Instead we ought to “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6). Likewise, many people thank God for the “big things” but fail to recognize that everything good thing, even the “little” things come from God’s mercy, whether it be from God’s common grace, or from being part of God’s covenant community such as the fellowship of fellow Christians as James states, “Everything good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17)
One of the most important texts for understanding prayer is the example given to us by Jesus in what is commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9:-13; Luke 2:2-4) Yet, like many other gifts from God it is often abused and neglected. In Roman Catholic liturgy it is often recited repeatedly like a manta without any thought or understanding, thinking that the mere repetition of the prayer absolves sin or furthers the kingdom of God. To the other extreme, many Protestants totally neglect the Lord’s Prayer, never reciting it in their liturgy, for fear of becoming “too Roman Catholic.” It is for this reason than many evangelicals can’t even recite the Lord’s Prayer from memory.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism rightly sees the Lord’s Prayer as a model for our prayer for when the disciples specifically asked Jesus to teach them pray he did so by giving them this prayer and then told them not to pray like the hypocritical Pharisees. (Luke 11:1; Matthew 6:7)
The Shorter Catechism asks in question 99, “What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?” to which it answers, “The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord’s Prayer.”
Just as the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) is only a summary of the Law which must be understood in light of all of Scripture, so too “The Lord's Prayer” is a summary, or basic example, of how we ought to pray and we ought to understand it in light of all of Scripture because, “The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer” Therefore we ought to look to other prayers as examples as well. For example, as quoted above, Jesus’ prayer in the Garden in which He submits to the Father’s will or Stephens’ prayer in Acts 7:60. Likewise, we ought to pray biblically correct as we develop our theology of prayer from all of Scripture. Other examples of prayer from Jesus include his “High Priestly Prayer” (John 17) and His prayer to the Father on the cross (Luke 23:34).
The Psalms are especially helpful for learning how to pray and ought to be cited during our prayers. In them we find prayers of supplication (Psalm 55; 86; 102:1), adoration (Psalm 65:6-13), requests for peace (Psalm 122:6), requests for deliverance (Psalm 4:1; 69:13-15), petition for protection (Psalm 141) and confession of sin (Psalm 51; 65:1-5).
Question 100 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism then asks us. “What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?” to which it states, “The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, ‘Our Father which art in heaven,’ teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.”
While all humans are “offspring of God” (Acts 17:29) in that we are all created by Him and bear His image whether Christians or not, only those who are His children by rebirth, by their co-heirship with Christ, can truly call God their father:
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:14-17)
By nature we are born children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), but by covenant we become children of promise and heirs of the covenant (Galatians 4:28). Those who reject Christ, even if they received the sign of the covenant, and do not seek the will of the Father are children of Satan even if they are born in the covenant community, as Jesus said to the Pharisees who sought to kill Him:
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)
While millions of people may pray the “Lord’s Prayer” many are illegitimately referring to God as “Our father.” But those who are legitimately children of God not only may, but are required, to pray to the Father acknowledging Him in all that we do, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
On the one hand our prayers ought to be familial, like children to a parent, on the other we ought to pray “with all holy reverence and confidence.” The One we pray to is Holy so we ought not to become overly familiar when we approach God and refer to Him as “the man up stairs,” for we do not pray to the father directly, but through the mediation of Christ in His priestly office. But we are to approach the throne of grace with boldness, not because of any confidence in ourselves, but because we have confidence in the work of our Lord and brother Jesus Christ.
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 101 then asks, “What do we pray for in the first petition?” to which it answers, “In the first petition, which is, ‘Hallowed be thy name,’ we pray, That God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.”
At first the phrase “Hallowed be thy name” sounds like a statement, or a declaration, rather than a petition. It sounds like we are saying “Your name is Holy.” However, the phrase is not an assertion but a request. But how can we ask God to make His name Holy? Is it not already Holy? The petition, “Hallowed be thy name” is tied to the latter portions of the Lord’s Prayer “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” In other words, we are asking that God’s name be made Holy on the lips of people as His name is spread throughout the world, through the preaching of the gospel, by which His kingdom progresses as it spreads throughout the earth. In this way His will is being done on earth as it is in heaven.
There is tie between “name” and taking dominion or authority. To name a thing is to have lordship over it. For example, we see this in Adam’s task of naming of animals was part of subduing, taking dominion or stewardship, over the earth:
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth... then the LORD God took man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it... and out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called the living creature, that was its name.” (Genesis 1:28; 2:15, 19)
When we call upon our covenant God to make His name holy on the earth, we are asking Him to take dominion over it for setting a name over creation is the primary means of subduing it. This is why when explorers from Spain came to North America they named and claimed the land in the name of the King of Spain and assigned to it various spanish names, many after various church saints.
“The making of a covenant is closely related to the naming of the man or the people with whom God makes a covenant. To name is to classify; thus, when Adam was required by God to name the animals (Gen. 2:19-20), Adam’s duty was to understand the classification of the animals in terms of God’s creative purpose and order. This calling was a covenant task, Adam having been named, and all his posterity in him (Gen. 5:2), was now to set forth God’s order in the naming of the animals.” [1]
The problem is His name today is not even Holy on the lips of many of His people, or at least by those who claim to be His people. “Christian” book stores and catalogs are filled with t-shirts, bumper stickers, chewing gum, etc. which use God’s name as a hip slogan “God is rad, He’s my dad” and in other ways use His name to sell “Jesus Junk.” If we are going to ask God to make His name Holy in the world, we ought to first make His name holy in the church and in our homes and not mold our use of His name to mirror pop culture and load our lives with trinkets.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 102 then asks, ”What do we pray for in the second petition?” and then it answers, “In the second petition, which is, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ we pray, that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and the kingdom of glory may be hastened.”
There are both present and yet to come elements of the Kingdom of God. Jesus made it clear that the Kingdom had come when He said, “But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20) Yet there is still ground to be taken as we continue to pray, “Thy Kingdom come”
But one might wonder, “If His kingdom has come why is there still evil in the world? Has the kingdom been offered, rejected, and thus withheld? Or are we suppose to usher in the kingdom by taking dominion over the earth? Or is there a present and yet future aspect to the coming of the kingdom which will be culminated at the second coming of Christ?” The answer to these questions comes from developing a Biblical understanding of eschatology and how the unveiling of God’s plan for history is taking place on earth. Hence, the Lord’s Prayer is an eschatological petition for God’s will to be done on earth in history as He continues to take dominion on earth through His people in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The second petition of our Lord’s Prayers is a simple and yet dramatic one: “Thy kingdom come.” Our Lord tells us that we ought to pray that God’s kingdom (literally, God’s rule or reign) come in some sense in which God’s kingdom is not already present. Here we catch a glimpse of one of the most important, though difficult, concepts in all of Scripture, and that is the kingdom of God in relationship to this divine kingdom to both the present course of human history and to our Lord’s return in the future. The tension between the present and future aspects of the kingdom of God is described by Reformed theologians as the tension between “already,” that is, the present aspects of the kingdom of God, and the “not -yet”, or the future aspects of that same kingdom.
It should come as no surprise that the particular view of end-times you hold will have a dramatic effect upon how you understand the relationship between the present reality of the kingdom of God, and your own involvement in the world around you. A Christian, for example, who adopts a pessimistic view of the world’s future, and who sees the world as merely a stage for the outbreak of end-times apostasy within the church, the rise of Antichrist, and a tremendous increase in evil as predicted in Holy scripture, will very naturally tend to view the world around him (planet earth) [2] as an evil place, simply awaiting judgment and destruction. The world and the unbelievers who inhabit it will ultimately be destroyed, because the world and the people in it are evil. In this pessimistic scenario, the kingdom of God, if seen as present in this age in any sense, has virtually no impact upon the decline of the world conditions, and had virtually no function in restraining the rising tide of the devil. Many Christians would argue, therefore, that the kingdom of God must be an entirely future reality and is not present now in any sense. And so, when our Lord prays “thy Kingdom come” he is asking that we pray that His kingdom, which is not a present reality, come in its fullness at some point yet ahead in the future.
Those influenced by Dispensationalism, with its untenable doctrine of the pre-tribulational rapture, anticipate the removal of believers from the earth before the great seven-year tribulation supposedly begins. In this scheme, the primary focus of the church’s involvement in the world shifts to evangelism, since the world will soon be subject to tremendous evil due to the rise of Antichrist and the bowl of trumpet judgments of the Apocalypse. The church’s mission is that of Noah - to rescue as many lost souls as possible from the coming end and their ultimate destruction. Implicit within this system are depreciated roles assigned for ecological stewardship, reform of injustice in society, political involvement, as well as a marked diminishing assigned role in their divinely God-given mandate to contribute to culture through one’s job, family life, and other such “secular” activity. Instead. high value is assigned to “full-time Christian service,” and other such tasks specifically oriented towards evangelism, and the creation of a Christian subculture designed to insulate Christians from the increasing worldliness and evil associated with the impending end.
Dispensationalists argue that when Jesus came in the first advent he brought to the Jews and “offer” of the kingdom, which the Jews subsequently rejected. Jesus, having His plans frustrated by the sovereignty of man, then withdrew His offer of the kingdom until such time as God will remove believing Gentiles from the earth in the rapture. The kingdom of God has been withdrawn and its arrival waits our Lord’s return. The millennial age, set up on earth after the return of Christ will see the kingdom of God manifest in its fullness, and Jesus physically rules the nations with a rod of iron. Thus the kingdom of God has little or nothing to do with the present age. Instead, the kingdom is seen as arriving in its fullness in the millennial age, and our Lord’s instructions focus entirely upon the kingdom which has been withdrawn coming back in fullness in the future.
On the other hand, some Christians who view the world more optimistically see the world itself as the theater of God’s redemptive activity, which accordingly extends to all spheres of life, including political, cultural, and social arenas. Involvement in Christianizing the world before Christ returns, in this system of thought, is the primary mission of the church and the hallmark of true piety. Therefore, the present reality and advance of the kingdom of God is often identified with the task of transforming a given culture, society, or nation. Transformation of the world through all aspects of life are involved in this process - preaching the gospel, evangelizing, and apologetics play a primary role in transforming lives which in turn transform a culture. From transformed lives then comes a transformation of vocation, cultural engagement, and political activism which are all indirectly different forms of “kingdom work.”
Since the promises made to national Israel, David and Abraham, in the Old Testament are fulfilled by Christ and the church during this age, which is the millennium, that is the entire period of time between the two advents of our Lord. The “thousand years” are therefore symbolic of the entire inter-advental age. Satan is bound by Christ’s victory over him and the establishment of the kingdom of God via the preaching of the gospel, and Satan is no longer free to deceive the nations, through the presence of the Spirit. Near the end of time Satan will be loosed to lead a final bitter assault against the church. Christ is reigning in heaven during this period with the martyrs who come out of the great tribulation. In the last day (singular) of these last days (plural) the second coming of Christ will bring history to its close and usher in the final state. The things commenced there will be consummated at his second coming which will be a single cataclysmic event. Christ himself will come in a literal, visible, bodily manner and every eye will see him. At the second advent, several things will happen simultaneously: Christ will descend from heaven with his holy angels, bringing with him the souls of those who now sleep in him, All the graves will be opened and all the elect, both in and out of the grave, will be given resurrected bodies. They then will be “raptured” (caught up) to meet the Lord in the air- for the purpose of escorting him to the earth, where the judgment will immediately take place. The separation of Matthew 25 will take place and the eternal state will begin. The earth will also be “judged,” cleansed, and completely renovated.
It is absolutely essential that we understand and keep in mind that the Kingdom is not of this world, that is it does not have its origin on earth as Jesus said:
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18:36)
While the origin of the kingdom is not from this world, this does not mean that the kingdom is not on this earth. In fact, the very thing we are asking for is that the Kingdom of God that has come would continue to take dominion on the earth. But we must also keep in mind that the Kingdom of God is not furthered by worldly means. Rather taking dominion and subduing the earth is accomplished by making disciples of Christ under His authority by preaching, baptizing, and teaching.
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20)
What also needs to be clearly understood when praying for His Kingdom to come is that the kingdom is not the church. The New Covenant Church has come (Acts 2) but Church is the means of furthering the Kingdom. (Matthew 16: 18)
The Kingdom of God is the exercising of Christ’s dominion (Lordship). The Kingdom of God is form heaven, It is on earth, it takes dominion and subdues Christ’s enemies, It is accomplished by Christ through His church and the means of Grace but it will be culminated by Christ Himself as Jesus will remain at the right hand of the Father until all is accomplished. The last enemy to be finally defeated will be death itself which will occur at the end of time with the resurrection of the saints:
“By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He had perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD; I will put My Laws upon their heart, and upon their mind I will write them.’” (Hebrews 10: 10-16)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 103 then asks, “What do we pray for in the third petition?” to which it answers, “In the third petition, which is, 'Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,’ we pray, That God, by His grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.”
In the last petition “Thy kingdom come” we saw that essentially were praying that Satan’s kingdom to be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and the kingdom of glory may be hastened. The result of this petition being answered is that the third petition “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” will be answered for it is the means by which the petition is fulfilled.
Here we have two spheres of the will of God being fulfilled, that which is fulfilled in heaven and that which is likewise to be fulfilled on earth. That which is being fulfilled in heaven is unrevealed to us “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God” but that which is being fulfilled on earth is revealed to us, “but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever...” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
While we do not know specifically what is going on in heaven we do know in general some of what is happening. For example, Jesus said, “In my Father’s mansion are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you...” (John 14:2) So, we know part of the will of God which is being fulfilled in heaven is Christ’s preparation for us. In addition, we know that Christ is mediating for us in heaven as our High Priest who hears and answers our prayers (1 John 2:1; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6, 9:15). Therefore we know part of the will of God is that Christ would mediate for us in heaven.
All of the above entails the aspect of God’s will in respect to His eternal decrees - that which he has foreordained before the foundation of the earth. But there is another aspect to God’s will - His moral will, His moral Law, which is that by which we are to seek to live. In heaven the holy angels live not only according to God’s eternal decree but, unlike the fallen angels (demons), they also live according to God’s moral will. How then should we seek to live in accordance with this third petition? The prayer is not a request for God’s moral law to be fulfilled while we seek to live according to our own dictates. It would be like asking God, “Please protect me from getting lung cancer” while we light up a cigarette. This would not be a true petition but a tempting of God in which we ask Him to do one thing but act contrary to our petition. This is not a prayer faith but an act of presumption. So, while we ask for God will to be done on earth we also seek to live according to his moral will on earth “as the angels do in heaven.”
Westminster Shorter Catechism question 104 then asks, “What do we pray for in the fourth petition?” to which it answers, “In the fourth petition, which is, "Give us this day our daily bread," we pray, That of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.
According to Word of Faith theology teachers (such as Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Jerry Savelle, Paul Yongi Cho and many others) prayer is not really asking God for one’s daily needs, as a child petitions one’s parents, but the speaking forth of one’s own will in the spirit realm. Therefore if one has enough faith one can create one’s own reality, whether positively or negatively. But Word of Faith teachers are more like the quarrelsome hedonists which James rebuked:
“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is it not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; you commit murder. and you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3)
Rather than asking for God’s will to be done they seek their own will out of their lustful materialistic desires. Instead, we ought to seek the will of God and be content in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, whether rich or poor as Paul wrote:
“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, and now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” (Philippians 4:10-12)
In our prayer we ask for what we need, “a competent portion of the good things of this life” not for all the things our flesh desires. But God is good and often goes beyond our mere needs as He pours out material blessings as well. The danger is that the more we receive the more tempted we might become tempted to take these blessings for granted. This is why we ought to pray:
“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” (Proverbs 30:8-9)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 105 then asks, “What do we pray for in the fifth petition?” and then answers, “In the fifth petition, which is, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," we pray, That God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are able to be rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.
Out of all of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer understanding the fifth petition is probably the most difficult or the most likely to be misunderstood especially since Jesus goes on to say, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15) It sounds as if our forgiveness is based on our forgiving others as if we earn forgiveness by forgiving others. In fact, so clear is the implication of the necessity to forgive that some stretch all credulity to make the petition and the following warning of Christ to mean exactly opposite of what it clearly says. Dispensationalists for example, because of their confusion on the Law and the Gospel, will either say that the Lord’s Prayer is not applicable during this dispensation of grace but was a prayer during Christ’s kingdom offer to the Jews and will again be applicable to the Jews during the millennium, or they say that the forgiveness is not in regard to salvation but only to temporal fellowship. Charles Ryrie for example states, “This is the forgiveness that affects fellowship within the family of God, not the forgiveness that leads to salvation.”[3] However, to make such a statement utterly ignores the meaning of forgiveness.
There is an element of Law and Gospel in this petition. The Bible is not divided up into “law passages” and “gospel passages” as if we can go through the Bible and divide every text into one category or the other. It is true that the Law requires absolute obedience but in and of ourselves we fall short of full obedience. We cannot be justified by our attempts to obey the law. We need to understand the place of the law in the life of the believer and if we look at other passages with similar connotations I believe we can better understand this petition. For example the Apostle John says:
“We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the who does not love his brother who he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” (1 John 4:19-21)
Forgiving others is the proof, not the cause, of our being children of God. If we do not forgive it means that we are not one of His own and therefore we are not forgiven by God. Our forgiving of others is not the cause of our forgiveness but rather the result of our having been forgiven.
But what if I don’t forgive, or if I am in a state of not forgiving and die before I repent and forgive? First, there are many passages which state that Christians cannot continually, without ceasing, continue in sin. (1 John 3:9) If you continue, without wanting to forgive, you must ask one’s self, “Do I really believe in Christ? Have I been forgiven by God? If so, on what basis do I have any right not to forgive others?”
The life of the Christian is not the absence of sin but rather a battle against sin (Romans 7:14-24; Galatians 5:17) Our requirement for justification before God is not that we do not die with a current sin in our lives, or with an unconfessed sin, but rather that we have died in Christ (Romans 6:8). There are many passages which list the actions of the unbeliever (1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19-21) and these should not be present in the one who has been given the grace of God (Romans 6:1). But these actions are what identify an unbeliever and are typical of him, whereas they do not identify and should not be typical actions of the Christian. Therefore, forgiving others ought to be the hallmark of the Christian life. The problem is many Christians do not even know of what true Biblical forgiveness consists as they have more of a worldly understanding that it is to akin to saying, “Let bygones be bygones.”
The gospel calls all sinners to repent of their sin (change their mind and action) confess Christ as their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9) and be baptized for the remission of their sin (Acts 2:38). If sinners do so as a Christian they may say along with the answer to Heidelberg Catechism question 56:
“God, for the sake of Christ's satisfaction, will no more remember my sins, neither my sinful nature, against which I have to struggle all my life long; but will graciously grant unto me the righteousness of Christ, that I may never come into condemnation.”
This gracious gift of forgiveness is continually given to us when we repent and confess our sin to God, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Through repentance and confession of our sin we are reconciled to God by the blood of Christ.
Not only do we need to be forgiven, but we also need to forgive one another. The Apostle Paul wrote that we ought to, “...be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32) This is why Jay Adams states forgiveness, “...is the indispensable sign of a Christian” [4]
Ultimately, all sin that we commit against one another is committed against God (Psalm 51:4). While the law requires that we love God and neighbor, our failure to love our fellow Christian is also a failure to love God for we cannot say that we love God but hate our brother. (1 John 4:20-21)
Scripture requires that people who have been forgiven in turn forgive others. Refusing to forgive is a decision for a one-sided justice in which you want mercy for yourself but justice for others. But vengeance belongs to God alone. (Deuteronomy 32:35) We on the other hand are explicitly commanded not to take vengeance but rather to forgive one another, “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. “ (Leviticus 19:18)
In the manner in which we have been forgiven we will forgive others. If we do not forgive others neither will we be forgiven. In fact, our forgiveness of one another is to be modeled after God’s forgiveness of us. So, just as fish swim and birds fly so too forgiven sinners forgive other sinners.
”Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25-26)
Scripture also requires that sin be dealt with and not be glossed over. To allow a brother to sin against us or to remain in a life of sin against God is itself a sin. This is why Paul rebuked the Corinthians for not chastising the one in the church who was committing sexual sin with his father’s wife. (1 Corinthians 5) Jesus gave us a three-step process for dealing with sin:
STEP ONE: “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother....”
STEP TWO: “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed....”
STEP THREE: “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17)
If someone has sinned against us we are required to go to them and lovingly confront them concerning their sin (Matthew 18:15). But, if we have sinned against someone else we are to go to them as well:
“You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” (Matt. 5:21-24)
Ideally, the two parties in any given offense ought to meet each other on the road heading towards each other seeking to be reconciled with each other. Both the offended and the offender have a responsibility in the matter.
Forgiveness is NOT telling someone “that’s Okay” when they say, “I’m sorry.” Saying “I’m sorry” is an expression of a feeling. It is not wrong for the confessor to express regret and feelings of remorse, but that is not the same thing as confessing one’s sin. Likewise, telling them, “that’s Okay” is not forgiving them of their sin but rather you are actually telling them that their sin was “okay.”
Forgiveness is NOT a feeling because guilt is not a feeling. Guilt is a judicial status; it is being liable and culpable for a sinful or criminal act. A person can be guilty of a sin or crime even if they feel no sorrow or remorse. Likewise, forgiving someone is not the ceasing to feel anger or resentment against them. It is a judicial act in which the trespass is no longer held against them. Often times our feelings can be difficult to manage. We need to make a commitment to forgive the offender and pray that our feelings will change. Obedience to Christ to forgive repentant sinners will often cause or feelings to change. But we are not to wait to forgive until our feelings change. Likewise, love is not a feeling. It is an act of the will described in 1 Corinthians 13. Often times loving actions precede the feelings that ought to accompany it.
Forgiveness is not granted after saying “I apologize.” An apology is actually a defense for an action or belief in something or someone. While at times we know what people mean when they say, “I apologize,” it is important to use biblical terms and categories. The world’s substitution for biblical forgiveness ought not be allowed to creep into the church and our vocabulary.
Forgiveness is not pretending the offense never happened. There can be minor offenses that love can overlook (Proverbs 17:9; 1 Peter 4:8), otherwise we might be going to one another every second of the day. For example, imagine if someone on one occasion was a little late for an appointment. Unless this is a common pattern of theirs, one can overlook a single incident of not arriving at an agreed upon time. However, when we are sinned against by someone or we have sinned against someone we at times may be tempted to just ignore the situation out of fear of confronting the person. This is just suppressing the Biblical requirement to be reconciled with one another and avoiding the situation because confrontation makes us feel uncomfortable. Doing so just delays the inevitable and makes the situation even worse. Paul said that we are to “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26) We need to keep short accounts with each other by constantly seeking to be reconciled when offenses have occurred.
Forgiveness is not an end in itself. As Jay Adams states, “Forgiveness is a means to an end - a new and better relationship with those from whom we have become estranged.” [5 ]
Forgiveness is not an escape from the temporal consequences of our sin. While God forgives us of our sin and we are to forgive one another of sin, this does not mean that we will not suffer the consequences of our sin. Although King David confessed His sin to God of committing adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51) he still suffered the consequences of his sin as he lost his child who was the result of his sin and his son Absalom followed David’s example in his sin. Our sin may have consequences in how it effects our children. Likewise, just because we have been forgiven of our sin does not mean that the state will not punish us to the fullest extent of the law for sins which are also crimes. We cannot go to the judge and tell him that because God has forgiven us the judge must not punish us. If a Christian commits murder he ought to confess his sin to God and the body of Christ and be fully restored to the church. But the state must do its duty to carry out its role as God’s minister of wrath. (Romans 13:1-4) Likewise with our children. They may confess their sin to us and we ought to pray with them to God for forgiveness, but they must not think that this absolves them from being disciplined. Likewise in the church. If someone holds an ordained office in the church (elder, deacon) and they have committed an offense that disqualifies them from the office, though they ought to confess their sin and be fully restored to fellowship they ought not to think that such action automatically absolves them from the consequences of their sin. Paul is very explicit as to the requirements of those who hold an office. (1 Timothy 3:1-12; Titus 1: 6-9) This does not mean that officers can keep those qualifications perfectly for we are all sinners, but rather the qualifications stipulated by Paul ought to be the characteristic of their life and ministry.
Forgiveness is granted upon their confession of the particular sin (name the sin specifically and cite the applicable Scripture passage chapter and verse) and repentance (a change in mind and action) from that sin. Scripture calls us to confess our sin to one another. (James 5:16) To confess one’s sin is to agree with God’s Word that the offense committed was a violation of God’s law. But if Scripture cannot be applied to the situation, then no sin has been committed for sin by definition is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) Repentance is a change in our actions in response to the Word of God. Original repentance does not originate from ourselves, but rather it is the result of being made alive (“born again”) by the Spirit of God (Acts 5:31, 11:18).
Because forgiveness requires repentance and the confession of sin to God and the person offended, ultimately you cannot forgive an unbeliever. Since non-Christians have no mediator for their sin, they are not in agreement with God as to the nature of their sin, and they because they are still dead in their sin they have not been granted repentance. Therefore, ultimately they cannot repent and be forgiven. Merely ceasing from the offense does not constitute true Biblical repentance and forgiveness. On the other hand, on a creaturely level this does not mean that we have to continue to hold a grudge against them. If an unbeliever expresses remorse for the offense and wishes to make amends we ought not to continue to hold the offense against them. In fact, it is an opportunity to share with them the gospel and let them know that their ultimate offense has been against God and only in Christ they can find true forgiveness. While we may be able to “let bygones be bygones,” because God is holy He requires a perfect sacrifice for the sin which only Christ has provided. When we tell someone that they are forgiven, it is not based upon our standard of holiness or our righteousness, but because Christ has forgiven them as declared in the gospel. But if the unbeliever, by definition of that term, is not truly repentant and confessing their sin to Christ then there is no grounds for granting them true forgiveness. You can tell them that you personally no longer hold the offense against them, but they are still in need of confessing their sin to the Triune God.
Weeping and crying does not necessarily connote true repentance. (Deuteronomy. 1:45) Merely regretting one’s actions and being sorrowful for the consequences of being caught in sin does not mean that the person caught “red handed” is truly repenting. Many people continue in a life of sin for years and suddenly when they get caught they break down and cry out, “I have sinned.” For example, by the mid 1980s Jimmy Swaggart had become one of the world’s richest televangelists. His “ministry” collected more than 150 million dollars a year. Every week, his television program “The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast” attracted eight million viewers.
Swaggart as a self-righteous hypocrite had a malicious satisfaction in the misfortunes of others. For example, he took great joy in 1986 for defrocking fellow Assemblies of God minister Marvin Gorman. Gorman had committed adultery with one of his parishioners. In the following year, when the PTL Ministry collapsed in around Jim Bakker, Swaggart was ecstatic as he went on CNN and told Larry King that Bakker was a “cancer in the body of Christ.” But if watching other people in misery was Swaggart’s favorite pass time, then his next favorite was probably looking at pornography and $35-per-hour prostitutes in cheap motels. Ironically, it was Marvin Gorman who exposed his sinful behavior. In 1987 Marvin paid a private detective to take photos of Swaggart with his Louisiana prostitute. It didn't take long before Marvin tried blackmailing him, but Jimmy didn’t follow through on the payments. So Marvin turned to the same church elders who had disciplined him two years earlier. When confronted by the Assemblies of God leadership, Jimmy had no choice but to confess. He told them that he suffered a lifelong “addiction” to pornography.
The term “addiction” is often used to excuse oneself for a long pattern of sinful behavior. If someone gets caught in a sin and repeatedly refers to it as an “addiction” rather than calling it what it is, even using medical authorities to justify the redefinition of their behavior, then it is often a clear sign that they are trying to escape the consequences of their sin by calling it something else. Hence, they are not truly confessing their sin or repenting from their behavior.
The AOG had no choice but to reprimand Swaggart. So they defrocked him for one year. The next week, Swaggart appeared crying on television. In front of cameras and congregation, Jimmy seemed contrite:
“I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgetfulness, never to be remembered against me.”
But he made no specific mention of the nature of his transgressions, referring only to some vague “moral failure.” But Swaggart, though he shed a fountain of tears, did not repent for that wasn’t the end. Not long afterward he was caught again picking up prostitutes. During a preaching tour of California, Swaggart drove his white Jaguar into the town of Indio. There he propositioned 31-year-old Rosemary Garcia, who promptly got in the car. Then they were pulled over by the police for driving on the wrong side of the road. Garcia told a Palm Springs TV news crew that Swaggart had picked her up, then inquired where they could find a motel with in-room porn. When the reporter asked why Swaggart had approached her, Garcia said: “He asked me for sex. I mean, that’s why he stopped me. That's what I do. I'm a prostitute.” The damage that this did to the church of Christ is incalculable. Not only have the members of the church been harmed but the pagan world used this situation to mock Christ and His church.
It is for this reason when King David repented the prophet Nathan said to David, “...because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:13-14) Those who hold a high office, teach and represent Christ in a public manner are held to a higher level of scrutiny. This is why not many should seek to become officers in the church. (James 3:1)
Yet, Pentecostal televangelists are not alone in publicly dragging the name of Christ through the mud. We all have heard in the news about the atrocities that have gone on in the Roman Catholic Church. By the end of the mid 1990s, it has been estimated that some six hundred priests have been named in sex abuse cases involving children and more than half a billion dollars had been paid in jury awards, settlements and legal fees. The latter grew to about one billion dollars by 2002. This is not only because this holocaust of abuse has been conducted by priests, but also because the Roman Catholic Church for centuries has covered up the sinful actions of its leadership. Bishops commonly transfer their pedophile priests from one congregation to another to try to hide the sin rather than removing them from the ministry. It is only because of the media attention and the actions of lawyers that Rome is now just beginning to do anything to put an end to this egregious sin. But just as crying on public television or before a congregation does not constitute repentance, neither does transferring the offenders to a different diocese and paying a fortune in fines and settlements.
The needs of the body of Christ and the name of the Lord must be put before the personal agenda and status of the offender who holds the office and “gives occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme.” When the church fails to uphold the Biblical requirements of the office and ignores the necessity for the offender to truly repent, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:24)
Restitution as a part of repentance may a prerequisite for granting forgiveness. Scripture requires that an offender make restitution for an offense which caused some sort of financial damage (Leviticus. 6:1-7). The purpose of restitution is not to punish the offender per se, but rather to restore what was the rightful possession of the owner:
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, `When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the LORD, and that person is guilty, then he shall confess his sins which he has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged. `But if the man has no relative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution which is made for the wrong must go to the LORD for the priest, besides the ram of atonement, by which atonement is made for him. `Also every contribution pertaining to all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they offer to the priest, shall be his. `So every man's holy gifts shall be his; whatever any man gives to the priest, it becomes his’ “ (Numbers 5:5-10)
However, the law of God also provided a means of restoring the sinner who is over his head in debt through the jubilee year (Leviticus 25:28). This principle is fulfilled in Christ. The willingness to make restitution is a sign of true repentance. If the sinner is not willing to make an attempt at restitution if they caused some sort of financial damage then they are not truly repentant. But if the repentant sinner wants to attempt to make restitution but to do so is far beyond their means, then as a freely forgiven servant we must forgive them of their debt just as our overwhelming debt to God has been paid for and forgiven by Jesus Christ. Consider the parable of the two servants again in Matthew 18:21-25. In both scenarios the servant who was in debt was willing to try to pay back what was owed even though in reality it was beyond their means as they both said, “Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.” The lord in this scenario (who represents God) willingly and freely forgave the enormous debt without restitution. But the wicked servant was not willing to do the same for his fellow servant and consequently his own debt was not forgiven.
It is interesting that Luke’s account of the Lord’s Prayer Jesus says, “And forgive us our SINS, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is INDEBTED to us” (Luke 11:4) whereas Matthew’s account, which was given in the sermon on the amount, says, “And forgive us our DEBTS, as we also have forgiven our DEBTORS.” (Matt. 6:12) Here sin is clearly equated in financial terms. So, if the offender is not willing to make restitution for the damage caused even those he has a means to do so, he is not truly repentant because he should have the desire to correct the situation. On the other hand if the offender does not have the ability to restore what was lost but would like to do so then the offended ought to freely forgive the offender just as he has been freely forgiven of all his debt to the Lord.
Telling the true repentant offender that they are forgiven means that the offense is no longer held against them. It is not brought up to them in the form of sticking it in their face. Since God has forgiven the repentant sinner such that his sin is as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), so too we are to no longer remember their sin. The Lord tells us that “I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25; cf. Jeremiah 31:34) God does not “forget” our sin in the sense he does not know that it happened, but rather it is never brought up to us and put in our face again. This forgiveness is a promise from God who always keeps His promises. Likewise we ought to promise to forgive others who repent and confess their sins against us. If God no longer holds the sin against them neither should we (fellow forgiven sinners) hold the sin against the repentant sinner. Therefore, once we have forgiven someone we are never to bring it up to them again and put it in their face. However, if someone repeats the same sin over and over and over again, the history of the repeated sin may need to be brought up in order to tell them that they have not merely conducted isolated incidents of sin but rather that they have a habitual pattern of committing the particular sin. This is not to stick it in their face, but to show them they have a pattern of behavior. They also may not have truly repented which is a condition for forgiveness. Often times if people cannot see the pattern they have in their life and what leads them in the particular pattern they will continue to commit the sin until they learn to break the pattern. For example, if someone repeatedly fails to keep promises which they made they are actually lying when the break their promise. There are often circumstances which arise which may prevent one from keeping an appointment and arriving on time such a car breaking down, a family emergency and so forth. If someone does so with the result that being unreliable and untrustworthy has become part of their reputation then the history of their sin (lying, being unreliable, untrustworthy etc.) needs to be pointed out to them and the cause of their failure to keep their promises needs to be remedied. Are they unorganized? Do they make commitments rashly without taking into consideration the level of responsibility required to complete the task? Or do they just lack integrity and self-discipline in keeping a promise? Merely forgetting is not an excuse, we need to take measures to not forget such as writing ourselves notes on a calendar and make sure that we have enough time to keep the promised appointment.
In addition, forgiveness means that once they have confessed and repented of their sin it is not only not brought up to them again, you promise that you will not bring it up to anyone else. We ought not add to their sin with our own by damaging their reputation by gossiping about them.
Finally, forgiveness means that you promise that the sin will not to be brought up to yourself. This is often the most difficult task in the forgiveness process. Often when we are sinned against there is a great deal of emotional pain which is caused by the sin. The temptation to relive the event in our mind over and over and over again and hence feel the pain over and over again can be difficult to resist.
The solution to this temptation is to consider your own sin against God and how He has forgiven you. Are you more righteous than God? Then if you have been forgiven, how can you not forgive others.? Jesus told a parable of a servant who had been forgiven of a great debt and yet was unwilling to forgive his fellow servant:
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.' And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.' But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35)
In addition, if you are tempted to bring the sin up again to yourself, when ever the event comes to your mind pray honestly for them. It is hard to sincerely pray for someone and hold the offense against them. Likewise, you can actively do something loving for them. Love for the repentant sinner and the hard feelings which often inhibit unforgiveness cannot exist at the same time. Do you say you have forgiven them but in reality to avoid them or keep distant from them because of a prior incident?
However, forgiveness is conditional. Where there is no repentance there is no forgiveness. Christians are always to be ready to forgive the confessing and repenting sinner. In a sense, forgiveness entails an attitude of forgiveness, of being a forgiving person. If you tend to hold grudges and not forgive on a regular basis you will find it more difficult to forgive in particular situations in which a repentant offender comes to you. But people whom you cannot contact because they have moved cannot be forgiven, but you can have an attitude such that should you meet them and they confess and repent you are ready to forgive them. Thus you cannot forgive dead relatives who mistreated you in your youth. Sitting in a chair talking to another empty chair pretending that you are confronting the dead relative who is sitting in front of you is psychological nonsense and not a Biblical means of forgiveness.
In addition, forgiveness gives the confessor the benefit of the doubt. Forgiveness is a loving act which takes the confessor at his word. It does not have to wait until a change in action is seen. However, since forgiveness is conditional upon true repentance should the person not truly repent they are not truly forgiven. Jesus said in Luke 17:3-4, “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, `I repent,' forgive him.”
The result of forgiveness is that it restores the sinner. When the repentant sinner confesses and repents they are given full status in the church and their relationship in the body of Christ is restored. They are not on the “bad boy list” until they prove themselves worthy of being in the church. Paul said of the man who repented of his sexual immorality with his father’s wife, “...you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” (2 Corinthians 2:7). While an offender may still suffer the temporal consequences of their sin (defrocking from an office, physical and medical effects from living in sin, fines or imprisonment by the state, economic hardship due to the sinful misuse of money for one’s sinful activities etc.), in the church fellowship they have all the rights that pertain to church membership.
The Lord’s Supper should not be withheld from repentant Christians or used as a means of church discipline other than as a part of the final step of excommunication. The apostle Paul did not remove the sacrament from the divisive church of Corinth, though he did warn them that if they do not repent they will continue to suffer the consequences and thus they should examine themselves to see if they were causing division in the body of Christ. Although withholding the Lord’s Supper as a step in the disciplinary process is a common practice in some Protestant circles, it is completely unbiblical. Nowhere in Scripture is merely removing the Lord’s Supper prescribed as a step in the disciplinary process other than at the point of excommunication. Scripture nowhere prescribes merely withholding the Sacrament as a means of Church discipline. In fact, in all the books on Christian counseling and church discipline I have read not once have I ever come across the mere removal of the sacrament described as a step in the disciplinary process.
In both Matthew 18:15-20 and Titus 3:10 the offender is given a series of verbal warnings and then they are not merely barred from the table, but rather they are excommunicated from the fellowship at the door. Paul deals with such an offender at Corinth, a man who was committing sexual immorality with his father’s wife:
“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst. For I, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus. I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.... I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler - not even to eat with such a one.” (1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 9-11)
Paul says that we do not merely withhold the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in the disciplinary process, but rather once the final stage of the three step disciplinary process of Matthew 18 has been completed, we are to have absolutely nothing to do with him until he repents. He is barred at the door and consequently from the Lord’s Table. Then when the offender does truly repent they are to be fully restored with all rights and privileges including access to the Lord’s Supper:
“Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm you love for him. For to this end also I wrote that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:6-11)
Forgiveness may require us to help the sinner change. If the repentant sinner is trapped in a pattern of sin which has ensnared them such that they cry out, “Wretched man that I am!” (Rom. 7:24) they may need the help of other Christians, particularly pastors and elders, to teach them by word and example how to lead a more sanctified life by walking in the Spirit (Romans 8:1; Galatians 5:22-25). Old habits and patterns can be difficult to break. Christians need to be taught and reminded how to use the means of grace, particularly Scripture, so that they may not sin against God (Psalm 119:11). This is part of the disciplining process. Parents ought not merely spank their children for their sinful behavior, but also teach them how to live Godly lives by word and personal example (Proverbs 22:6). Likewise, the Great Commission does not call us to merely make converts, but disciples whom we teach to follow Christ (Matt. 28:18-20). The apostle Paul discipled Timothy not merely by his teaching but also his “...conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and perseverance” (2 Timothy 3:10)
Finally, forgiveness can be between individuals or it can be corporate from the body of Christ. When the third step of the disciplinary process takes place in which the sinner refuses to listen to the church, the unrepentant sinner is put out of the church by the officers of the church in the name of Christ and His church. But, when the offender repents and comes back to the church his forgiveness can be done by the church, as a whole as an organized body of believers (2 Corinthians 2:10). The declaration of forgiveness is likewise done by the officers of the church who act on behalf the body of Christ.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 106 then asks, “What do we pray for in the sixth petition?” and then it answers, “In the sixth petition, which is, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," we pray, That God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.”
Out of all of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer, the sixth petition may be the most difficult to understand for it seems like we are asking for that which Scripture promises He will not do - lead us into temptation. Consider the following passage of Scripture:
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. but each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:13-15)
If God “does not tempt anyone” then why do we pray, “And lead us not into temptation”? It would seem we have a contradiction. Likewise, James tells us, “God cannot be tempted by evil” and yet consider the following passages:
“For since He Himself [Christ] was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
“...and immediately the spirit impelled Him [Christ] to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by the Satan; and He was with the beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.” (Mark 1:12-13)
It would seem that if God cannot be tempted then either (1) we have a contradiction in the Bible or (2) Jesus Christ is not God. But of course all contradictions in the Bible are only apparent which only need further examination and contemplation. So, what then does the sixth petition mean when it says "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"? The answer in the catechism states, “That God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.” But why then does the petition use the phrase, “And lead us not...”? It would seem that if the catechism was correct Jesus would have said, “And keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil.”
First, we must recognize where temptation comes from and the difference between an external temptation (someone or something tempting us) and an internal temptation which arises out of our own nature. For example, a drug dealer may walk up to Bob and tempt him to purchase some cocaine but because Bob has no desire or urge to use drugs, to say “no” is quite simple. Bob is no more battling in this temptation to use drugs than you are battling against the desire to hit yourself in the head with a sledge hammer. At times we say in an occasion, “I wasn’t tempted at all” but that is only because we felt no urge, no inner temptation. Nevertheless, the drug did tempted Bob (externally) whether or not Bob felt any compulsion to give in to the temptation. On the other hand, Hank is a recovering drug addict who recently became a Christian but has been sober for a year. Then this same drug dealer walks up to Hank and tempts him to purchase some cocaine and a battle begins within him. But he knows where the path of drugs will lead him, so he offers up a quick prayer for deliverance, and quickly says “no” as he flees from the dealer.
In both of these scenarios the person was tempted and both Bob and Hank resisted the temptation. While only Hank was internally tempted Bob was tempted just as Hank was (though externally). In light of the above scenarios we then look again to James 1:13-15 and we find that it is clear that he is referring to inner temptation and not external temptation. God “does not tempt anyone” internally and though Christ was “tempted in all things as we are” He had no inner conflict to sin for He was born without original sin. But was His temptation any less real? Who of us has been tempted to be given all the kingdoms of the world? Who of us has been tempted to turn a rock into bread? Yet, Hebrews tells us Christ was “tempted in all things as we are.” This of course does not mean He was tempted in exactly the same way (for He was not tempted like Bob and Hank to use drugs) but rather Satan made an appeal to the same three areas in which we are tempted, “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
What then does the sixth petition mean when it says, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”? We are asking God not to lead us, in His providence, into areas in which we may be externally tempted beyond what we are able to resist (1 Corinthians 10:13). Am I saying then that God “externally” tempts us? Yes, and no. While God Himself does not tempt us He does allow Satan to tempt us. Satan is bound and cannot do anything without God allowing Him (Job 1:12). But at this point we must distinguish between the motives of God and Satan in our trials and temptations. God’s goal is that through trials and temptations the testing of our faith would produce endurance and that endurance would have its perfect result making us perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:3-4). Satan’s goal on the other hand is to cause us to sin against God so that He may become our accuser (Job 2:5; Revelation 12:10). We can say to Satan what Joseph said to His brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it unto good...” (Genesis 50:20).
But if God allows Satan to tempt us in order to test our faith and produce in us endurance, why then do we pray, “And lead us not into temptation”? Are we asking that our faith not be tested and thus we not learn endurance which makes us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:3-4)? Are we asking God to make our life free of hardships as we gallop down the yellow brick road?
No, for in prayer we are not informing God as to what He does not know for Jesus said, “your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.” (Matthew 6:32) In fact, we already know that “No temptation has overtaken you but such as common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Rather in prayer we are acknowledging our dependence on Him for the forgiveness of trespasses and the need for daily bread and likewise our need for Him in times of trials and temptations. In fact, the purpose of a temptation is to drive us to pray, “deliver us from evil.” It is in the midst of a trial and temptation that we need to recognize our dependence on Him. While Paul says we will not be tempted “beyond what you are able” the ability is not within ourselves to resist Satan and the things of the world. Our ability to resists is in our freedom to call upon God who will “provide the way of escape.” In prayer our faith and endurance which brings about sanctification (perfection) increases as we recognize our dependence on God.
Another important aspect of the request is to understand the nature of the original language of the Bible. There is in the Bible literary form of making requests in which an emotional emphasis is made by pleading with God to not do what to us would be most dreadful, even though we have an assurance that He would not do such a thing.
For example, when David confesses his sin he pleads with God “Do not cast me away from Thy presence and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11) Does God cast away his repentant children? Doe he take His spirit away from those whose heart long for Him? No, rather this way of petitioning God is a means of expressing great desire. It is not that David is asking God to not act contrary to His nature, but that David is expressing his greatest desire - to be in the presence of God.
In the same way when we ask, “Lead me not into temptation...” we are not asking God not to do what is contrary to His nature as revealed elsewhere in Scripture. Rather we are making an emotional heartfelt plea with God to deliver us from the evil one.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 107 then asks, “What doth the conclusion the Lord's prayer teach us?” to which it answers, “The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen."; teacheth us, to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power and glory to him. And, in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, “Amen.”
Anytime in Scripture we read “therefore” or “for” the following phrase is a conclusion or a result clause based on all that has been said previously. For example, Paul in Romans for the first eleven chapters tells us of the righteousness required by God, supplied by God which is vindicated by God. Based on what God has done for us he then writes in Chapter 12:1, “I urge you therefore...” Likewise, we have seen in the Lord’s Prayer six petitions and the reason why may we ask God these is because, “thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen.” We can only expect an affirmative answer from those who have the ability to fulfill our requests. Just as we cannot ask a butcher to bake us a cake or a Pizza delivery boy to fix our plumbing so too we cannot ask these petitions to be fulfilled by any other than the One who can fulfill them. The end of Lord’s Prayer is a confession, an acknowledgment, that God alone has the power and authority for His alone is “the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.” In doing so we are to pray to the Triune God for Jesus Himself said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth” ( Matthew 28:18-20). So we can pray to the Son as well as the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.
How often to we say the word “amen” without really knowing what it means? In Hawaii “Aloha” can have various meanings based on how it is used. it can mean “hello” “goodbye” etc. Likewise, “amen” has various meanings. Jesus often said, “Truly, truly, I say to you...” (John 1:51) but the word “truly” is actually “amen” In this context the interpreters took the meaning of “amen” to be a solid affirmation of the truthfulness of Jesus following statement. Likewise, Paul in 1 Corinthians requires an interpretation for any prophecy spoken in a foreign language, for those who would not be able understand the foreign language would not be able to reply “amen.” (1 Corinthians 14:16). The person replying to the prophecy by saying “amen” would be saying “it is so.” However, in Revelation 22:20 we read, “He which testifies these things says, ‘Surely I come quickly. Amen.’ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” In this context the declaration “amen” means “let it be” or “it shall be so.” When the catechism states “amen” in this prayer is a “testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard” or in other words we ask in accordance with God’s will, “let it be so.”
In the Lord’s Prayer we are asking that the Father would make His name to be revered on Earth as it is in heaven. That His kingdom which has come will continue to come. and that the result of the furtherance of His kingdom would be that His revealed will (Law-Word) would be observed, as Jesus taught it, as it is in heaven so also on earth. But will the father answer this prayer in history? Jesus said:
“Truly, truly, I say to you he who believe in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works that these shall he do; because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14)
Likewise the Apostle John wrote :
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And is we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (1 John 5:13-15)
We may pray and ask for many things in this life that are not in accordance to God’s will and consequently we do not receive them. But if Jesus gave us petitions to be prayed then we can have full assurance that they are in accordance with the will of the Father and that He will answer them in history. Perhaps we will not seem them completely answered within our lifetime, but the church will see His the fullness of His kingdom come and His will done on earth.
Study Questions for Applying This Lesson
(1) Do you have the Lord’s Prayer memorized? Do you ever recite it privately or in corporate worship? If not, why not?
(2) How do you begin your day? With prayer? Or is prayer just what you do before you eat your evening meal?
(3) Do you pray throughout the day privately and with your family? Do you teach your children to pray by word and example?
(4) When you pray, do you begin by acknowledging God for who He is and what He has done for you? Or do you begin with your complaints, wants and needs?
(5) Do you tend to slack of in your prayer life but then find it revived whenever a trial or tribulation comes around?
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[1] R.J. Rushdoony, Systematic Theology (Vol. 1) Ross House Books, 1994. pg. 421.
[2] Sometimes “the world” refers to this present age which is considered to be evil and dominated by Satan: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.,” (1 John 2:15), at other times it refers to this planet and the universe which are owned and ruled by Christ.
[3] See footnote in The Ryrie Study Bible Moody Press, Chicago 1978 pg 1348
[4] Jay Adams, From Forgiven to Forgiving (Calvary Press, 1994), pg 1
[5] Jay Adams, From Forgiven to Forgiving (Calvary Press, 1994), pg 6
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