Posted by Searcher on 9/13/2009, 1:43 pm, in reply to "Religious Rituals"
75.104.128.54
Dear Ray,
"The Lord's Prayer"
1. Is the speaking of these words in the church a religious ritual that profits nothing?
2. Why did Jesus instruct His disciples to say these words?
The answer to the first question is yes. First of all, Jesus did not instruct the "church" to say these words. He instructed His disciples. He also did not tell them to pray this same prayer repeatedly in the synagogue or church. Quite the opposite. A look at the first use of the words in Matthew 6. Put in context, Jesus first said to His disciples the following:
Matt 6:5-7
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They HAVE their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, Which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use NOT vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think they will be heard for their much speaking.
Then Jesus says in Matt 6:8, "Be NOT ye therefore like unto THEM: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him."
Now He says in the next verse, After this manner therefore pray ye: our Father Which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name...
So already, we know that this is not a prayer to be repeated over and over in front of others in an assembly. Jesus was talking specifically to His disciples at a particular time for a particular reason. At the time Jesus spoke, they were looking for the kingdom promised to Israel to come in their lifetime. It was near and nigh, etc. We know that this never happened because Israel rejected both their Messiah and His kingdom. "Give us today our daily bread" is NOT talking about food on your table. Jesus is talking about the true bread from heaven, the Word of God.
THEN, in Verse 12, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." is the REVERSE of what is true for believers of the present time. THEN, the forgiveness was conditional. NOW, we forgive because we have been forgiven by Christ's work on the cross.
NOW, in Eph 4:32, "And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.
Verse i3, "And lead us not into temptation [trial], but deliver us from evil"...
Israel will be tested and tried by fire during the great tribulation because of her unrepentance. She must make white her robes. All this will be necessary so that the nation will turn again to the Messiah they have crucified and mourn what they have done.
This prayer is not a ritualistic prayer meant to be repeated and prayed in any assembly today. When the time of Jacob's trouble begins, this will be the tribulation prayer and will once again have meaning to those who must endure the beast and false prophet and all the trials of the future.
I don't have time to write any more right now. I'll get back to you later.
Searcher
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