p. 4 | A Study of the Lord's Prayer by R. A. Underwood

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 5, 1912

A Study of the Lord's Prayer

By R. A. Underwood

Prayer — No. 3

A Study of the Lord's Prayer

R. A. UNDERWOOD

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

No other part of the Scripture is so often repeated as the Lord's prayer; however, very few have a full comprehension of its meaning. The whole Bible is packed into the Lord's prayer, the golden rule, and the ten commandments. There is no blessing that can be desired or sought in the present life or in the world to come, but that is comprehended in this wonderful prayer.

The fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Christ is the opening key-note of this, the greatest of all prayers: "Our Father," Christ's Father, your Father, and my Father. "As many as received him, to them gave he power ["right, or privilege," margin] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12. Again, "Ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. 6:18. The first message Christ sent to his disciples after his resurrection, was to emphasize the great truth that Christ and his followers are all of one family. This was the message, "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." John 20:17. It will ever be the marvel of the universe, as all created intelligences contemplate the great fact, that Christ bound heaven to earth forever by the act of the Son of God becoming the Son of man, that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

To make more emphatic the momentous consequences of Christ's taking man's nature and name, the greatest of all miracles of grace, Christ is exalted to be the judge in the great assize of rewards. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: . . . and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, [why?] because he is the Son of man." John 5:22, 27.

It will be the wonder of the ages that the Word was made sinful flesh, to be tempted in all points like as we are (John 1:14; Rom. 8:3; Heb. 4:15), to make it possible that sinful flesh might become a living translation of the word of God. 2 Cor. 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23. Yea, the whole universe will ever be drawn to Christ in the consideration of the great fact that he "counted it not a prize ["a thing to be grasped," margin] to be on an equality with God" (Phil. 2:5-8); but, rather, chose to clothe his divinity with humanity and take his place as the second Adam of the human race (1 Cor. 15:45), to suffer, and to bear Adam's sin, shame, and death that he might lift the sons of Adam to a plane of being where they could receive the divine nature, and bear to all eternity the character and name of his Father. Rev. 14:1; 3:12; 1 Cor. 15:49.

Listen to Christ's words as the judge at the final day of recompense: "Inasmuch as ye did so, to one of these my little brothers, ye did so to me." See Matt. 25:34-40, Syriac Version. John, enraptured by the Spirit, could only exclaim, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1. "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee," is the pledge of the Almighty. "Our Father" will place his hand upon the brow of every redeemed soul, and say, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." In Christ we have the gift of riches, power, and immortality "bestowed" upon the sons of God. Also all the riches of his grace are ours when we pray (not simply say), "Our Father which art in heaven."

A Personal God

This prayer presents our Father as a personal God, having his dwelling-place in heaven.

Solomon and all the prophets and apostles believed in a personal God in heaven. "Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place: and when thou hearest, forgive." 1 Kings 8:30. Of the congregation it is recorded, "Their prayer came up to his holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven." 2 Chron. 30:27.

Hallowed Be Thy Name

The holiness of God belongs to, and is inseparable from, his name; therefore whatsoever and whosoever bears his name must be holy. Here we tread upon sacred and hallowed ground; for we remember that in our baptismal vows the man of God commissioned to stand in Christ's stead to teach, and to baptize believers, said, as he administered that sacred rite, "I baptize thee into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

In this sacred act we have taken the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and professed holiness. "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16. The apostle says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Heb. 12:14. The gospel of Christ has made provision that this attribute of God shall be vicariously placed to our account, or be imputed to us. Thank God for this provision; but this is not enough. Holiness must not only be imputed to the believer, but it must be imparted to all who receive the seal and name of the Father. Rev. 14:1. The church will be presented by Christ to the Father "holy and without blemish." Eph. 5:27. Of these Christ, the Judge, will give the final word, "He that is holy, let him be holy still."

How poorly we have represented that precious name we took in our baptismal vows! If it were not for the memory of Our Father, and the intercession of Christ, our brother and Saviour, who covers our faults with his own righteousness and cleanses our sin with his own blood, we should all be without hope. Christ sends to us the cheering word of this work: "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth." Helpless, poor, and sinful, we may come to Christ with the prayer:—

"One thing I of the Lord desire, For all my paths have miry been: Be it by water or by fire, O make me clean! O make me clean!

"So wash me thou, without, within, Or purge with fire, if that must be, No matter how, if only sin die out in me, die out in me."

Mesopotamia, Ohio.