IN THE past three (3) weeks. (23rd July – 6th August 2013) this column has been discussing Prayer as “Homage to God” as a prelude to this theme on Prayer proper. In that prelude, it was deliberately not considered necessary to define prayer, but to discuss it as homage to our Creator, to show its necessity, and answer some of the atheistic objections to forms of prayer. The theme which is continuing here is essentially on prayer in spiritual relationship between man and his Maker – God. And, by way of brief definition – Prayer constitutes the most direct expression of religious feeling and consciousness. It has been from the very first, the principal means by which men, created in the image of God, have evinced their attitude towards Him; and from the earliest times, ever since the days of Enoch, men began to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4;26); and it has become the integral part of the worship of God. And Christian Doctrine holds prayer as the expression of man’s dependence upon God for all things. What habitual reverence is to praise, the habitual sense of dependence is to prayer.
And Rev. M.W. Clow, D.D. in Bible Reader’s Encylopedia at page 293 states (in part) that “…. Prayer, the medium whereby man enters into communion with his God, is surely provided for in the scheme of creation. Christians do, infact experience answer to prayer, whether it be direct or indirect, immediate or deferred; and the final answer to prayer is summed up for us in Jesus’ words How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit. Whatever we want, all that we really need is God; and prayer brings us God”.
No attempt will be made here to discuss the so-called classes or kinds of prayer. In the Hebrew there are not less than six kinds or classes of prayer corresponding to about four (4) in the Greek. The abolition of the Jewish ritual system at Calvary did to a large extent make the classification not only inapplicable to the Christian, but inconsistent with the doctrines Christ handed down through Apostle Paul to guide Christian worship. Again, the classifications now exist in the mundane sphere and not in the spiritual realm. The valid essence of this dissertation is anchored on the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about prayer.
The only proper approach to this theme is found in Matt. 6:5, 6,7 where our Lord Jesus Christ enjoins the born-again Christians, the believers as follows: “And when thou prayest, thou shelt not be as hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corner 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 they Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward you openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”
Among the Jews (of old) the appointed time of prayer was morning and evening. The Temple and the Synagogues were of course, the usual places of prayer. Those who were unable to pray at these appointed places would pray in the field, the home or upon their beds. Later, tradition designated certain prayers to be uttered while standing, some while sitting, some while walking and others while riding an ass, or lying upon a bed. (See Talmud Berakoth 30a Soncino Edition, pages 183, 184; Midrash on Ps. 4 Sec. 9 (23b) cited in strack and Billerbeck – Kommenter zan Neuen Testament Vol. 1 Page 399). If the stipulated hours of prayer found Pharisees on the corners of the street, which is usually the places where business was transacted, they would strike an attitude of prayer. Many doubtless made it convenient to be at such places during the prayer hours, that they might be seen by people as devout men of prayer.
This is the second illustration of our Lord Jesus Christ on His general theme “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men. To be seen of them; else you have no reward with your Father which is in heaven” (see Matt. 6:1).
We often, if not always, read these verses (Matt. 6:5-7) in such a way as really to miss their entire point and lessons, and certainly without coming under condemnation. The tendency after reading this passage is just to regard it as an exposure of the Pharisees – a denunciation of their obvious hypocrisy. What naturally calls mostly to mind is the ostentatious person who obviously is calling attention to himself as the Pharisee in this case. We therefore regard it as just an exposure of this blatant hypocrisy without any relevance to ourselves. This is where we miss the whole point of the teaching which is our Lord’s devastating exposure of the terrible effect of sin upon the human soul, and especially sin in the form of self and pride. That is the reference!
Sin in this stance is something which follows man all the way, even into the very presence of God. Sin is not merely something that tends to assail and afflict us when we are far away from God, in the far away country as it were. Sin is something so terrible, according to our Lord’s exposure of it, that it will not only accompany man to the gates of heaven, but – if it were possible – into heaven itself. Indeed, this is the teaching of the Scripture with regard to the origin of sin? Sin is not something which began on earth. Before man fell at Eden, there had been a previous fall. Satan was a perfect, bright, angelic being, dwelling in the heavenlies; and he had fallen before even man fell.
Nothing is quite so fallacious, as to think of sin only, as in terms actions; and as long as we think of sin only in terms of things actually done, we will continue to fail to understand it. The essence of the biblical teaching on sin is that it is essentially a disposition. It is a state of the mind. And can be summed up by saying that sin is ultimately self worship and self-adulation.
And our Lord, Jesus Christ shows – that the tendency of self- adulation, on the part of man is something that follows him even into the presence of God.
And, it sometimes produces the result that even when man tries to persuade himself that he is worshipping God, he is actually worshipping himself. Now, according to our Lord, sin is something that affects man so profoundly that even at the point of being in the presence of God, it is there assailing him.
This is the frightening nature of our Lord’s teaching at this point. This thing that has entered into the very nature and constitution of man has so polluted his whole being that even when he is engaged in his highest form of activity, he still, will have a battle to wage with it. There is a consensus of opinion on the fact that the highest picture that can ever be had of man, is to look at him on his knees waiting upon God. This is the highest achievement of man, it is his noblest activity. Man is never greater, than when he is in communion and contact with God. Even at this point sin continues to try to destabilize him. And this is where, according to the teachings of New Testament, man ought to begin to understand sin in all its ramifications.
There is the tendency for Christians to see sin in the rags and the gutter of life – this is not the whole essence of sin which can only be made manifest or exposed by taking the example of some great saint, or, some unusual devout and devoted Christian or believer. Visualize him upon his knees in the very presence of God. Even there ‘self’ is intruding itself, and the temptation is for him to think of himself, to think pleasantly and pleasurably about himself. The result is that he is worshiping himself rather than God. This is the true manifestation of sinfulness which often leads preachers to prevaricate from the gospel and indulge in self praise of their wonderful anointing, righteousness, holiness, prosperity and “power of God” working for them etc; thus preaching themselves.
Now, if the foregoing does not persuade us (human beings) of our own utter sinfulness, of our hopelessness, as well as, our helplessness, if it does not make us See our need of the grace of God in the matter of salvation, and the necessity of seeking forgiveness, rebirth and a new nature, then nothing else can ever persuade us of it. This is the greatest argument for the NT. Doctrine about the absolute necessity of being born-again, because sin is a matter of disposition, something that is so profound and so vitally a part of man that it even accompanies him into the presence of God in eternity for ever and ever. In the NT doctrine, rebirth is essential to righteousness.
And in the instructions about piety and the conduct of the Christian life; it is implicit in almost every statement in this ultimate NT doctrine of regeneration and the nature of the new man in Christ Jesus. Indeed, this level can be exceeded to say that even if one is born again, and even if he has received a new life and a new nature, the one still needs these instructions. They are our Lord’s instructions to Christians, not to non-Christians. They are His warning to those who have been born again; even, they have to be careful lest in their prayers and devotion, they become guilty of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
(To be continued)
