Who we are in Christ - 10

In the earlier post I talked about how we need to approach God with confidence when we pray. I urge you to read the earlier post before you read this one. Now Jesus taught us how to pray. 

For it is written: 

Matthew 6:9-13 

After this manner therefore pray ye: 

Our Father which art in heaven, Hollowed 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 forgives us our trepasses, as we forgive those who trepass against us, 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliever us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

Let us begin by saying that this is an Old Testament/Covenant prayer. Although this prayer appears in the New Testament, we got to understand that the New Testament comes into effect only after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. At the Last Supper when Jesus lifted up the cup of wine, He said that this was the blood of the New Covenant, signifying that only after my death will the New Testament come into effect. (Matthew 26:27-28)

In the New Testament, Jesus clearly instructs us to pray in his Name. The prayer that the Lord spoke in the above verses is not prayed in the name of Jesus because the New Testament had not yet come into effect. 

For it is written: 

John 16:23-25 

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 

That is why Paul told Timothy to rightly divide the word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15). If you do not put the dividing line in the right place, you can mess up the whole meaning of the verse. 

Galatians 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. 

Jesus Christ was born under the law and therefore his prayer in the above verses is an Old Testament prayer.  It lacks one of the most important privileges that a believer has in prayer: the name of Jesus.

 We will continue in the next post.