February 2012 newsletter

Praying As Jesus Taught Us To Pray:

Praying For God’s Kingdom To Come

Greg L. Price

“Thy kingdom come” Matthew 6:10

Very few people object to a helpless baby Jesus, lying in a manger, surrounded by an adoring Joseph and Mary, there with all of the barn-yard animals looking on. In fact, most people prefer to keep Jesus in that manger, as a harmless baby who makes no demands on their lives. As long as the cattle are lowing, and no crying little Jesus makes, He’s no threat to the lives of people. Why, He’s even cute.

How then do we explain the desperate reaction of Herod (who slew all the baby boys who were under two years of age) to the news that Christ, the King, was born in Bethlehem? What did Herod fear? How then do we explain the desperate reaction of Satan (who offered Christ the kingdoms of the world in exchange for Christ’s allegiance to Satan) to Christ initiating His earthly ministry? What did Satan fear? How then do we explain the desperate reaction of the religious rulers among the Jews (who conspired together to crucify Christ) to the wisdom and power of Christ’s ministry? What did the religious rulers fear?

They were all afraid, not of a harmless baby in a manger, but of God’s anointed King (“Where is he that is born King of the Jews? Matthew 2:2), who came to usher in God’s invincible Kingdom upon the earth (“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” Matthew 4:17). They knew that Christ, the King, did not come to peacefully co-exist with their kingdoms. He came to destroy their wicked kingdoms through His death, resurrection, and exaltation in heaven. With the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, the Kingdom of God has invaded this world, and Satan has legally been cast out of his place of dominion in the world (“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” John 12:31). In fact, Christ’s dominion over Satan and the presence of God’s Kingdom in the work of Christ was the c! hief significance of Christ’s power over the demons, as He cast them out of those who were held in bondage by Satan (“But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you” Matthew 12:28). The Kingdom of Christ has come in the person Christ! It is here. It is at work. But according to Christ, we are yet to pray, “Thy kingdom come.” In what sense are we to pray, “Thy kingdom come”, if God’s Kingdom has already come?

First, let us consider what we do not pray for in the petition, “Thy kingdom come.”

When we pray, “Thy kingdom come”, we do not pray for a mere earthly or political kingdom to come, by way

of a powerless social gospel or by way of a militant liberation theology (which heresies merely focus on the social/political inequality of people). The Kingdom of God does address social/political issues, but God’s Kingdom at its essence and in its origin is neither earthly nor political. The Lord Jesus declared to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” John 18:36.

Moreover, when we pray, “Thy kingdom come”, we do not pray for God’s Providential Kingdom to come (i.e. God’s Kingdom of power and sovereignty that governs and preserves all God’s creatures and all their actions). For God’s Providential Kingdom has existed from the very beginning of creation. God’s Providential Kingdom has never been greater or lesser than it was at the very beginning of creation (“The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all” Psalm 103:19).  

Second, let us now consider what we do pray for in the petition, “Thy kingdom come.”

When we pray, “Thy kingdom come”, we pray that God would prosper the Kingdom of God’s Grace (i.e. God’s Kingdom in which He saves undeserving sinners by means of the free offer of the gospel of Christ that is preached and received by faith alone). All mankind are by nature legally and morally under the dominion of sin, and therefore, are held captive in the kingdom of Satan (“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” Ephesians 2:1-2). All of biblical history is a redemptive drama in which God promises to send His King to destroy the kingdom of Satan and to rescue unworthy sinners from Satan’s death camp where they are held in bondage. From the promise to crush the head of th! e serpent (Satan) through the seed of the woman (Christ) in Genesis 3:15, to the deliverance of God’s people out of the kingdom of Satan in Egypt through Moses, to the conquest of Satan’s kingdom in the fall of Jericho under Joshua, to the decree of Cyrus to set God’s people free from the bondage and tyranny of Satan’s kingdom in Babylon, the redemptive drama continues to move forward—God’s people always looking forward to that King and Savior who would come and crush the head of Satan, and grant them a purchased liberty from the legal and moral dominion of sin, Satan, and death. And when Christ offers His life a ransom for many, is raised from the dead, and ascends in exaltation to heaven, the waiting is over. Christ has secured redemption (both legally and morally) for all who trust Him, and delivers them from the dominion of sin, Satan, and death, and God transfers them into the Kingdom of His beloved Son (“Who hath delivered us ! from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the ! kingdom of his dear Son” Colossians 1:13). Thus, the Kingdom of God as to its essence is spiritual and originates in heaven from our gracious God and Savior. The Kingdom of God comes to the earth through the finished work of Jesus Christ, and is applied to the hearts of sinners by the Holy Spirit through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although the Kingdom of God is spiritual and originates in heaven, it changes the lives of people, and it also changes families, churches, and nations as each of these covenantal institutions ordained and established by God, trust Christ, then love and obey God’s moral laws. Therefore, when we pray, “Thy kingdom come”, we are praying that God would so richly bless and prosper the gospel of Jesus Christ that all families, churches, and nations would reflect the glory of God, which is that for which we await in fulfillment of God’s promise in that millennial period before the second coming of Christ (“and in thee [Abraham! ] and in thy seed [Christ] shall all the families of the earth be blessed” Genesis 28:14; “Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him” Psalm 72:11).

Finally, when we pray, “Thy kingdom come”, we pray that God would hasten the Kingdom of His Glory (i.e. God’s everlasting Kingdom, which shall come after the second coming of Christ). The Kingdom of Glory is the full realization of God’ Kingdom. In this Kingdom there will be no more sin, no more Satan, no more tears, no more sorrows, no more pain, and no more death. We will behold our Savior face to face, and live in uninterrupted communion with our God, glorifying and enjoying the Lord with unabated pleasure and delight forevermore. Although the Kingdom of Grace (in which Christians presently live) secures for us the Kingdom of Glory (which is to come), we are to live each day in anticipation of that glorious Kingdom. The indescribable wonders of that Kingdom of Glory ought to have a sanctifying effect within the life of every child of God (Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth n! ot yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” 1 John 3:2-3). Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Thy kingdom come!

A Refutation of Religious Pluralism

John Brown of Haddington

edited by Greg L. Price

ePub

Kindle USA

Kindle  UK

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As the Christian evaluates both the downward spiral of nations into moral cesspools, and the tyranny exercised by corrupt rulers at every level of government, the mind of the Christian must look beyond political parties, political theory and public opinion polls for answers. He must go to the God who instituted civil government to be “the minister of God” for good to the people (Romans 13:4). 

John Brown of Haddington (1722-1787) summarizes in this very helpful and timely work the problem and solution to the corrupt laws and the tyranny in high places that Christians so much decry in the nations of this world. Even Christians have been misled to believe that civil government is outside the sphere of God’s Law and authority. We hear much about civil rights, but do we ever hear that a moral wrong cannot be a civil right? We hear much about the rights of man in a democracy to rule him! self by his own laws, but do we ever hear civil rulers say anything about the sovereign rights of God and His Moral Law over the nations? 

For the Christian who is tired of the typical, political solutions promoted by the status quo in political parties and candidates of all stripes and colors, Mr. Brown offers God’s revealed solutions from His Word to the perversion and tyranny so rampant in the nations of this world. The Christian who desires to know the mind of God will find the cogent and sound reasoning of Mr. Brown to be unassailable in providing scriptural answers to the problems we face in our nations.

The Anglosphere's Broken Covenant:

Rediscovering the Validity and Importance of the Solemn League and Covenant

Michael Wagner

Kindle USA

Kindle UK

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