“Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David” (Matthew 15:22).
We continue to discuss and study the importance of prayer. Reading verses from Matthew we understand the lamentation of a soul touched with its wretchedness and which addresses itself to the sovereign Physician, in whose compassion alone it hopes to find relief. This was formerly the prayer of a woman of Canaan, who wished to obtain from the Son of David the recovery of her daughter. Persuaded of his power and expecting everything from his usual goodness to the unfortunate, she knew no surer way of rendering him propitious, than the cry of her affliction, and the simple tale of her misfortune. And this is the model which the church now proposes to us, in order to animate and to instruct us how to pray; that is to say, in order to render more pleasing, and more familiar to us, this most essential duty of Christian piety. For, our brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray is the condition of man; it is the first duty of man; it is the sole resource of man; it is the whole consolation of man; and, to speak in the language of the Holy Spirit, it is the whole man.
Why must we forgive? Jesus was unequivocal on this point: As his followers, we are required to forgive those who sin against us (Matthew 6:15). But what if we don’t feel like we’ve forgiven them? How do we know, then, if we have truly forgiven? The Holy Spirit, thank God, often enables people to forgive even though they are not sure how they did it. But forgiving and knowing that we’ve truly forgiven, comes easier when we understand the realities of forgiveness. In our discussion of this subject, we give you prospective from the New Testament point of view.
“Unto the pure all things are pure; but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God: but in works they deny him: being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:15-16).
Should Christians put the Word of God into the corner of their moral foundation as well as daily habits? St. Paul has shown us that we must be ruled by the Word of God and hold the commandments of men as vain and foolish; for holiness and perfection of life belonged not to them. He condemned some of their commandments, as when they forbid certain meats, and will not suffer us to use that liberty which God giveth the faithful. Those who troubled the church in St. Paul’s time, by setting forth such traditions, used the commandments of the law as a shield. These were but men’s inventions: because the temple was to be abolished at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those in the church of Christ, who hold this superstition, to have certain meats forbidden, have not the authority of God, for it was against His mind and purpose that the Christian should be subject to such ceremonies.
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Categories: RUSSIAN
