An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism Part 27

AND WE AS THE CHILDREN OF G.o.d LEAD HOLY LIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. In order to hallow G.o.d's name, we must not only hear but obey His Word.

[Jas. 1:22+, Matt. 5:16] As G.o.d's children we should think, speak, and act according to the rule which He has laid down in His Word, and thus glorify His name.

TO THIS MAY OUR BLESSED FATHER IN HEAVEN HELP US. We cannot preserve G.o.d's Word in its truth and purity against its foes, nor believe and obey it by our own strength: hence we pray for G.o.d's help.

II. HOW G.o.d'S NAME IS PROFANED.

BUT WHOEVER TEACHES AND LIVES OTHERWISE THAN AS G.o.d'S WORD PRESCRIBES, PROFANES THE OF G.o.d AMONG US. [Rom. 2:21-24, t.i.t. 1:16] False teachers, who deny G.o.d's Word, or change it, or add to it, or subtract from it, profane the name of G.o.d, because they hide the glory of G.o.d from those who believe their teachings. Those who live otherwise than as G.o.d's Word prescribes, and are hypocrites or impenitent and unbelieving persons, profane G.o.d's name, because they refuse to glorify Him by obedience to His Word.

FROM THIS PRESERVE US, HEAVENLY FATHER. We pray thus, because we are by nature inclined to error and sin, and have need of G.o.d's grace to preserve us from profaning His name.

QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this first pet.i.tion? 2. What does the name of G.o.d mean? 3. Why is G.o.d's name holy in itself? 4. What does it mean to hallow G.o.d's name? 5. How is G.o.d's name hallowed? 6. Why do we pray for G.o.d's help? 7. How is G.o.d's name profaned? 8. Why do we pray G.o.d to preserve us from profaning His name?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 17:6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.

John 1:18. No man hath seen G.o.d at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 17:17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jas. 1:22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

READING.--The Name of Jesus, Acts 4:1-21.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE SECOND PEt.i.tION.

Thy kingdom come.

_What is meant by this Pet.i.tion?_

The kingdom of G.o.d comes indeed of itself without our prayer; but we pray in this pet.i.tion that it may come unto us also.

_When is this effected?_

When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word, and live a G.o.dly life here on earth and in heaven forever.

In this Pet.i.tion we pray that the Kingdom of G.o.d may come to us[8] and to all men; that is, that we all by true faith and a G.o.dly life may become members of the Church on earth and in heaven.

[Footnote 8: Since the Kingdom of G.o.d comes to us through the Gospel, there is a close relation between this Pet.i.tion and the Third Commandment, which commands us to "deem G.o.d's Word holy and willingly hear and learn it."]

THE KINGDOM OF G.o.d is the Kingdom which Christ has founded, and to which all who believe in Him belong. It is the Kingdom of Grace in this world and the Kingdom of Glory in the next. [Mark 1:15, Matt. 25:34]

COMES INDEED OF ITSELF WITHOUT OUR PRAYER. Christ has established His kingdom and will continue to extend it, whether we pray for it or not.

[Isa. 9:7]

BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PEt.i.tION THAT IT MAY COME TO US ALSO; that is, into our hearts. In other words, we pray that we may become true Christians; [Matt. 7:21] and if we are Christians, we pray that we may become better Christians.

_Missions._ This pet.i.tion is also a prayer for missions. [Matt. 9:37, 38+, Mark 16:15] We here pray that G.o.d's kingdom may come to all men. If our prayer is sincere, then we must be willing also to give liberally, so that the Gospel may be preached to the heathen (Foreign Missions) and to the spiritually dest.i.tute in our own land (Home Missions and Inner Missions).

HOW G.o.d'S KINGDOM COMES TO US.

WHEN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVES US HIS HOLY SPIRIT. Since only believers belong to G.o.d's kingdom, and we "cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ our Lord," we pray in this pet.i.tion that G.o.d would give His Holy Spirit to us,

SO THAT BY HIS GRACE WE BELIEVE HIS WORD, [I Cor. 12:3] AND LIVE A G.o.dLY LIFE [t.i.t. 2:11-13+] HERE ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN FOREVER. The Holy Spirit must teach us to repent of sin and to believe in Christ, and preserve us in a life of daily repentance and faith. Then G.o.d's kingdom will come to as more and more in this world, and in the next world we shall belong to it for ever.

QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray in this pet.i.tion? 2. What is meant by the kingdom of G.o.d? 3. How does G.o.d's kingdom come without our prayer? 4.

What do we mean when we pray that it may come to us? 5. What is to be said about this pet.i.tion and missions? 6. How does G.o.d's kingdom come to us? 7. Why do we need the Holy Spirit?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 9:37, 38. Then saith he onto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Mark 16:15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

t.i.t. 2:11-13. For the grace of G.o.d that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying unG.o.dliness and worldly l.u.s.ts, we should live soberly, righteously, and G.o.dly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great G.o.d and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

READING.--The Harvest and the Laborers, Matt. 9:35-38.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE THIRD PEt.i.tION.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

_What is meant by this Pet.i.tion?_

The good and gracious will of G.o.d is done, indeed, without our prayer, but we pray in this pet.i.tion that it may be done by us also.

_When is this effected?_

When G.o.d frustrates and brings to nought every evil counsel and purpose which would hinder us from hallowing the name of G.o.d and prevent His kingdom from coming to us,--such as the will of the devil, of the world, and of our own flesh; and when he strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in the faith even unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.

In this Pet.i.tion we pray for grace gladly to believe, do, and suffer all that G.o.d wills us to believe, do, and suffer, so that His name may be hallowed, and His kingdom may come.

THY WILL. G.o.d's will is, 1. That we should believe the Gospel and be saved. [I Tim 2:4+] 2. That we should obey His commandments and be holy.

[I Thess. 4:3+] 3. That we should willingly submit to all His dealings with us, and suffer patiently when He lays a cross on us. [Rom. 8:17+]

BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. We pray that G.o.d's will may be done by all men and especially by us, as heartily, as continually, and as completely as it is done by the holy angels. [Ps. 103:20, 21]