As It Is Heaven

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #132x, Written 31OCT09

The Disciples’ Prayer—Part Twenty Four: As It Is In Heaven

by rev dave c

Mt 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one' (NIV).

“...Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The word ‘will’ in this verse is from the Greek word, ‘thelema’, and it is more an expression of the Divine heart’s desire than the forceful enactment of His judgment. With this in mind, we should interpret Matthew 6:10b as, “Your heart’s desire be realized in the earth, just as it is in heaven”. This is far different than my inclination to read it as, “Your almighty and wrathful judgment be upon the earth just as it is in heaven”.

Second Peter, Chapter Three provides us a perfect example of the difference between God’s ‘thelema’ will and His ‘krisis’ judgment: 3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment [krisis—i.e., damnation] and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (NIV). If verse 9 is not clear enough regarding the heart’s desire of God, First Timothy 2:4 tells us that He wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (NIV). Do these Scriptures indicate, then, that all people will be saved? No, of course not. Each of us is given a limited measure of volition. We must each choose between obedience or disobedience to God’s commands.

So what are God’s New Testament commands? To love the Lord, our God, with our whole person (Mt 22:37). To love our neighbors as ourselves (Mt 22:39). And...to love one another as Jesus loves us (Jn 13:34&35/15:9-14; 1Pe 2:17). It is love, then, that is the key to the lock of our aloneness, our sinfulness, our misery, and the nagging of our conscience that the unrepentant are damned. But it is not ‘love’ itself that saves us. “Loving love” is no more fruitful than “having faith in faith”. In spite of what the Beatles sang over 40 years ago, humanity needs more than just the world’s definitions of ‘love’. Jesus tells us, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6; NIV). Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Ac 4:12; NIV). We must choose between darkness and light; between good and evil; between eternal reward and eternal punishment; between Jesus and the world. As a necessary condition, real love (agape/unconditional/selfless love) is always a choice.

There is one more command regarding love to be found within the Gospel message. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus instructs the crowds, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:43-48; NIV). Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven...Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

“Love our enemies” is among the hardest teachings for the Church to embrace, yet it is at the very heart of the Gospel message and it is directly commanded by Jesus, Himself. Oh, me. If we love the Lord our God, we are to be perfect as our Father God in heaven is perfect by loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. In Romans 5:6-10 we read, God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (NIV). Even though we choose to be enemies of God, He chose to love us. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1Jn 4:9&10; NIV). At the very moment Jesus was being crucified, He prayed for all those who persecute Him, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Lu 23:34; NIV). Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven...Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Your will, Lord God, be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.