
Originally Posted by
aida
Matthew 6:9 "After this manner therefore PRAY ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
"Our Father" is an expression of clear recogntion of God. In fact, this is the essence of the First Commandment, "HEAR.....the Lord our God is one Lord."
Hosea 13:4 "... I am the LORD thy God...thou shalt KNOW no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me."
God is a Spirit and Jesus Christ, and the only Lord (1 Corinthians 8:6b) is that Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17). Jesus Christ, therefore, is the true God (1 John 5:20) for He is the Saviour:
Titus 2:13 " Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"
The recognition of "the Lord our God is one Lord" is the PREREQUISTIE to the TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS.
1Kings 18:39 "And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God...."
Belief in one God is not enough:
James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
Ecclesistes 3:18 "I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts."
For not knowing the Father, they could not be Jesus' children:
2Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate.. and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
Can we still say "God is a mystery" without feeling some "guilt" of not knowing God, which is the FIRST and PREREQUISITE to the Commandments? By what right do we have to call God "our Father" when we do not recognize Him? Could we be His children? Is there a child who does not know his father? Man justifies this with philosophy. Does not God have the right to say, "I never knew you, get out of my sight!"?
Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven..."
Ang tawaging "Panginoon" si Jesus, ito ay singkahulugan na inaari, at kinikilala ng tao na Siya ang nagiisang Dios. Kaya ang lahat ng mga taong nabibilang sa mga sekta at relihiyon na mga espirituwal na bulag (o hindi nakikilala ang Dios), at si Jesus ay tinatawag ng Panginoon, ang batayan ay ito: Sumasa kanila ba ang Espiritu ng Dios na si Cristo (at alam ba nila ito)?
Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
Ang PANANALANGIN, ito ay ang PAGSAMBA, o pakikipag-ugnayan sa Dios. Kaya ang "Pray without ceasing," ito ay katumbas ng "Sa isang Dios lamang tayo matapat at patuloy na makipag-ugnayan." Ang tao pag ito ay hindi nauunawaan, at sa halip ang "pagsamba" ay ginagawang pagpunta sa kapilya, pagsisimba, pagse-service, atbp., ang mga ito ay katuruan nga lamang ng tao, at walang kabuluhan sa Dios:
Mark 7:7 "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."