 |  |
Light upon the purposes of prayer.
Revelation and realization.
#1.
pp. 95 - 99
From time to time we receive enquiries relative to the place of prayer, especially in the
light of the revelation of the mystery. We therefore endeavour in these articles to suggest
a word of help to all who may be seeking light upon this most important subject. It is not
given to us however to write pages of matter "without the Book". Our method is and
must continue to be both expository and Berean in character, and we believe our readers
would not have it otherwise.
If we make our search in the Scriptures regardless of dispensational divisions, we shall
discover many precious lessons that belong to the matter of prayer, and which are true for
all time. In so doing, however, we shall, unless we keep a watchful eye on the things that
differ, be in danger of incorporating some items belonging to the prayers of one
dispensation with those of another. For example, such an indiscriminate use of scripture
would lead to the inclusion, as legitimate for the present time, of the practice of the
anointing with oil and the prayer of faith for the saving of the sick, found in James 5: 14,
15.
Again, thousands still use the prayer that includes the words: "Forgive us our debts,
AS we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6: 12), without ever realizing the weighty explanation
added by the Lord in Matt. 6: 14, 15, and expanded into a parable in Matt. 18: 21-35.
"So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses" (Matt. 18: 35).
It seems fitting therefore to take our enquirers to their own dispensational scriptures,
and we propose to illustrate the place and office of prayer in this dispensation by
passages taken from the prison epistles.
To most of our readers the general outline of the epistle to the Ephesians will be
familiar, and we shall not be under the necessity of occupying space by the setting out of
the subject-matter before us. We suggest that any reader who is unfamiliar with the
structure and general outline of the epistle would find much to help in this direction by
consulting our latest book: "The Testimony of the Lord's Prisoner", or by using the
Index to the bound volumes of The Berean Expositor.
The first prayer we have to consider is found in Eph. 1: 15-19, which we will here
quote so that all readers may have the actual passage before them.
"Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the
saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, That the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being