Our sinful nature goes beyond mere bad choices 📛; it’s a force within us that rebels against God and must be put to death. 💀
We see this in the petition, “Thy Kingdom Come.” 👑
Does this mean we need everyone to become Christians and good citizens to strengthen God’s kingdom? 💪
Luther explains: “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.” ✨
Our old Adam doesn’t want God’s kingdom; we want our own. But fulfilling our desires only leads to our destruction. 🚫
Many petitions in the Lord’s Prayer oppose our sinful desires, they assume God has already saved us. 🛡️
When we pray, “Thy Kingdom Come,” we ask God to refocus us on what advances His kingdom and to shift our eyes off ourselves. 👀
The petition, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” also prays against our sinful nature. 🙏
We ask God not only to confirm His forgiveness but also to help us forgive others, as Christ died for them, too. ✝️
Though our sinful nature resists forgiveness and clings to grudges, doing so isolates and ruins us. God’s will is better than our own. ❤️
God wants us to forgive and uproot bitterness, avoiding the poison of vengeance. 💔
He calls us to extend grace to others as He has to us 🤝 , finding freedom and peace as His kingdom comes, His will is done, and we forgive as He forgives. 🙌
Each petition confronts our sinful desires with God’s promises, showing us His way is better than ours. ⬆️
Praise be to God, who loves us enough to help us war against ourselves. ❤️
Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.
Contributor Matt Richard is Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, ND.
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