Introduction
Matthew chapter 6. God willing, we'll return to 1 Samuel next week. I thought we'd look at the last petition or the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer this evening in Matthew 6.13. I was musing on the reality that if Saul would have prayed this prayer, Saul would have taken pains to watch his own heart and to seek the Lord's protection, perhaps he wouldn't have fallen into the sorts of sins and folly that he fell into so many times in First Samuel.
But I do want to read beginning in Matthew chapter six at verse five. We'll read from verses five to fifteen and then as I said our focus this evening will be on the first part of verse thirteen, the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:5–15
Verse five, and when you pray you shall not be like the hypocrites For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room. And when you have shut your door, pray to your father who is in the secret place.
And your father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them, for your father knows the things you have need of before you ask him. In this manner, therefore, pray.
Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. Amen.
Context: Acts of Piety in Matthew 6
Well, in this particular section, beginning in verse one in chapter six, all the way to verse 18, Jesus is dealing with religious activity or acts of piety. He deals with almsgiving in verses one to four prayer versus five to 15 and then fasting. in verses 16 to 18. Each of these things are assumed by our Lord that they will be done. Notice he doesn't command us to engage in almsgiving.
He doesn't command us to be charitable. He assumes that the people of God will in fact be charitable. Notice in the next section, he doesn't command us to pray. He assumes that the people of God will be a praying people.
And in like manner, he assumes that the people of God will fast, verses 16 to 18. What he's cautioning against is an empty, external, formalistic approach to these particular religious practices or to these exercises. We see that when he speaks to prayer. Before he gets into what has been called the Lord's Prayer, or this model of prayer that the Lord gives to us, notice that he cautions us against praying like the hypocrite or praying like the heathen.
When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men." The only reason that you pray is so that people will say, what a good prayer you are, you've missed the point of prayer. You have not gotten it down properly. So we are not to be like the hypocrite who simply engages in religious activity so that they may be seen by men. Jesus says, if that's your goal, then you have your reward.
But for the true saint of God, he goes into the secret place where the father alone sees and the father rewards his sons and daughters. And then he speaks against the manner by which we pray. when he cautions us against praying like the heathen. Notice in verse 7, when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. It's not the quantity of words that gains the ear of God.
It's not a matter of just rehearsing or reciting or repeating certain phrases and somehow God will then give us what we want. You can pray very briefly in specific situations and God answers. You don't have to spend hours upon hours upon hours. Now if you want to spend hours upon hours upon hours of prayer, by all means do that.
But do not approach it like a formula. If I pray for three hours, then God is going to give me three hours worth of blessing. Or if I pray for six hours, then God's going to reward me with six hours worth of blessing. We are not to be like the heathen.
And this helps us understand how we are to approach the Lord's Prayer as well. It would be absolutely insane for Jesus to say, Do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do for us to then drop down to the Lord's Prayer and just recite it as if it's some sort of a magical incantation. As we hold bead upon bead upon bead, just reciting the particular word does not have any efficacy attached to it whatsoever. The Roman Catholic use of just reciting this prayer in sort of a mindless approach is not what the Lord Jesus is calling us unto.
He tells us, do not be like the heathen, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Certainly it's in all of our hearts to think that God owes us when we do specific things. Probably in the best of God's people, there is nevertheless that underlying thought that I've done such and such, so God should reward me such and such. Jesus is arguing against such an approach.
God is not Baal. Yahweh is not Baal. We do not approach God as if He's Baal and just put in the quarter and pull the handle and out pop the blessings. The Lord Christ does not tell us to approach God in that manner.
And then he gives them this model prayer. Notice in verses 9 to 13, in this manner, therefore pray. Before we get to the sixth petition, we ought to notice that there are six petitions. Isn't that wonderful?
Can't have a sixth petition unless there were six petitions. Well, of course, you could have six if there were. seven, but there's six total. And notice the specific order. God comes first when it comes to prayer.
I know it is our tendency and temptation to go into the throne of grace and say, God, give me, God, bless me, God, help me. Now, if you happen to fall down a well, you can cry out to God, save me. It's a very legitimate enterprise. But in the normal course of praying, notice who comes first, according to Jesus, model prayer.
We pray first that God's name be hallowed. God's glory is first. God's glory is uppermost. Notice secondly, your kingdom come.
God's kingdom. The expansion of God's kingdom and rule. The third petition is that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is a particular order.
Just like the Ten Commandments start first with God and then go to some man-word expressions of our obedience, so does the Lord's Prayer. God comes first. His name, His kingdom, His will. Numbers 1, 2, and 3.
Now notice 4, 5, and 6. We pray to God for provision. Give us this day our daily bread. Under this we can include, you know, health and physical wholeness and all those sorts of things.
We can pray for jobs and sustenance and all of that is perfectly legitimate. Notice the fifth petition, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. We pray to God that he forgives us, that he cleanses us, that he washes us from all of our sin. And then the last petition, the sixth that we'll study tonight, do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
He tells us to pray for protection. R.T. France makes this observation. After a petition for the forgiveness of past sin, the fifth petition, comes a petition for protection from future sin.
So we confess our sins, we ask God forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. It's now good to pray and do not lead us into temptation. Keep me from further occasions of sin keep me from dishonoring your holy name, keep me from engaging in that manner of practice that I just had to confess because it is in me to sin. So
Three Considerations Introduced
as we look at this petition, we'll look at it under three considerations. First, the meaning of the word temptation. as it's used in this petition. Secondly, the explanation of the petition, and thirdly, the reason for the petition.
First: The Meaning of Temptation
But note first the meaning of the word.
Trial Versus Solicitation to Sin
Turn over to James chapter 1 for just a moment. James chapter 1, we see the same Greek word used with two different meanings. They overlap, they're similar in some regard, but it's very important that we understand what Jesus is telling us in this sixth petition. Notice in James 1.2, it says, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.
That's our word. or tests, we might interpret it or translate it. So tests, God does impose upon his children. In Genesis chapter 22, remember when God tells Abraham to take Isaac, his only son, to Mount Moriah and to sacrifice him. The author tells us in 22.1 that God was testing Abraham in that particular occasion.
As well, in Deuteronomy chapter 8, in verse 2, Moses tells the children of Israel that God took them out into the wilderness to test them, to test whether or not they feared God. So this idea of testing, in this context, is legitimate. Drop down to verse 13, the same Greek word, but again, a different nuance or a different shade of meaning. Verse 13, let no one say, when he is tempted, I am tempted by God.
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. So on the one hand, verse 2 tells us we are to count it all joy when you fall into various trials or tests, and then in verse 13 we're told that God does not test, God does not tempt. Well the idea again is that God gives us tests, or God does what he does to Abraham, or he does what he does to Israel, or he does what he does to the believer for their good and their benefit. We see that in verses 3 and following. when that trial comes or that testing comes, good results from it.
Verse 13 is a solicitation to do evil. Verse 13 is the idea of engaging in sin. God does not tempt us in that manner. God does not present to us a solicitation to do evil.
And that's what's in view in verse 13 in Matthew chapter 6. Do not lead us into temptation. This is a solicitation to evil in order to sin against God. The idea behind the petition is, let us not be brought into temptation and thus sin against you.
This is not a God-sanctioned test for the good of Abraham or Israel or his people, but rather this is the solicitation to do what is evil in the sight of God. Thomas Manton says this, he says, in temptation we must distinguish between the mere trial and the solicitation to sin. The mere trial, that is from God, but the solicitation to sin, that is from Satan and ourselves. God solicits no man to sin.
It is true. God may try us, trouble us, toss us, exercise our faith, hope, and patience. There are trials in the Christian life. As I look around this particular room, I don't think any of you will say otherwise.
There are difficulties, and there are heartaches, and there are hardships, and according to James 1-2, We're to count it joy when we fall into those things, because God Most High is using that for good in the lives of His people. If, according to the book of Hebrews, Jesus, the Son of God, learned obedience through suffering, then do we think that the pathway to obedience for us is without suffering? Do you think that we're going to just skip and skedaddle our way onto heaven without any trials or difficulties whatsoever? No, of course not.
God sanctions those. God blesses those, God gives us those to conform us unto the image of His Son. Remember, that's the grand design according to Paul in Romans 8. For whom He foreknew, these He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.
If we're being conformed to the image of Christ Himself, it will be a path of suffering, and hardship, and trial, and pains, and aches, and difficulties. I love the way Manton says it. It is true, God may try us, trouble us, toss us, exercise our faith, hope, and patience. Have you ever gone through a season where it feels as if God has tossed you?
As if God has exercised you? That's the James 1, 2 issue. But James 1.13 tells us that we are never to conclude that a solicitation to do evil is from God Most High. That is simply unacceptable.
Thomas Watson says the meaning is, with reference to Matthew 6.13, that God would not suffer us to be overcome by temptation, that we may not be given up to the power of temptation and be drawn into sin. So as I say, it's a petition for protection from God so that we may not go out and dishonor our Lord that we may not go out and sin against our God. I think France is right. After a petition for the forgiveness of past sin comes one for protection from future sin.
So it's important that we get this. Do not lead us into temptation. It does not mean we pray, God, I don't ever want any difficulties or hardships or trials. I don't think it's wrong to pray.
God, please, bless us and help us and all those sorts of things. But God uses trials and difficulties in the lives of his people to conform them unto the Lord Jesus. So that's the meaning of the word temptation.
Second: The Explanation of the Petition
Notice, secondly, the explanation of the petition. And there are two parts, a negative and a positive. Note first, do not lead us into temptation. Do not lead us into temptation.
And there's four things we ought to consider here.
Acknowledgment of God's Sovereignty
First, is there is an acknowledgment here of God's sovereignty. You see, when it comes to praying for protection, we can certainly invoke the prayers of God's people. We can certainly ask our pastors or our elders to pray for us. You know, I'm struggling.
I have an issue. I'm dealing with a particular sin. Could you please pray for me? But it's not ultimately pastors, elders, or brethren that can protect us from falling prey to these sorts of things.
In this petition, there is an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty. Notice back in the fourth petition, we acknowledge God's sovereignty in the provision of our temporal needs. We ask God to give us our daily bread. We acknowledge His sovereignty.
We know He is the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is the God who causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine. We acknowledge the mercy of God and the forgiveness of our sins in the fifth petition. We pray and forgive us our debts.
When it comes to this matter of protection, we acknowledge the sovereignty of God in spiritual protection from enemy forces. We are cast in dependence at the throne of God Most High, and we are beseeching Him for aid, help, and assistance so that we may not sin against Him. We ask the help of the Sovereign. We realize that He is Sovereign, not the devil.
We realize that He is Sovereign, not the world. We realize that He is Sovereign, not we ourselves. We're not praying to ourselves. as the protectors of our souls. We prayerfully submit to his sovereign rule as the one who knows what's best for his children and the one who guides us along our daily path.
Certainly it is righteous to wake up in the morning and to utter this petition to the God who does control all things. Lord, lead me not into temptation.
Admission of Weakness and Wickedness
The second thing we ought to notice about this first part of the petition is there is an admission of our weakness and our wickedness. There is in this petition an admission. That means we admit that we are weak and wicked. You may not like the choice of the word wicked.
Call it whatever you will. We have remaining corruption. And corruption is wickedness. Corruption is sin.
And Galatians 5, 17 and Romans chapter 7 indicate all too clearly to us that there is in the heart of every believing child of God remaining sin. There is in us that tendency to wander. We sang it tonight. O to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be.
Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. That's good praying, brethren. That is good praying. Let thy grace, or let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.
Why does he offer this? Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love, here's my heart. Oh, take and seal it.
Seal it for thy courts above. Robert Robinson. Apparently, at the end of his life, a woman saw him on a stagecoach and acknowledged the fact that he was the one who authored that particular hymn. And she was probably excited to sit with the hymn writer that had written such things.
And according to the story, he said to the lady, I would give anything to be back in the state of mind and soul that I was when I wrote that particular hymn. The very author of the hymn, at the end of his life, knew something of the hymn that he had authored himself. And I love the way David ends Psalm 119. I don't know if you've ever sort of reflected on this particular reality.
Psalm 119, if you had to summarize it in one proposition, would probably be something like a celebration of God's Word. I mean, Psalm 119 is 176 verses of the goodness of God's Word, right? His statutes, His commandments, His laws, His ordinances. He delights in it more than much fine gold.
The law of God makes me wiser than all my instructors. Notice how he ends Psalm 119. I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments." Now is David just a downer?
Is David just a downer? He celebrates the word and the law of God Almighty and then he ends on that particular note. No, I suspect that David knew all too well something of what Robert Robinson writes in that hymn. Prone to wander, prone to leave the God that I love.
There is in this petition, do not lead us into temptation and admission of our weakness and our wickedness. And brethren, I submit that is a good thing because when we admit those things, it will hopefully go a long way to keep us from the pride and the arrogance and the idea that we no longer stand in need of God's protecting grace. Have you ever gotten to the point where you believe you've mastered a particular sin? Don't answer me, because we'll all probably say, well, yeah, and then something else popped up, or that one came back another time.
Sometimes people get like that. I always think of that game Whack-A-Mole. I don't know if you've seen that. You know, the little moles come up, and you bop the one, and it goes down, and then something else pops up.
Just when you think you've got a sin under control, boom, up something else pops. And then you start whacking on that one. And lo and behold, this one pops up again. But I thought it was already whacked.
I already thought I dealt with it. You see, in this life, on this side of glory, we can never get to the point where we think we've mastered a particular sin. Or we have mastered or brutalized a particular lust or a temptation. We ought to be advancing, we ought to be growing, but we ought to ever be mindful of the reality that prone to wander, prone to leave the God that I love.
John Owen said, for ourselves, we are weakness itself. We have no strength, no power to withstand. Confidence of any strength in us is one great part of our weakness. You hear that?
Confidence of any strength in us is one great part of our weakness. When a man says, well, I don't struggle with this, and I don't struggle with that, and I don't struggle with that, that is an evidence of his weakness because he's boasting, and he's proud, and he's arrogant. Much more preferable is the man who says, do not lead us into temptation. Keep us from these evil paths.
Owen says, it was so in Peter, wasn't it? Though everyone else may deny you, Lord, I will not deny you. Isn't that what Peter did? Didn't Peter whack that bowl and suggest that somehow it would never rise up again?
That there would never be an instance or a time where he would undergo a denial? And that very Peter denies him to a slave girl. That very Peter denies him with oaths and curses. That very Peter. or who has had shoulders over all of us.
We need to guard against this presumption and this arrogance and this idea that we've got something under control. Owen says, he that says he can do anything can do nothing as he should. Amen. I think he's absolutely right.
So do not lead us into temptation. First, an acknowledgement of God's sovereignty. Second, an admission of our weakness and wickedness.
Recognition of Temptation's Power
Third, a recognition of the power of temptation. Right? Do not lead us into temptation. Why does the church pray this?
And notice the Lord's Prayer. is church-oriented. It is corporate. There's an our element and an us element. Not wrong to pray privately, Jesus tells us, to go into our secret places.
Did you catch the title of that sermon that Pastor Chansky referenced, the one by David Clarkson from Psalm 87? public religion is to be preferred over private. That was a Puritan mindset derived straight from the Psalter itself. God loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Not that he hates the dwelling places of Jacob, But he loves the gates of Zion.
He loves the gathered body of Christ's people. This is a corporate prayer. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts.
Do not lead us into temptation. This ought to be the way the church prays. And certainly take it as individuals into your prayer closet. But there is a recognition here of the power of temptation.
Gardner Spring in his little book called The Mercy Seat says, no one can truly adopt the language, lead us not into temptation, who does not possess the fear and hatred of sin. No one can truly adopt the language, lead us not into temptation, who does not possess the fear and hatred of sin. Consider the example of Joseph in Potiphar's house. What did he do when Potiphar's wife presented herself to him?
He resisted that temptation. He understood the power of it. He knew something of the gravity of this reality and what he did was cried out to God for aid and he ran from her house. Consider Job 31.1.
Certainly this man understood the power of temptation. A good petition for young men, a good petition for middle-aged men, a good petition for older men, or a good covenant rather. Job says, I have made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman?
Consider, Job was probably an older man by this time, and yet Job reflects in Job 31.1 on this reality that he had to make a covenant with his eyes so that he would not look upon a young woman. Proverbs chapter 5 and verse 8, remove your way far from her. and do not go near the door of her house." You see, temptation in and of itself isn't sin, because Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, right? But giving in to the temptation is sin. And Proverbs 5.8 has always intrigued me, because Solomon tells his sons, do not go near the door of her house.
He doesn't say, don't go into her bed. Solomon understands something about the power of temptation. Don't even go near her door, because if you go near her door, guess where the next stop is? You will be in her bed.
Temptation is powerful and we need to understand that and those who pray this petition acknowledge that reality. Ephesians 4.29, let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. John Owen on this issue concerning the power of temptation says, there are traitors in our hearts. Do you know this to be the case?
There are traitors in our hearts. The Owen quotes tonight come from Volume 6. This is a worthy endeavor in your Christian pilgrimage to read Volume 6. I cannot command it, but I can highly suggest it.
It's a big fat volume of goodness on dealing with temptation and sin. But he says, there are traitors in our hearts ready to take part, to close, and side with every temptation, and give up all to them. Yea, to solicit and bribe temptations to do the work as traitors incite an enemy. Do not flatter yourselves that you shall hold out.
There are secret lusts that lie lurking in your hearts, which perhaps now stir not, which, as soon as any temptation befalls you, will rise, tumultuate, cry, disquiet, seduce, and never give over until they are either killed or satisfied. Those are the two options with a temptation. Kill it. or satisfy it. Of course, to satisfy it is to sin against God Most High.
As Owen says elsewhere in Volume 6, be killing sin or it will be killing you. Again, John Owen says, let no man then pretend to fear sin that does not fear temptation to it. They are too nearly allied to be separated. Satan has put them so together that it is very hard for any man to put them asunder.
He hates not the fruit who delights in the root. And then the fourth element with reference to this petition, and these are just some suggestions you can think through and meditate upon. Do not lead us into temptation, and I'm sure come up with many, many more implications. These are just four suggestions.
Appeal for Divine Aid
The last that I have is that there is here an appeal for divine aid. There is an appeal here for divine aid. We are making our requests known unto God. Isn't this what we are to do in prayer?
Hebrews 4, 14-16 says, Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Certainly, a time of need is when we are being assaulted by temptation.
We pray to God, do not lead us into temptation. Keep us from it. Guard us, Lord. We are invoking divine aid so that we do not follow this path and end up in sin's clutches.
So the first element in the petition, do not lead us into temptation,
Deliver Us from the Evil One
notice secondly, but deliver us from the evil one. Three observations here. First, the enemies in view. Notice the text, do not lead us, I'm sorry, but deliver us from the evil one.
Some of the translations might just say evil, generically. Evil one is a good translation. Matthew chapter four, the temptation of our Lord Jesus. It was Satan who assaulted him directly.
The evil one came to our blessed Lord and tempted him in the wilderness. But as well, it can encompass the other enemies. There's a three-fold enemy of the Christian, of the believer. There is an unholy trinity that is out there that we need to take notice of.
It is the world, it is the devil, and it is our own flesh. And probably our own flesh is the most menacing of them all. Ryle says, we are here taught to ask God to deliver us from the evil that is in the world. the evil that is within our own hearts, and not least from the evil one, the devil. Listen to Manton.
Manton said, if there were no devil to tempt us, yet the heart of man is fruitful enough of all that is evil. Even if there wasn't a devil, there's enough wretchedness in our own hearts to cause an eternity of punishment as a result of our sins against God. So the enemy's in view. It's not just the devil here, but the world and the flesh as well.
Secondly, there is presented to us in the petition a continual threat. The prayer for protection from temptation and deliverance from evil is to be frequently engaged in because of the constant pressure, because of the constant tendency, because of the constant threat that is posed by the world, by the flesh, and by the devil. If you've ever read Pilgrim's Progress, when Christian is crossing the River Jordan, is it just a nice, you know, sort of a swim in the sea on a sunny day? It's a battle to the very end.
How do you think it's going to be for us? It's a battle to the very end. We've always got within us enough sin to damn us forever and ever. There are seeds in our hearts of apostasy, and we need to be mindful of that.
Jesus cautioned his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And the Christian understands that and seeks to pray accordingly. Deliver us from the evil one.
There is a reality here that's assumed, and I love the way the Westminster Larger Catechism specifies it. I have the whole catechism here, not the whole catechism, number 195. It's about that long. I was going to read the whole thing at the outset, but I'd probably lose everybody after what do we pray for in the Sixth Petition.
It's just long Puritan theology, but it's good, good theology. Perhaps I will read it at the end. But notice what it says toward the end. It says, if tempted, that by his spirit we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand in the hour of temptation.
Certainly that's what the petition is all about. And then it goes on to say, or when fallen. The divines understood something about remaining corruption. They understood something about Romans 7 and Galatians 5.
They understood that the best saint who prays, do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, was going to finish that prayer and then go out and fall into temptation, and more than likely give in to temptation. And so they put toward the end of this particular catechism answer, or when fallen, raised again and recovered out of it, and have a sanctified use and improvement thereof." In other words, God, when I engage in this particular activity, help me to learn the lessons that are necessary so that I don't go likewise and do it again. And then it goes on to say that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever. In other words, take the petition and look forward to the day when in that eschaton, or in the eschatological state, or when we are in heaven, there will not be a need daily to pray, do not lead us into temptation, because there is nothing that defiles in heaven.
There is no more sin, there is no more curse, there's not going to be any temptation. You get that glimpse in Revelation chapter 7, and all the saints are standing before the throne of God Most High. You know what they're not doing? They're not judging each other.
They're not sinning against each other. They're not engaged in adultery. They're not engaged in fornication. They're not engaged in lying or theft.
They're not engaged in cheating. They're standing whole-souled before the Lord God Most High, praising, worshiping, and honoring Him, world without end. Amen. So this petition ought to cause us to reflect upon that reality that there is a day coming when there will be no more sin, no more curse, no more sorrow as a result, and we will be in the presence of our God and of the Lamb.
Third: The Reasons for the Petition
Now notice thirdly and finally, the reason for the petition. Some of this is a bit overlapping. We won't spend a lot of time on each of these. The reason for the petition is the presence of remaining corruption.
Already alluded to that, but it's good to look at text. Romans 7. Romans chapter 7, specifically beginning in verse 13. has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not, but sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful." Now notice in verse 14, for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Now there is some debate. Martin Lloyd Jones, for instance, said that Paul is describing his himself prior to his conversion to Jesus Christ. The majority of commentary and the majority of interpreters over there, I wouldn't say the majority, but yeah, the majority, but it's not a 99 to 1. It's probably, I don't know, 60, 70, to 40, 30.
But Lloyd-Jones was of the mind that this description is of Paul prior to his conversion. The majority report of the position that I hold to is that this is Paul describing himself as a Christian. Paul describing himself with this reality of remaining corruption. Now, some of the language is a bit difficult, but let's just work our way through the basics, or the bottom line.
Notice in verse 14, for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do.
If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, nothing good dwells. For to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
For the good that I will to do, I do not do. But the evil I will not to do, that I practice." So the idea here is that Paul as a believer has this principle in him. He loves God, he loves the law, he loves righteousness. But there is remaining in him sin.
There is remaining corruption in his heart. He says in verse 20, now, if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. Now, verse 21 is intriguing. I find then a law that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
Isn't that interesting? When does Paul find this law? It's when he wills to do good. Paul's reading the paper or Paul was playing golf or Paul was watching, you know, the hockey game.
He wouldn't see that principle. He wouldn't see that law. Notice when it comes to fruition. I find that a law that evil is present with me.
The one who wills to do good. You see, you could do a hundred things in the day and never recognize that law. But the moment you pick up your Bible. Or the moment you get on your knees to pray, what happens?
Do you just hear bluebirds sing and say, yes, it's time to pray, it's time to read? No, there's resistance. There is within our hearts a resistance, a tendency to say, no, put the Bible down and go read that, or put the prayer closet away and go do that. We find the law at the time we are willing to do good.
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. Oh, wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.
And then Galatians 5.17. Galatians 5.17, there's no debate that this refers to that reality of remaining corruption in the hearts of God's people. Notice in 5.16, I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." So you see, in the heart of God's people, the spirit lusts against the flesh, the flesh lusts against the spirit.
There is this combat going on. this remaining corruption. Now the spirit is greater, you know, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. Ultimately the spirit wins and in this we greatly rejoice, but it doesn't minimize the reality that there is this daily combat that we need to engage in. So we need to petition God with reference to this spiritual protection because of the presence of remaining corruption.
Desire for Communion with God
In the second place, we need to pray the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer because we desire communion with God. Isn't that what the believer wants? Isn't that what you want, desiring communion with God? Doesn't that make you happy?
Isn't it wonderful when you come to church And instead of just this kind of a cold, formalistic, external enterprise, you meet with God. Or when you go to your Bible, you see things in the Scriptures that, you know, you've probably read that before, but wow, it just leaped off the page. Or you go to prayer and you just know that God is smiling upon that time and that season. Now, even if He isn't, you don't have that felt sense, still pray.
We're not to be regulated by our emotions or our desires or what we get. We're to be regulated by principled obedience to God Most High. You go into your closet and you pray. God is there.
He does see in secret. Whether He gives you a great big smile or not, That is regardless. You need to pray. There are those seasons and those times when we know God's presence and it's glorious.
And isn't this what the believer desires? The child of God yearns for communion with God and wants to remove any and every obstacle that bars that relationship. Do not lead us into temptation. Deliver us from the evil one.
Keep us from those paths. Our confession on the chapter on justification says God does continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified. And although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure. And in that condition, they have not usually the light of His countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith in repentance." So the confession acknowledges that reality where we don't enjoy the light of His countenance because of our sin.
Well, pray the sixth petition. Do not lead us into temptation. Deliver us from the evil one so that we may know the light of your countenance.
Desire to Glorify God
In the third place, the third reason for the petition is a desire to glorify God, right? Isn't that the end of our lives? What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
Westminster Shorter Catechism number one. It's a very simple, quick, easy answer to your purpose in life. Lord, why am I here? Westminster Shorter Catechism number one.
Glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Well, when it comes to this whole issue of sin, this dishonors God. This casts reproach upon his name. I've mentioned the example from 2 Samuel 11 and 12 many, many, many, many times.
When David murders, or when David commits adultery with Bathsheba, and then murders Uriah, and then Nathan comes to rebuke him, and Nathan comes to reprove him, and David sees that in fact he is the man, Nathan then makes this statement, By this, you have given cause to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme his name. Our sin brings reproach upon the fair name of our Lord Jesus Christ. John Owen says, consider the end of any temptation. This is Satan's and sin's end.
That is the dishonor of God and the ruin of our souls. I mean, that's cut and dry bottom line. Here's what the end of temptation is. This is Satan's end, sin's end.
The dishonor of God and the ruin of our souls. You see, temptation doesn't present itself that way, does it? Temptation doesn't sit there and say, yes, I am seeking to dishonor God and ruin your soul. I mean, that's not the way temptation works.
Temptation looks good. Temptation looks tempting. Temptation looks wonderful. Temptation is beautiful.
It allures. It appeals to us. So we want to reach out and take it. But we need to understand that behind the temptation is the dishonor of God and the ruin of our souls.
And then
Longing for the Eternal State
the fourth, I've already mentioned, is a longing for the eternal state, that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever.
Westminster Larger Catechism Q195
Now, I'll just finish by reading the Westminster Larger Catechism. What do we pray for in the Sixth Petition? Now, if you've ever done any memory work, you'll probably go, wow, this is a mouthful. Remember, the shorter catechism was for children.
The larger catechism was for us. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? In the sixth petition, which is, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, acknowledging that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God for diverse, holy, and just ends may so order things that we may be assaulted, foiled, and for a time led captive by temptations. that Satan, the world, and the flesh are ready powerfully to draw us aside and ensnare us, and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by reason of our corruption, weakness, and want of watchfulness, are not only subject to be tempted and forward to expose ourselves unto temptations, but also of ourselves unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover out of them, and to improve them. and worthy to be left under the power of them. We pray that God would so overrule the world and all in it, subdue the flesh and restrain Satan, order all things, bestow and bless all means of grace, and quicken us to watchfulness in the use of them, that we and all his people may by his providence be kept from being tempted to sin. or if tempted, that by his spirit we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand in the hour of temptation, or when fallen, raised again and recovered out of it, and have a sanctified use and improvement thereof, that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever.
And a final observation with reference to the entirety of the Lord's Prayer. Again, Owen says, he who prays as he ought will endeavor to live as he prays. Whoever prays as he ought will endeavor to live as he prays. You see, it would be simply unacceptable to say, Lord, do not lead me into temptation and then walk over to a computer and click on pornography.
That is not legitimately praying the petition. Or, Lord, do not lead me into temptation. My particular proclivity to sin is gossip. And then you go to the next door neighbor's house, who you happen to know is the town gossip.
You see, when we pray as we ought, we ought to endeavor to live as we pray. Thomas Watson, this is in his exposition of the Lord's Prayer, it's in a book called The Godly Man's Picture, says, if we would have peace in our souls, we must maintain a war against our favorite sin. and never leave off till it is subdued, which probably means we will never leave off on this side of glory. Brethren, we have the sovereignty of God and his government over us. We have the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
And we have the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, to cleanse us from all sin and from all unrighteousness. When we do fall, by God's grace, we will rise. But let us learn from it not to engage in the same sort of sin against our God. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank you for this, your word. We thank you for this prayer that Jesus gave to his church. And I pray that you would help us, Father, to pray these things and to mean them. And as Owen says, those who pray as they ought help us to endeavor to live as we pray.
Grant us grace now and go with us and watch over us. Bring us together on the Lord's day that we may worship you in spirit and in truth. And we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.