Term
Our Father, you who are in heaven:
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Definition
| With these words God wants to entice us, so that we may ask him boldly and with complete confidence, just as loving children ask their loving father. |
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Term
The First Petition:
May your name be hallowed.
What is this?
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Definition
It is true that God's name is holy in itself, but we ask in this prayer that it may also become holy in and among us.
How does this come about?
Whenever the Word of God is taught clearly and purely and we, as God's children, also live holy lives according to it. To this end help us, dear Father in heaven! However, whoever teaches and lives otherwise than the Word of God teaches profanes the name of God among us. Preserve us from this, heavenly Father! |
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Term
The Second Petition:
May your kingdom come.
What is this?
How does this come about? |
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Definition
In fact, God's kingdom comes on its own without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that this may also come to us.
Whenever our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that through his grace we believe his Holy Word and live godly lives here in time and hereafter in eternity. |
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Term
The Third Petition:
May your will come about on earth as in heaven.
What is this?
How does this come about? |
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Definition
In fact, God's good and gracious will comes about without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may also come about in and among us.
Whenever God breaks and hinders every evil scheme and will--as are present in the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh--that would not allow us to hallow God's name and would prevent the coming of his kingdom, and instead whenever God strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in his Word and in faith until the end of our lives. This is his gracious and good will.
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Term
The Fourth Petition:
Give us today our daily bread.
What is this?
What then does "daily bread" mean?
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Definition
In fact, God gives daily bread without our prayer, even to all evil people, but we ask in this prayer that God cause us to recognize what our daily bread is and to receive it with thanksgiving.
Everything included in the necessities and nourishment for our bodies, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, farm, fields, livestock, money, property, and upright spouse, upright children, upright members of the household, upright and faithful rules, good government, good weather, peace, health, decency, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like. |
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Term
The Fifth Petition:
And remit our debts, as we remit what our debtors owe.
What is this?
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Definition
| We ask in this prayer that our heavenly Father would not regard our sins nor deny these petitions on their account, for we are worthy of nothing for which we ask, nor have we earned it. Instead we ask that God would give us all things by grace, for we daily sin much and indeed deserve only punishment. So, on the other hand, we, too, truly want to forgive heartily and to do good gladly to those who sin against us. |
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Term
The Sixth Petition:
And lead us not into temptation.
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Definition
| It is true that God tempts no one, but we ask in this prayer that God would preserve and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice, and that, although we may be attacked by them, we may finally prevail and gain the victory. |
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Term
The Seventh Petition:
But deliver us from evil.
What is this?
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Definition
| We ask in this prayer, as in a summary, that our Father in heaven may deliver us from all kinds of evil--affecting body or soul, property or reputation--and at last, when our final hour comes, may grant us a blessed end and take us by grace from this valley of tears to himself in heaven. |
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Term
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Definition
| That I should be certain that such peititions are acceptable to and heard by our Father in heaven, for he himself commanded us to pray like this and has promised to hear us. "Amen, amen" means "Yes, yes, it is going to come about just like this." |
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