Article August 12, 1985 Issue

The Lord's Prayer: its instantaneous effect

THOMAS GUY SLATER

In my apprenticeship days as a motor mechanic, a certain imported car was an unwelcome visitor to our workshop because the basis of its unusual adjustments was not understood. It was alien to our training. One day a man from that country came in. He inquired if I was willing to have the workings of the car explained. I eagerly accepted his offer, and in the end I was greatly benefited by what he taught me. Nevertheless, first I had to have a willingness to forsake most of my old notions and past training to make room for new ideas. And I had to do more than just learn the new ideas; I had to act them out. I had to prove them to be usable.

In a similar way the Science of Christianity cannot be superimposed on old theological modes of thought about God and man. For example, we cannot go on believing in a God who loves His creation and has created man in His own image, but who at the same time condemns man as a sinner.

We need to make the effort to renounce these old attitudes and accept understandingly the true relationship of God and man. God is holding man in spiritual perfection; this perfect manhood is the only true image of God. The practical application of this truth is revealed to us by the Comforter Christ Jesus promised. True, much more is required to demonstrate true manhood than merely saying man is perfect. We need a genuine effort to discard the old and receive the new. Yet even human effort would make this a formidable task, if we were not actually what the Bible says we are: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God."^{I John 3:2.} This truth opens to us an ever-widening vision of progress.